Chapter 1: Book 1. Story 1: Winter. Chapter 1.

Book 1
Story 1: Winter
Chapter 1.
Poliana’s life was average.4nb90dqs
People like to talk about other people’s lives. Some may question how such an
unlucky
and tragic life could be considered average, but another may retort that one’s
ambition for power and revenge was a normal part of life.
For Poliana, she was indifferent about her life.
Her life may have been a bit different from others but it was not. Her life started
out the
same way as everyone else’s, and it will end the same way as well eventually. What
happens in between may be slightly different, but eventually, everyone’s life ended
the
same way.
You were born, you live, and you die.
Simple.
Poliana lost her mother early and her father remarried immediately to gain a male
heir.
Her stepmother did give birth only a year after her marriage, but it was another
girl.
Poliana didn’t know why, but after the birth of her stepsister, her father and her
stepmother stopped trying for another child. In fact, they decided that the family
name
and fortune would be inherited by one of their daughters.
It was no surprise that it wasn’t Poliana who was going to be their heir.
Poliana lived in a kingdom named Aehas, which was a small country in the northern
part of the continent. Although it was a tiny nation, Aehas maintained its
unfriendly
relationships against its neighbors.
It was no wonder Aehas suffered from constant war. Many died, and when the knights
and the noble families began to avoid participating in these wars, a new law was
made in Aehas.
Any nobility that doesn’t provide at least one member of its family to participate
in the
wars would lose their status as a noble. To prevent the noble families from forcing
their
very-distant relatives to the war, the law specifically stated that only a direct
member of
the family, or even the heir him or herself, had to participate.
And if the family only had daughters and decided to send a distant male cousin to
war,
then, that cousin or their direct family member were to inherit their noble title.
It was also
illegal to marry off the daughter to a random man and send him off to the war. In
cases
like this, then the woman would still not be able to inherit that title even if her
husband
died in a war.
Poliana was born to a mediocre noble family in Aehas. For her stepsister Liana to
inherit
the title, as their parents hoped, one of the sisters had to serve time in the
military.
It was no surprise that Poliana was chosen by her parents to serve this time.
Her little sister Liana led a favored and extravagant life. Her hair was brushed to
silkiness
many times a day and she adorned with the most expensive ribbons. Her dresses were
decorated with lavish laces and she enjoyed the most luxurious perfumes.
Learning to play the piano and harp, reading the popular romance novels by the cozy
fireplace, and being loved unconditionally by her adoring parents…
And while Liana was being pampered senseless, Poliana was resigned to the harsh
life
of a knight. Her hair was cut short at all times and she only wore pants.
One unique thing in Aehas was the fact that it was the only country that allowed a
woman to fight in wars.
A female knight.
Knightess.
In other countries, women were sometimes given honorary knighthood but they were
never allowed to actually fight. It was different in Aehas, however, it was very
rare. In
fact, it was considered an embarrassment for any noble family to send in a
knightess to
represent them. If it was absolutely necessary, then the family would often bribe
their
way in to make sure that their knightess would be given a desk job instead of being
sent
to the battlefield.
But Poliana’s parents didn’t take these precautions. Rather than bribing to ensure
Poliana’s safety, they chose to cut her hair, dress her in boy’s clothes, and give
her a
sword.
Their intention was obvious.
Go fight and die.
Some may think that her parents did this because they realized Poliana was a
talented
fighter.
A genius swordsman? An amazing combatant?
But in truth, this was not the case. There has never been any notable solider in
Poliana’s
family history, and both of Poliana’s birth parents were of average health.
As time passed where Poliana trained to become a knight, she quickly realized her
physical limits. No matter how hard she tried, she could never win a single fight
against
the others since she was weaker and slower.
To survive, she needed to be talented. She needed to be much more talented than
everyone else but, unfortunately, she had no aptitude for combat. Her teacher, an
old
knight, informed Poliana’s father that she needed to give up on being a knightess
or
else she would die, but Poliana’s father didn’t care. He thought that it was her
duty to
enter the war and die so that her little sister Liana could inherit the family
title. It was
essential for Poliana to die or else, she would inherit the family title after she
had served
her time.

The old knight had no choice but to teach Poliana how to fight. He said to her,
“Survive.
No matter what happens, you must live. That will be the biggest revenge you can
have
against your parents.”
If Poliana returned alive after 10 years of military service, she would inherit the
family
title, but the chance of her surviving this long was unlikely.
The old knight suggested to Poliana that she should try her best to get close to
her
superiors or any high-ranking soldiers so she could get a desk job. That was the
only way
for her since she had nothing to offer. She had no money to bribe anyone and no one
at the front would be sympathetic towards her. It had to be her father who needs to
take care of this, but he was unwilling to do so.
The old knight explained, “Poliana, make sure to study the art of war. Study the
strategies of warfare and do not blindly trust your superiors. If it looks like
your side is
going to lose in a battle, you need to run. You won’t be called a deserter as long
as
you’ve returned to your base.”
One fortunate thing was that at least, Poliana was of noble birth. Any nobles
automatically started out as officers, not foot soldiers. The most and immediate
deaths
during a battle occurred to the foot soldiers fighting at the front line.
If Poliana survived a few battles, she would be promoted and therefore become a bit
safer. The old knight’s best advice for her was to study battle tactics because no
matter
how hard she tried, she was never going to become a good soldier.
Thankfully, Poliana was intelligent and her brain was her only talent.
Her skin was burnt from training outside so much. She was covered in scars,
especially
her hands. Her hair was shorter than many boys’ and she was extremely thin. She
still
looked like a boy.
When her period started, the old knight explained her worst-case scenario.
“If you are caught by your enemies, you will be raped.”
“I know.”
Most women found in battlefields were either prostitutes or wives of the soldiers.
In this
world, killing prostitutes and raping regular citizens were banned.
However, a knightess was different. If a woman holding a sword was captured, they
would be allowed to kill or rape her. They were to be considered as a soldier and
therefore, they were treated like a man.
In Aehas’ history, there have been a few renowned and revered knightess. They were
amazing soldiers, but in the end, they were all killed.
Raped and murdered.
The old knight continued, “It might not even be your enemy who rapes you. It could
be
someone in your own army as well.”
“I know that too.”
Women were considered bad luck in battles and most men would not even
acknowledge a female’s presence at the frontlines. It was public knowledge that
some
of those famous knightesses were actually murdered by their male fellow soldiers.
This was why most knightesses didn’t make it to the battle. A case like Poliana’s
was
extremely rare.
“Why do you work so hard, Poliana? What are you working for?” The old knight asked
Poliana, who looked calm.
“I don’t know.”
“A lack of goal can ruin a person.”

“I have nothing else to do other than to work hard, to try my best.”

She knew that it didn’t matter. No matter how hard she worked, she knew how her
life
would end, but despite it all, Poliana still tried. If she was a man, everyone
would have
praised her for her hard work, but because she was a woman, everyone laughed at
her.
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Her own little sister laughed at her. Liana ate her sweets and smiled sweetly. Her
beautiful long hair was her pride and joy, and Liana often teased Poliana about her
short hair.
Whenever Liana made fun of her, the old knight told Poliana to slap her. What
Poliana
had to go through, and what she had to face in the future, were all because of her.
Once, Poliana considered breaking Liana’s nose, but she decided against it. Her own
parents abandoned her, and so Poliana felt nothing for her family. She was not even
angry at them.
It was odd how Poliana didn’t feel anything. She didn’t feel happy, but she didn’t
feel
unhappy either. She didn’t know the purpose of her life.
Poliana wondered if she would be able to feel happiness in a battle. If she won,
would
she feel something? Happiness? Joy? If she succeeded in surviving the war and
returned home, would she feel gleeful?
If she was given the chance to let her hair grow and learn piano, would her life be
better?
She wanted to find happiness, and for now, the only thing she could do was to do
her
best to survive.
Chapter 2
When Poliana turned 14 years old, she was drafted. Other boys from different noble
families that were also drafted either cried or gritted their teeth in anger. They
were in a
similar situation as Poliana. They had to go to war just as she did, but at least,
their
parents or relatives paid the price for them to at least ensure their safety.
Poliana was the only girl in the bunch, but none of them realized that she wasn’t a
boy.
First of all, she was taller than most boys and she still had no curves which were
common for the others around her.
She was dark-skinned from the sun and was covered in scars. Most of all, her hair
was
too short. No women in the kingdom, not even a peasant, would cut their hair this
short.
Even many of the noble men kept their hair long.
On top of that, Poliana wore something that was similar to the other boys. A pair
of
pants, a piece of armor, and a belt with a sword. No one could imagine her to be a
lady. Everyone who saw her assumed that she was a bastard of a noble family.
The boys were sent off by their families, but Poliana was all alone, except for the
old
knight who came to say goodbye. The boys’ families cried and gave gifts of
handkerchiefs, which symbolized luck, but Poliana received nothing. The only thing
her
father gave her was armor and a new sword. They were of poor in terms of quality,
but
at least, they were something.
Poliana didn’t care. She felt nothing for her family and they weren’t important to
her.
They’ve been in war with Kukda, a kingdom adjacent to them for a long time. They
took breaks during the farming seasons, which were spring, summer, and fall, but as
soon as the first snow falls, they would go to war. And when spring begins, they
would
call a truce so they could back to toil their lands once again.
Such a long war took a huge toll on both countries’ coffers as well as their
people’s
morals, but the royal families didn’t care. They refused to call a permanent truce
between them.
On the first day, while she’s on her way to her assigned position, Poliana was
kicked out
of the carriage.

It was because she was a girl.

During the ride when the boys introduced themselves to each other, they learned
Poliana’s name and were shocked.
“You’re a girl?”
They kicked her out immediately and the other boys didn’t see Poliana as a lady.
A lady was supposed to have beautiful long hair, have the sweet smell of perfume,
and
wear a dress. Poliana had short hair, she was skinny, she smelled like sweat, and
wore
pants.
War was no joke. The boys yelled nasty things out to her as they pushed her out of
the
carriage. They told her to go work in the kitchen and bring out her brother instead
for
the coming battles.
She fell to the ground but thanks to her armor, she was able to avoid any severe
injuries.
She stood up quickly and started to walk. There were many carriages, some were
carrying the drafted boys while others held their supplies, and Poliana moved fast
not to
lose sight of them.
If she didn’t keep up and reach the military base, she was going to be considered a
deserter who’s bound to be executed immediately.
Poliana briefly considered running away, but she had nowhere else to go. Rather
than
dying while roaming around aimlessly, Poliana decided it would be better to at
least
experience a battle before her death.
Her armor saved her from getting injured, but it was too heavy for her. It impeded
her
movement and yet, she couldn’t just throw it away. She was sweating heavily
underneath it since it was still autumn, but the battle would take place in winter
where
she would definitely need it for warmth and for her safety.
Some of the low-born boys who were drafted were walking to their destination as
well
and when they saw Poliana, they thought at first that she was another noble boy who
was being bullied by the other high-born boys. They initially offered to carry her
armor
for her, but when they learned that she was kicked out from a carriage because of
her
gender, they frowned and spat at her.

One of the common myths among the soldiers was that if they touched a woman
before their first battle, they would die soon. It was believed that abstinence
before the
war would bring soldiers good luck.
The boys continued to spit at her before they walked away.
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Then suddenly, one of the knights on a horse ahead of them announced firmly,
“Anyone who doesn’t make it to the base on time will be considered a deserter!”
Poliana flinched and started to limp as best as she could. One of the knights on a
horse
behind her saw her and asked her name. When she gave him her answer and when he
checked the document, he frowned and grumbled loudly, “Dammit, you’re a girl…
Useless.”
The knight didn’t want her, but if she didn’t make it, she was going to be
executed. He
told her to hurry. “Take your helmet off. Maybe it will be easier for you if you
do.”
Although men hated women on the battlefield, many also had a secret desire for a
knightess. In popular stories, a beautiful female knightess would take her helmet
off to
reveal her gorgeous long hair and face.
Of course, Poliana was not one of these knightesses. To wear the helmet, she had to
cut
her hair very short and she was certainly not beauty.
When the knight on the horse saw her face, he was clearly disappointed. If she was
pretty, he planned on allowing her to ride the horse with him, but when he saw her,
he
just rode away.
Poliana wiped her face with a towel as she walked. She was so tired, but
shockingly, this
was only the beginning of her long journey.
Chapter 3
The young people that were drafted were initially given a low rank. In the past,
any
noble would receive their knighthood immediately, but the law was changed recently.
Knighthood shall be given to one that had survived three battles.
This change was made to save the country’s money. There were a lot of cases where
nobles would get themselves killed or captured on their first battle that resulted
in Aehas
compensating for their loss more than those who belong in the lower ranks.
Poliana’s name was announced, “Cranbell’s and Sir Bassette’s offspring, Poliana
Cranbell!”
The military base Poliana was assigned to was at the base of a mountain. It was
considered one of the more dangerous areas amongst the other bases that Aehas
controls because their enemies could utilize the terrain around it. Many deaths
have
occurred here as recorded in their previous battles.
Most of the nobles bribed the higher-ups to make sure that they didn’t end up here,
but
Poliana was sent here with other boys from poor families along with the unlucky
ones.
Three battles to become a knight.
Their commander studied the recruits with sharp eyes. The boys and Poliana stood
tall
and rigidly, hoping to be favored by him. The recruits’ immediate superior, a
knight,
announced the rules and news while the high commander continued to examine the
newcomers. He kept going back and forth between his papers and his new men. The
paperwork included portraits of the recruits and the commander was making sure that
they matched.
Then suddenly, the commander raised his left eyebrow.
“A girl?”

Poliana swallowed hard. The commander, Sir Batre, had a fairly good reputation but
as
a soldier, not as a person. At least, he was considered to be a talented commander
and tactician.
Poliana answered, “Yes! That’s correct, sir!”
“Are you a virgin?”
“Pardon?”
When Poliana looked up in shock, the commander got irritated and slapped her hard.
She almost fell to the ground, but she gritted her teeth and remained standing.
“I asked you if you are a virgin.”
“Yes! That is correct, sir!”
When Poliana answered and while hiding her mortification, the commander nodded
and replied, “I was hoping to get a taste of fresh meat, and yet, what we ended up
with is an ugly thing like you… Dammit.”
Poliana clenched her teeth but she couldn’t stop trembling. She was horrified and
to
hide her embarrassment, she lowered her face but when the commander saw this, he
slapped her again.
“Look up!”
“I’m sorry, sir!”
She could feel everyone’s eyes on her. She didn’t have to look around to know. She
knew that they were all laughing at her and that they all despised her.
Poliana kept her chin up, trying to prevent her tears from rolling down her eyes.
One of
the boys whispered viciously, “Why did she bother coming here? This is war and this
is
not a place for a girl She should’ve stayed back home and get herself pregnant.
Although looking like that, I doubt anyone would marry her.”
Poliana remained quiet as she shivered in pain and when suddenly, she heard the
commander call out another name. The name belonged to a blond boy with a pretty
face and when his name was called, the boy stood straight and answered.
Why did the commander call this boy’s name? Everyone wondered, but what he said
next answered the unspoken question.

The commander ordered, “You, you will come to my tent tonight.”

It was clear what the commander wanted. Poliana no longer felt sad for herself. It
seemed that Sir Batre liked a pretty face and he didn’t care if it belonged to a
boy or a
girl.
Every morning, a trainee would leave the commander’s tent with an ashen face. Any
recruit with good looks were called to his camp every night. A commander of a base
was considered to be the god and everything that he ordered had to be carried out
without question. Abusing his power to sexually assault recruits was illegal, but
no one
could do anything about it. One of the knights stated that at least, the commander
had his pride and therefore only touched the noble recruits. He never showed
interest in
prostitutes or civilians.
It was an unfair and ridiculous situation, but there was that they could do about
it.
Many boys grumbled in frustration and shame, and whenever Poliana saw this, she
felt
thankful. At least, she wasn’t called to his tent. She, however, wasn’t so naïve to
believe
that she would be safe forever. Someday, it would be possible that she might end up
in
the commander’s tent but she didn’t care. Many of the recruits had to go through
this,
so if her time comes, she will accept it.
And then, it happened. She expected this, but what actually happened inside the
tent
was a shock to her. As soon as she walked in, she was pushed down on a table on her
stomach, and she was sodomized. She struggled in pain, but Sir Batre continued and
as
he climaxed, he shuttered and whispered, “You are still a noble woman, so I will be
generous and allow you to remain intact.”
Indeed, she still technically remained a virgin just like all the other boys before
her.
When she left the tent, she went into the forest to kick and punched a tree
angrily, just
as the other victimized boys have done before her. She was raped, yet her eyes
remained dry.
Other knights called her a touchy b*tch because she didn’t cry. Poliana thought
about
pretending to cry, but she decided against it. If she cried, they would’ve laughed
at her
and say that she was weak because she was a girl.
Time passed like this, and soon enough, the first snow fell.
***
Battles took place only during winter. It was an unspoken and a necessary rule. If
the
nations fought all year round, what would happen to the farms? Spring, summer, and
fall were the times of truce so that farming could go on.
Poliana saw six first snowfalls during the war and she survived each and every one
of it.
She became an official knightess and the head of a small army.
6 years of abuse from everyone around her made her stronger.

She was now 20 years old and a fully-grown woman, but Poliana still looked like a
teenage boy. Most women in normal circumstances would have had a narrow waist
and beautiful curves, but not her.
The sheer lack of food and constant battles made her skinny. It wasn’t that she
didn’t
have any curves, it’s just that her thick metal armor hid most of them.
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If she was fully clothed in her battle gear and didn’t speak, no one could tell
that she
was a woman. She looked like any other knight in this war.
But she wasn’t completely unknown. In fact, she was somewhat infamous. A knightess
surviving 6 years of war was unusual.
The enemies called her a whore or a witch. Some even taunted Aehas, laughing at the
fact that it had to send a woman to do man’s job. Most men on her own side, her
fellow soldiers remained hateful towards her.
But Poliana remained steady and confident. It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t do
anything
wrong.
Even at her own home, most people blamed her for everything. Her father, her
stepmother, and her stepsister ignored her when she returned home to take a break
from her service.
Poliana, in turn, ignored them as well. At home, she ate and slept to her heart’s
content. Her room was long gone, so she just walked into an empty room in her home
and took residence.
She deserved this vacation and she was going to enjoy it no matter what.
Chapter 4
One morning, Poliana woke up to her stepmother complaining that she went to bed
unwashed. She was sleeping in one of the guestrooms and her stepmother grumbled
that Poliana was ruining it.
Poliana went downstairs for breakfast when suddenly, she smelled something sweet.
It
wasn’t food, but it was perfume. When she looked up, she saw her stepsister Liana
at
the top of the stairs looking like a doll. She saw an expression of disgust and
hatred on
her face.
As Liana slowly walked down the stairs, her long silky hair danced around her.
Poliana
gaped at her gorgeous little sister. She had to admit that Liana has grown into a
beautiful woman in six years. She was what an ideal lady was supposed to look like
and
Poliana could imagine men fighting each other for Liana’s attention.
Liana said to Poliana sharply, “What is wrong with you? Why do you look so
disgusting?”
Liana pinched her nose and Poliana sniffed herself.
Sweat, blood, dust, dirt, urine, an unwashed body, and clothes.
The stench of death.
Poliana shrugged, thinking she didn’t smell any different than usual. Liana, still
irritated,
continued, “Are you crazy? Why did you come here now, of all times? Is it because
it’s
my birthday soon? Are you trying to ruin it?”
Poliana had no idea it was her sister’s birthday soon. She came here because she
had
spent 6 years of her 10-year term, and she was beginning to feel hopeful that she
might
survive this. The situation at the battlefront, however, wasn’t going very well, so
she
thought she should use up her vacation time and think about some strategies.

But obviously, Liana thought that everything was all about herself.
Poliana shrugged again. ‘Oh well, I guess it can’t be helped since I didn’t explain
anything to anybody why I came here.’
Poliana walked to the kitchen and started to butter her bread liberally. The
servants
offered to cook her something, but she refused. She was perfectly happy with bread
and butter. Liana followed her to the kitchen and stared at her angrily. When
Poliana
ignored her and continued to eat, Liana screamed, “Leave this house right now!”
“Liana, if I survive another four years, it will be you who needs to leave this
house.”
Liana’s face became pale. If Poliana survived the 10 years of military service, she
was
indeed going to inherit the family title. Poliana didn’t plan on kicking her sister
out, but it
was still fun to say it out loud. Poliana was also sick of people calling her a
naive idiot.
Everyone who knew Poliana’s situation told her to slap her sister if she
disrespected her.
It was for Liana’s benefit that Poliana was in this situation after all.
Liana wanted Poliana to die.
Poliana had all the right to hit her sister. She was her older sister, but if
Poliana really did
hit Liana, she knew exactly what the people would call her.
A vindictive b*tch.
Poliana watched in amusement as Liana trembled. Did Liana think she was really
going
to hit her? If she did, Poliana knew that Liana would faint.
Just then, their father came hurriedly and yelled, “How dare you!” He slapped
Poliana,
and because he wasn’t wearing a gantlet, she didn’t even flinch. Having father on
her
side, Liana snorted confidently. Liana truly hated Poliana. She looked at her older
sister
up and down in disgust.
The war hasn’t been gentle on Poliana. She was covered in scars and her face wasn’t
spared from it. Her hair was cut short and ugly, and because she didn’t get to wash
regularly, her skin was dirty and rough. She had to yell often during battles,
which turned
her voice deep and gravelly.
“Liana is the heir to this family! How dare you disrespect her?” Their father
continued in
anger.
But this was an empty threat. The truth was if Poliana survived her 10-year
military
service, she was going to automatically inherit the family title as well as their
wealth. This
was the only perk of going to war on behalf of one’s family.
And to prevent the nobles from abusing this law, if the surviving soldier dies
within 10
years of inheriting the title, another member of the family had to serve another
10-year
term in order to get it back. There were an unfortunate incident where a solider
survived
the term and inherited his rightful title but ended up dying from a battle wound
soon
after. The man’s brother, therefore, was forced to serve 10 years himself in order
to
become the next heir.
Poliana’s father was sure that she would not survive the harsh life, but when she
remained alive after 6 years, he felt anxious.
When she felt full, Poliana went upstairs and walked into another empty room to lay
down. No matter how hard she thought, there was no future for this country. The
soldiers
were treated like a sacrifice while the citizens near the battlefront lived in
constant fear
and poverty. Those who lived in the city center had no idea what was happening, and
they didn’t care about the war or the food of the country. Nobles were the worst of
them all.

The taxes continued to rise, hurting everyone in the nation.

Some may have thought that it would be easier now for her to survive the next 4
years
since she already survived the first 6 years, but Poliana didn’t think so. In fact,
she was
sure that her next 4 years were going to be so much worse.
She could feel it.
Something didn’t feel right and that was why she asked for a vacation.
The rumors on the battlefields and those in the cities were very different. Poliana
knew
that she might be able to learn more about the overall situation if she stayed in
the city
for a while. In fact, she needed to be in the capital.
She dropped by at her home, which was located on the outer border of the capital,
only because it was on her way. She stayed for two days to fill her stomach, and
without taking a bath even once, Poliana left her home.
As she rode away, Poliana could see Liana looking down at her from her room.
Liana’s
face was filled with obvious hate, but Poliana didn’t care.
‘I have to admit, she really is very pretty.’
Liana’s pride and joy were her long silky hair.
When Poliana reached the capital, she immediately began to collect any rumors she
could hear.
The rumor about the possibility of this winter’s war to be the last one.
The rumor about the kingdom of Kukda planning to use more forces for the next
battles.
There were many rumors concerning the ongoing war, but none of them satisfied
Poliana’s instinct.
Many also talked about the kingdom called Acreia, which was located at the north of
Aehas. Its emperor died a few years ago and his heir became the next emperor.
“I hear Acreia’s new emperor is very handsome.”
“He became the emperor three years ago, so I don’t think he is considered ‘new’
anymore.”

Poliana has heard many things about this new ruler. Apparently, he was a gorgeous
young man. Was this just an exaggerated rumor or the truth? Poliana was skeptical
about it, so she didn’t believe it but she agreed that it was nice to have good
looking
royal members.
It was also very advantageous for the heir to be attractive so it was very common
for
the royals to spread such rumors, whether it be true or false.
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But something about this new emperor nagged her.
Acreia’s emperor was still very young. So much so that people still called him a
“young
man.” A young ruler would want to solidify his power, and that was why new monarchs
often tried to make as many public accomplishments as they could. They would
exaggerate the smallest achievements in an attempt to look strong, especially to
neighboring nations.
But this new emperor of Acreia… so far, has done nothing. There were no stories of
his
triumphs. They weren’t friendly with each other, but they still communicated and
still,
trades took place between them.
The only thing Poliana knew was that when the new emperor came into power, a
significant number of Acreian soldiers were placed at its border. It wasn’t an odd
occurrence as this happened often. A new ruler often made changes and
improvements to the country’s military.
Poliana shook her head since something felt wrong. She went back to the room she
rented and took out her map that showed the military presence of all the northern
borders.
She studied it carefully, and after contemplating for a day, she finally realized
the truth.
Acreia was getting ready for a war.
Chapter 5
Acreia’s northern region was too cold for anyone to survive while it’s eastern and
western borders were surrounded by icy seas.
Only its southern border faced other nations, namely Aehas and Kukda. Unless Acreia
was planning to go to war against the polar bears, the only possible foes for
Acreia to
wage war against were pretty clear.
Kukda and Aehas have been carrying on their war for centuries, and now, the third
country, Acreia, was about to join in.
Acreia’s lands were unproductive. If it planned on going to war, which meant
redirecting their limited resources to their military division, its goal was very
obvious.
It was to conquer another nation.
Poliana gave up the rest of her vacation and returned to her base. She immediately
reported to her superiors about her findings, but they ignored her as usual.
“Acreia? Do you think Acreia is going to attack us? Are you stupid? Only a woman
would think of such a ridiculous story.”
“But it’s the truth. It is so obvious, sir. If you would only look at Acreian
military
movements, you should be able to see this. We need to send the scouts to learn more
about their plan.”
“This isn’t your first year here, girl. You have survived here for 6 years, so even
an idiot like
you should’ve learned how things work around here. We have no soldiers to send
away. Our battle with Kukda is just about to start! The last and biggest battle of
our
history!”

“The battle you’re expecting won’t come!”

“Did you not hear about the order from the capital? Our emperor suspects Kukda to
be
planning something big this year. This winter will finally be the time when we
defeat
Kukda once and for all!”
“That is what we say every year! Every winter, we say it’s going to be the last and
the
biggest battle, and every spring, we get disappointed as we go into a truce. You
know
this, sir! You know this war will never end!”
No one even knew the reason for this war anymore, either side no longer had a goal
as
to why they’re moving on. It was only and all about pride.
But such vanity was causing the deaths of countless soldiers. The nobles enjoyed
their
extravagant lives in the capitals while the low and middle-class citizens suffered.
Her captain snorted and replied, “You are so stupid. As of today, you will no
longer be
allowed to lead your army. You will return to being a simple knightess so you can
learn
what this war really is about.”
Everyone in the tent fell silent before the men sneered at her. It was her captain
who
promoted to the platoon leader because he saw how talented Poliana was in tactics
and reading maps. If it wasn’t for him, she would’ve never been given such
position.
She would’ve remained as one of many nameless knights.
But now that her position was taken away and she was a nobody again. That meant
that she also lost the privilege of participating in these meetings.
She returned her platoon leader’s dagger and was about to leave the tent when she
heard the words that were so familiar to her.
“This is why we shouldn’t work with women.”
Poliana closed her eyes and left the tent quietly. She wished that it was indeed
her
imagination, but she knew it wasn’t the case.

Acreia was coming.

In her own tent, Poliana laid down on her bed. Knights weren’t allowed to have
private
tents, but because she was a woman, she was given one that she could use for
herself.
All the other knights complained about it.
No one ever helped her set up her tent. There were constant bullying and abusing
just
because she was a woman.
The past 6 years have been horrible. Thankfully, she hasn’t been raped again since
Sir
Batre, but the abuse she had to endure from the men around her was just as bad as a
rape.
If she got hurt, they called her weak. If she didn’t get hurt, they would become
angry
and call her a coward. If she won a battle, they would say it was just luck but if
she lost
one, everyone would blame her for it.
If she sent a letter to her home, they said she was too emotional. If she didn’t
send
anything, they called her a cold b*tch. If she walked out of her tent, they spat at
her
but f she remained in her tent, they would call her lazy.
No matter what she did, she was despised and it didn’t matter how hard she worked
for
it.
She was a woman, and that was more than enough of a reason to hate her.
Male soldiers who had served 6 years in the army became a commander, which was a
higher rank than just a platoon leader. It was a miracle that Poliana even got
promoted
even though she served them just like the others along with her multiple and
notable
accomplishments.
Even as a platoon leader, her own men oftentimes refused to take her orders.

Poliana wondered, ‘Why do I bother? What am I living for?’ Then, she remembered her
teacher, the old knight’s words.
“A lack of goal in life can ruin a person.”
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Poliana now knew that this was the truth. She was working for nothing. The fact
that she
was trying so hard just to be ignored and despised killed her.
Survival alone was meaningless now. She needed a reason to live and revenge was
useless. Even if she survived the rest of her term, return home, and inherit the
family title,
Poliana knew that she wouldn’t become happy. The life of a lady was not what she
wanted.
If she remained here as a knight, Poliana knew that she was going to die here
either by
a sword or an arrow. And she wasn’t going to die a hero; she was going to die a
nameless soldier and disappear. No one was going to mourn her.
She didn’t want to die, but she also didn’t have a meaning for her life.
‘Bastards.’
Poliana went into the forest and punched a tree in anger. This was her way of
relieving
stress, and when one of the patrols saw her doing this, he muttered, “dumbass.”
As expected, Poliana’s warning was ignored by her superiors and soon enough, it
became clear that Poliana was right. Of course, being right wasn’t a good thing in
this
situation.
Chapter 6
Poliana’s base was surrounded by what appeared to be Acreian soldiers. Some Aehas
soldiers were able to escape.
A military corps was a single unit, and in battles, the size of a corps was
proportional to
its power. Mid-sized corps were stronger than those who were small, and a large
unit
was obviously more powerful than the two. A complete mid-sized corps was stronger
than a large but dispersed corps.
When she realized her base was under a sudden attack, she immediately ordered the
soldiers under her command to retreat. She has done this before when she sensed
that
they would be defeated, so she chose to act quickly to save herself and her men.
Thanks to her quick decision, only her soldiers were the ones who were able to
escape.
Including herself, there were about 20 of them.
In 6 years, Poliana and her men survived many times because of her tactics, but
this
time, it didn’t end as well as she had hoped. There were too many of her enemies
and
they had no allies nearby who could come to their rescue. In fact, Poliana
suspected
most, if not all of the other Aehas bases must’ve been captured as well by now.
Probably Kukda’s military bases too.
“Ha! I told you so.”
It seemed that Acreia was smart in waiting for Aehas and Kukda to be weakened from
a useless war. Now, it was going to be easy for Acreia to conquer two nations.
Poliana
knew that her country had no future, but she didn’t expect it to be destroyed like
this.
She sighed and scratched her head when suddenly, one of her soldiers came to her
and asked, “Boss, what should we do now?”

She looked at him and the other soldiers in surprise. It felt strange for these
men, who
have clearly despised her for so many years, to suddenly look up to her as their
leader.
It was strange that they followed her orders to retreat despite the fact that she
was
recently demoted. She no longer had the right to command these men and yet, they
followed her anyway. She felt thankful for it for some reason.
Her superiors saw her escape, and so, he ordered her to help him escape by
contacting the headquarters but that was not possible anymore. She had no doubt
that all Aehas and Kukda bases were in same situation.
Poliana now had to figure out what to do for herself and her men. They escaped to
the
forest, and the only way for them to survive was to move deeper into the grove. If
they
continued to run, they will tire themselves out soon and they would either be
captured
or die fighting for their freedom. Even if for some odd luck they avoided their
enemies,
they were in the middle of winter and it was clear that they would eventually
freeze to
death if they didn’t do anything.
Poliana looked at his men. Some were older and some were much younger than her.
She had seen many soldiers in her time. Men who sneaked into her tent in an attempt
to rape her, men who refused to take her order because she was a woman, some who
urinated in front of her to embarrass her and some men who dared her to pee in
front
of them as a condition for their obedience.
And many men who watched all these things happen to her and didn’t do anything
about it.
These were horrible men, but somehow, six years of time have created an odd
understanding between these men and Poliana. In fact, there were occasions when
new recruits disrespected her and some of these men stopped it out of strange
loyalty
to her as their leader. An unwanted leader, of course, but she’s still their boss.
Her men were often the subjects of other soldiers’ ridicules because they were
taking
orders from a woman and Poliana knew about this.
Poliana realized that despite everything, she cared about them.
“I will become the bait and give you a chance to escape. Go out of this forest and
pass through the enemy soldiers and head towards the capital,” she blurted out.
“No, we can’t let you do that!”
“Boss, there must be another way!”
Poliana took a deep breath and continued, “I know this area better than any of you,
and besides, I am of noble birth. They will be more interested in capturing me than
trying to get you guys. They will capture me so they can get a ransom. I’m sure
that
they won’t kill me right away.”
“But you are different than the other knights,” one soldier pointed out the obvious
and
she became irritated because of it.

“I’m sure that these knights will be honorable and chivalrous towards a defenseless
captive. Besides, who would want me as a woman? I mean, look at me.”
“Oh, that’s true,”
SLAP!
Poliana took care of the rude soldier and ordered her men to run. The simple and
stupid
ones all believed her words and they ran towards the direction she suggested.
Once she was sure that they left, Poliana sat down weakly.
‘Idiots. Do they really think I would be safe?’
If she was captured at the time of their attack, perhaps she may have been spared,
but she wasn’t, and in fact, she escaped them a few times as they ran. Their
enemies
knew this and of course, she knew that they would make an example out of her.
If she was a high-ranking noble or even a high-ranking officer, she would’ve had a
better chance, but Poliana was a nobody. In fact, she didn’t plan to ask someone
for a
ransom.
The only thing Poliana depended on at this point was her appearance. Unless someone
forced her to take her armor off, no one would be able to tell that she was a
woman.
Her hair was still very short, and although her voice and face looked feminine,
they
would assume that she was just a delicate-looking man. No one would think about a
woman taking command while carrying her sword and armor.
She knew that she would be executed, but as long as her enemies didn’t realize her
gender, they won’t rape her and shame her any further. She knew that they were
going
to find out once she died, but that wasn’t her problem. She would be dead and
therefore, she wouldn’t feel anything.
She only cared about what was going to happen to her before her death. What would
happen to her corpse was not of her concern.
‘Oh well, my death can’t be helped. All I can do is to make sure they don’t suspect
that
I am a woman.’
Poliana briefly thought that it would’ve been better if she died honorably, for
example
during a battle but she quickly realized that it didn’t matter. Whether she died
with
honor or be executed in front of a crowd, it won’t change a thing.

Death was just that and her honor would mean nothing if she’s dead.
Poliana sighed again and put on her helmet again.
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‘I’m so tired now.’
There was no future for her or for her country. Her life didn’t have any meaning
which
meant that continuing to live was going to bring her only pain and confusion.
A life without a meaning or a goal…
There was no point, besides, she was so sick of being despised just because of her
gender.
Poliana finally accepted her fate. She was ready for her death. Trying so hard all
of her
life without a purpose made her tired.
Thus, it was now time for her to rest…
…and she deserved it.
Chapter 7
It took many days for the Acreian soldiers to capture Poliana. She had no idea if
her
men survived and at this point, there was nothing more that she could do for them.
As she was captured, she pretended to resist and waited for a sword or an arrow to
kill
her, but it seemed that the soldiers were given an order to capture her alive
because
all they did was to bind her with a rope.
“Did we get the right guy?”
“Yes, look at that helmet. It’s him.”
“Exactly. I’m sure it’s the guy we have been looking for, the guy who has been
evading
us for such a long time.”
They forced Poliana to kneel on the ground. One knight tapped her helmet and asked,
“What is your name?”
“Just kill me.”
Thanks to yelling and screaming all those years during the war, her voice was
rough. It
sounded especially manly because she was still wearing her helmet.
The knight didn’t reply and turned around. It was clear that she was to be captured
alive.
Poliana was dragged to her own military base, which was now completely taken over
by the Acreian force. It was impossible to tell what had happened to her own
people.
Poliana was thrown onto the ground in front of the commander’s tent. Because of her
armor, her fall made a dull sound. One knight then ordered, “Kneel!”
It seemed that she was to meet a rather high-ranking officer since her arms were
bound
behind, and because of her heavy armor, it was very difficult for her to move. She
pushed herself up using all the strength she had left and as she struggled, she
swore
that she would swear at whoever was standing in front of her. But as soon as she
laid
her eyes on him, she froze.
‘So… beautiful.’
Poliana’s stepsister insisted on calling her light brown hair golden. In certain
lights, it did
shine, so at the time, Poliana agreed that Liana could be called a blonde. Her hair
was
her pride and joy, but if Liana saw this man who stood in front of her right now,
she
would have wept in shame.
Under the winter sun, the man’s hair shone like white gold and his face… He was the
most gorgeous man Poliana had ever met in her life.
Suddenly, she realized who this was and she remembered the rumor of the new
Acreian emperor who was supposedly a very handsome young man.
She assumed that it was an exaggeration, but it turned out that it was a complete
and
utter truth.
‘Well, at least I get to see something very pretty before I die.’
Her eyes feasted on such a beauty. He still had an aura of a man in him, making his
face look unisexual but it wasn’t masculine or feminine either. Poliana was sure
that he
would get his dose of masculine magnificence once he matures but unfortunately, she
would never get to witness it.
Because she was going to die today. Right here, right now.
Somehow, she felt like this was a fine time for her to die. She got to see a
beautiful
person and that was more than what she expected to see today.
At the emperor’s gesture, a knight took Poliana’s helmet off from her head. She was
staring at the beautiful man when suddenly, she realized that she needed to smarten
up. If they found out she was a woman…
But thankfully, she was no beauty. She wasn’t even feminine by any means,
especially
with her very short hair. No one noticed anything strange.
The emperor asked, “What is your name?”
“….”
She knew that her face wouldn’t give anything away, but her voice might. She
remained quiet. The knight who took her helmet away then slapped her face for her
insolence, making her cough out blood.
“Where are your men?”
“….”
The knight was about to slap her again, but the emperor stopped him. He continued
calmly, “You evaded my men many times, and now, you get captured all alone… Did
you send your soldiers to the capital for help? Because that would’ve been useless.
It’s
all over now. My men have taken your kingdom.”
‘So it really happened…’
She expected this, but now that it really happened, she felt devastated. It
appeared
that Acreia had been planning this for a very long time, and Aehas had been stupid
and naïve.
When Poliana looked down, the knight who slapped her forced her to look up again.
Now that she saw him more clearly, she could see that this knight was no average
soldier. The armor and the cloak he was wearing were all of high quality.
So why did the emperor send such a high-ranking soldier to capture her?
“Or did you help your men escape for their lives?” The emperor continued.
“….”
The emperor was smiling as if he knew everything already. Poliana looked down again
and this time, the knight didn’t force her to look up. The emperor laughed, making
her
clench her teeth since she couldn’t understand why he seemed so happy. Why was he
laughing? She felt a sudden fear of it. She was ready for her death, but now that
it was
really about to happen, she couldn’t help it.
“I’m impressed. Very inspiring. I would like to know the name of such an
extraordinary
knight, so tell me your name.”
Poliana almost sighed in relief. It seemed that the emperor liked Poliana. She
wasn’t so
naïve that she expected him to spare her life, but perhaps he would let her die
honorably as a knight.
She expected him to kill her in her armor and send her body to her home. This was
what
she wanted.
Lowering her voice as much as possible, Poliana replied, “Paul… Cranbell…”
“Paul, Sir Paul.”
The emperor smiled and Poliana felt blinded by his beauty.
He was such a magnificent man.
The knight asked the emperor, “Your highness, what would you like to do?”
Poliana tensed and waited for the answer. Was she finally going to face her death?
“Don’t you think it would be such a waste to kill him?”
“Then would you like us to release him?”
“Hmm… that would be a shame as well…”
“Then…”
Suddenly, Poliana bowed deeply and begged, “Please kill me.”
The knight, angry that she interrupted their conversation, kicked her. “How dare
you!”
Then suddenly, the emperor yelled, “Ainno!” He stood up from his chair and to her
shock, the emperor walked towards her.
Why couldn’t he just kill her and get it over with?
Poliana kneeled again and when she looked up, the emperor was standing right in
front of her. She felt breathless after seeing his face up close.
While she gaped, the emperor asked, “Now, how about you become my kni…”
He seemed like he was in a good mood, but as he looked at her face, the emperor
suddenly frowned. His sharp green eyes studied her and he took a step back.
“Could it be.. that you are a woman?”
‘Oh no! I’ve been found.’
Poliana closed her eyes tight. She certainly didn’t look like a woman, so how did
the
emperor figure it out? As soon as he blurted those words, everyone around them
gasped in shock. Some thought the emperor was joking but when they saw Poliana’s
reaction, they realized that it was true.
“It’s a woman?”
The soldiers started to mock her and her country for sending a woman to fight. They
continued harshly as they talked about her appearance.
“A woman can’t be a knight! She must be a real knight’s mistress or something!”
“Or a prostitute wearing an armor!”
“But look at her! How could someone who looks so ugly seduce a man?”
“She must be a clown or a jester! Someone sent her to the bases to make the
soldiers
laugh!”

“Sending a woman to war? The men of Aehas must’ve been all cowards! Such losers!”
“If I was a woman born with her face, I would’ve killed myself.”
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Ugly words surrounded her but she was so used to it that she didn’t even flinch.
This was nothing.
She didn’t care about what they thought or how they felt about her and her country.
What Poliana wanted to know was her fate.
What was going to happen to her?
The Acreian emperor appeared to have lost interest in her because he turned around
and walked towards his tent. Did this mean that her fate now rests on the knight
named
Ainno?
When Poliana glanced at the knight, she realized that he was glaring at her coldly.
She
knew that other countries did not look kindly on women fighting in battles. In
fact, they
saw it as an insult. It was only her country, Aehas, that allowed it.
The emperor was about to enter his tent when suddenly, he turned towards her and
asked, “By the way, are you still a virgin?”
Chapter 8
Poliana flinched from his unexpected and rude question. She slowly replied in her
normal voice, as there was no point in trying to hide her gender now. “I don’t
understand the purpose of your question. Please just kill me.”
Was it a tradition in every county where a woman is asked about her virginity when
she
enters a military base? She suddenly remembered Sir Batre and how he smugly assured
her that he didn’t take away her virginity. She trembled in anger and when she
showed
her teeth, the emperor walked towards her and explained, “In Acreia, we believe
that
if a virgin woman dies, she will forever haunt us and bring us harsh winters. I
just gained
my first glorious victory and I can’t have a virgin ghost to haunt me and ruin this
success.
If you were even an average looking girl, I or one of my knights would take you
before
your execution, but…”
He studied Poliana, who looked back at him in shock. “Your appearance is… hard to
tolerate. Your face is not acceptable, especially considering how Acreia is known
for its
great beauties.”
‘What the heck was this lovely man blabbering about?’ Poliana gaped in shock as she
retorted, “W-who said that I was a virgin?!”
“Well, with a face like yours, it’s obvious. You MUST be a virgin.”
His verbal attack was effective. Poliana had difficulty recovering from shock. The
words
were particularly hurtful as they came from the most beautiful man she had ever
met.
And what he said next was even worse.
“Get a fair looking man who’s good in bed to take her virginity before you execute
her.”
‘Dammit! Why couldn’t he just kill her?’

“Just, just kill me right now!” Poliana screamed.

But the emperor didn’t look back and walked into his tent. She continued to make a
scene, but the soldiers grabbed her and dragged her away. As they did, they looked
at
each other unhappily. The knight who slapped her said to Poliana coldly, “You
better
be grateful for his highness’s generosity, you b*tch.”
“Generosity? What generosity? What… AHH!”
The knight suddenly slapped her again and this time, her nose started to bleed. She
could feel that her nose sank, meaning that it was now probably broken. The
soldiers
roughly pulled Poliana and talked among themselves.
“I think she is going to be loud. Let’s gag her first.”
“Can’t we just kill her?”
The soldiers looked desperately at the knight. Clearly, no one wanted to rape her,
and
suddenly, Poliana felt hopeful.
Maybe none of them would be able to endure her.
But one knight replied firmly, “His highness’ order was clear.”
The soldiers, as well as Poliana, looked down in disappointment. She was dragged
away to a far corner of the base and among the soldiers, a confused and desperate
discussion took place.
A fair looking man who is good in bed was needed to take her virginity but no one
volunteered to do it.
If she looked even half-decent… Or if she at least had longer hair… The soldiers
felt like
they could do it, but her hair was so short that her scalp was showing. On top of
that,
because she had been on the run, she was dirty and smelly.
And no one wanted to take a dirty ugly woman.
“Just kill me. It would be so much simpler,” Poliana murmured in frustration.
“We can’t! It’s the emperor’s order!”
“Long live Lucius the First!”
“For our emperor!”
The soldiers raised their hands to cheer, it was obvious that they were very loyal
to their
leader.
Lucius the First, the beautiful emperor has clearly been preparing for this war for
a long
time. The soldiers were well trained and they seemed to be used with military life.
Unlike
Aehas soldiers, Acreian soldiers had high morals and were well prepared.
“No one is watching, so just kill me! No one will know!” Poliana growled.
“Shut up, you pants-wearing b*tch! We know what you are planning to do! You are
trying to die a virgin so you can haunt our emperor! We won’t let that happen!”
‘Bastards.’
Poliana watched the soldiers fighting among themselves in disgust. Then suddenly,
one
solider approached her from behind. They had to unbind her arms in order to get her
armor off. The soldiers then surrounded her.
“Just get her naked and let’s have a look. Maybe she as a good body.”
“Put the helmet back on her. If her face is covered, it should be easier to
tolerate her.”
“Where is her helmet?!”
“A woman is a woman, after all. Let’s just do this.”
Several men started to grope her and Poliana gritted her teeth. She could feel that
one
of her molars was loose, most likely after being slapped by that knight.

Did she work so hard for this? Was her life meant to end in this way?
Poliana’s limbs were pushed down as her armor was taken off, she tried but she
couldn’t get away.
By the time her underwear was revealed, someone pushed her legs apart. The feeling
of a stranger’s hands were rough and unpleasant.
“Who’s gonna be the ‘fair-looking’ man?”
“We will cover her face, so let’s just get it over with!”
“So who will do this? Who….?”
As the soldiers laughed among themselves, Poliana continued to struggle. A few
soldiers pushed her down while the rest of the group watched with interest.
The excitement of their recent victory was still fresh and Poliana was a noble
knight they
captured. She was ugly but still of noble birth, so the lowly soldiers couldn’t
help but
become interested. They knew they would never get a chance to take a noble woman
in their lifetime.
“Get… off of me!” Poliana screamed.
“Shut up!”
“Gag her!”
“Where is the rope?”
The men panted excitedly as they took her pants off with their clumsy hands.
Poliana struggled and suddenly, her hand touched something. It felt familiar, and
she
knew immediately what it was. It was something she has held in her hands all her
life,
just the feel of it was enough for her to know exactly what it was.
Without hesitating, she grabbed it and jabbed it into someone with all her
strenght.
“Gyaaa!”
“W, what happened?”
At one soldier’s scream, the other men started to panic and this gave her a chance
to
escape. She crawled out from the crowd and as she did, she was able to grab a new
dagger from another soldier’s belt.
When the men realized what Poliana had done, their eyes sharpened.
They felt anger and resentment.
“That b*tch!”
Poliana knew instinctively that if she was caught again, she was going to be
violently
raped by all of the soldiers in front of her. It wasn’t going to be them following
their
emperor’s orders anymore, they were clearly furious and they were excited at the
violent nature of this situation.
Poliana grinned, realizing that perhaps they were now going to also rape her with a
knife or maybe, they would cut off all of her limbs and drag her body around.
All she had on was her underwear and a single dagger. She was practically naked
while the Acreian soldiers were fully armed.
One thing that she was thankful for was the fact that Poliana didn’t expect all the
men
to attack her all at once. With most of her clothes gone, she now clearly looked
like a
woman and those men weren’t going to lunge after her altogether. It would be an
embarrassment for more than a single man to subdue a woman.
Everyone was thinking the same thing.
On top of that, there still was the emperor’s order. They couldn’t kill Poliana
until she was
no longer a virgin.

Poliana wasn’t afraid of death, her life had no meaning and she didn’t even expect
an
honorable end.
The only thing that she wanted to keep was her dignity.
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Poliana lowered herself and held her dagger tightly. She briefly wondered if it
would be
easier to kill herself with the dagger but she quickly changed her mind. Only a
coward
and a weakling would do such a thing.
Just then, one soldier jumped towards her and instinctively, she stabbed him,
leaving
her dagger in his body.
And now, she no longer had any weapon.
Some of the soldiers walked towards her slowly, but as they did, they gave away
their
weapons to the other men. It seemed that they didn’t think that they would need
them.
She had no chance in this fight. It was hopeless just like her country, Aehas.
From behind, another soldier attacked her but with all the strength she had left,
she was
able to throw him off. And one after another, the men came towards her, leaving her
no choice but to fight.
“I won’t make it easy for you!” Poliana screamed.
Chapter 9
The young emperor Lucius the First took a seat inside his tent and instead of
resting, he
started to read over the military documents. They weren’t that important so he just
scanned them and as he continued to go through the documents, he stopped at the
sight of one.
“This is…”
It was the record of the day Poliana lost her position as a platoon leader. Her
superiors
may not have believed her, but because she spoke during an official meeting,
everything she said was recorded. In it, Lucius the First saw his own name written
clearly.
“Poliana Cranbell… Paul Cranbell… so this must be her. Hmm…”
Lucius tilted his head and murmured, “The more I think about it, the more I am
disappointed that she had to be a girl… Such a talent.”
Poliana didn’t know this, but she left a lasting impression on the emperor. He was
so sure
that his attack was going to be a complete success, but when a knight and a bunch
of
soldiers escaped his men, he was shocked. He sent his men after them, but the group
was able to evade them multiple times, which impressed him.
And when the knight in question was captured, clearly surrendering in order to save
other men, Lucius was truly amazed about it.
Of course, up until he realized that it was a woman.
A female knight.

A knightess.
It was ridiculous.
‘Even so… It was still such a waste.’
Lucius the First searched the documents and pulled out anything that had Poliana
Cranbell’s name. Her proposals, reports, and records of her tactics.
The more he read about her, the more he wanted her in his team.
Physically, she was an average swordsman, but that was something that anyone would
expect, she was a woman after all. What grabbed Lucius the First’s attention was
her as
a strategist and a military leader. She clearly had a knack for reading and
analyzing
maps as well as using geography to her advantage. In fact, she was outstanding.
Based on the reports, it seemed that she had some major achievements as well, and
yet, she has been given only the position of a platoon leader. It turns out that
even that
meager status was taken away only a few days ago.
The reason was obvious, it was because she was a woman.
The most ironic part was the fact that she lost her position because she correctly
predicted the Acreian invasion. Lucius laughed about it quietly.
‘What was the point of allowing the existence of knightesses if they weren’t going
to
utilities such talents? Idiots.’
“A female knight… Hmm…” Lucius the First thought carefully. It was such a shame to
lose a gift like Poliana Cranbell. If she was born a man, she would’ve made a name
for
herself. In fact, she would’ve been given the honor of becoming his man today.
He wanted her, he wanted the knight who outsmarted his men. He wanted her in his
team. Lucius the First had big dreams and he needed all the good talents he could
get.
He didn’t care where his men came from and Lucius knew very well that if he wanted
to succeed, he needed to accept any talents he could get even if they were not from
his own country.
And today, he found a knight that he genuinely wanted but it turned out to be a
woman.
A knightess.
“A girl… girl… A girl…”
In Acreia, winters were harsh and long and there always was a shortage of food.
Women rarely left their homes since they were expected to cook and take care of
their
children while the men handle the rest that needs to be done.
Lucius the First couldn’t understand Aehas’ law of allowing women to become
knights.
On top of that, women were also allowed to inherit the family name, status, and
wealth. It was such an outrageous idea.
Women were naïve and weak, which meant that they should stay home and raise kids.
There was certainly an array of wise women in this world but they were very rare
and
always of very high born.
In Acreia, a woman gained respect and honor only through marrying a high-ranking
man or giving birth to a successful son. All elders were respected, but once a
woman
became old and unable to bear children, she was no longer considered a woman.
Lucius the First contemplated.
A woman. A knightess. A talent. A woman. A knightess. A talent. A woman. A
knightess.
A talent.
A woman and a knightess.
Well, it was too late. He ordered her death two hours ago, so Poliana Cranbell
should
probably be dead by now.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t have killed her.’
The emperor, who was a very superstitious northern man, became annoyed and
frustrated, and the noises outside his tent wasn’t helping.
He then yelled, “What is happening out there!”
“Your highness… The thing is…!”

Lucius the First’s friend and subject Sir Ainno sounded troubled, which confused
him. Sir
Ainno was a decisive man and it was rare to see him troubled or hesitant.
The noise became even louder and when it didn’t seem like it was going to end any
time soon, Lucius the First went outside. He could hear his men screaming so at
first, he
thought that his base was under attack but after seeing them up close, he thought
that
maybe he was wrong.
“What is going on here?” He asked with an annoyed tone.
“That girl is fighting back and she’s making a scene.”
“Fighting back?”
At the unexpected news, Lucius the First checked his watch. He has been reading the
documents for the past 3 hours, so how was she alive? He expected her to be dead
within the first half an hour of his order and yet, she still lived.
Once again, she surprised him.
The emperor became displeased. His men couldn’t handle a mere girl bound with a
rope? How useless could they be?
Lucius had big plans for his country and yet his men were having difficulty
fighting a
single girl.
This was not good. Not good at all.
He walked towards the commotion and as he got closer, he could see more and more
of his soldiers gathering around.
“That girl’s fighting back so hard that the morale among our men is declining
fast,” one
of his men explained to him. “At this rate, she will die a virgin and her ghost
will haunt us.
Your highness, please give us another order.”
“Do you think it makes sense that these soldiers can’t even handle one girl?” The
emperor replied angrily.
“We apologize, your highness, but that b*tch is so fierce.”
He was being generous when he ordered a fair-looking man to take her virginity
before
her death, yet this was how he was being thanked. It was obvious that if several
men
attacked her at once, they would’ve been able to subdue her but they weren’t doing
this for some reason.
Lucius the First gestured them to make way and as he got to the scene, he saw
something that shocked him.
The woman, who was almost bald and naked, was wrestling five of his soldiers on the
ground ferociously. Whenever someone got close to her, she either kicked or punched
him to escape. She was using her teeth and nails like an animal to free herself.
Lucius the First could understand what the knight meant when he said that his men
were losing morale because of this. None of his soldiers have ever been attacked by
a
woman so being beaten by this girl was shocking and demeaning to them.
She wasn’t unusually strong, but at the end of the day, she was a trained knight.
Lucius
the First read that she spent over 6 years in battle. Her moves were calculating
and
desperate.
“Stop.”
Even when the emperor ordered it, the fight didn’t end immediately. Six men were
currently fighting Poliana and they were losing.
Slam!
Poliana punched one man’s jaw.
Smack!
Poliana kneed another man’s groin.
Stab!
Poliana barely missed stabbing one man’s eye, if she aimed a little more to the
right,
that man would’ve lost his sight.

“STOP RIGHT NOW!”

The loud-mouthed Sir Rabby yelled and finally, everyone froze. The men who were
hurt
crumpled to the ground but Poliana Cranbell remained standing.
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She looked devastating. Her face was swollen and bleeding heavily. Her entire body
was covered in blood, mud, and whatever was on the ground. She was nearly naked,
but she didn’t hide herself in shame.
She was trembling and it was obvious that she was having difficulty standing by
herself.
Her arm was broken, she kept falling to the ground but she pulled herself up again
and
again.
“Please kill me,” she demanded as she looked into his eyes.
She spat something out of her mouth, which was blood and a piece of flesh. She was
almost naked and even her breasts were showing, but she didn’t look away from
Lucius
the First. It was the first time he felt displeased and uncomfortable after seeing
a naked
woman.
He decided just then and he knew what he was going to do.
“Very impressive.”
And he really meant it.
Chapter 10
Poliana couldn’t understand what the emperor meant by his words. Her ears were
ringing, and in confusion, she asked for her death once more.
But all she received was the same words from the emperor.
“Very impressive.”
‘Is he mocking me? Is he being sarcastic?’
Well, she agreed that the scene she created must be impressive. She was sure an
emperor such as himself would’ve never seen a girl standing with her entire body
burning with pain.
But even though the agony, she felt satisfied. She was sure the emperor was going
to kill
her now for her insolence. It wasn’t going to be the death of a knight but that of
a
captive, but that was good enough for her.
“Very impressive indeed,” Lucius repeated himself and it was the third time he said
the
same words. How many times was this man going to mock her? This needed to end.
Poliana’s mouth was filled with blood and she felt dizzy but she pronounced her
words
carefully.
“A resentment from a dead virgin’s ghost is no match for that from a raped woman’s
soul. If you kill me right now, I will never haunt you and your men, so please end
this.”
“Won’t you join me?”

The emperor wasn’t using any difficult words and there was only a little difference
between the Acreian and Aehas languages.
But even then, Poliana couldn’t understand what the emperor was saying to her. As
she
gaped at him in confusion, the Acreian soldiers protested loudly.
“Your highness, you can’t! You mustn’t!”
“What are you trying to say, your highness?!”
Poliana still couldn’t comprehend what was happening around her. Was the emperor
making fun of her?
The emperor explained slowly, “This woman, a knightess, has fought and lasted three
hours against all of you. A woman naked and weaponless.”
Three hours? To Poliana, it seemed so much longer. But what shocked her more was
the
fact that Lucius the First addressed her as a knight.
Knightess… He was acknowledging her status, and not in a mocking way compared to
what most men did.
“She is small and her swordsmanship is average. Yet, through hard work and effort,
she
improved herself as a soldier. Look at her now, what she has accomplished so far is
impressive, especially because she is a woman,” he continued.
‘I don’t understand what he is saying…’
Polina stared quietly. It felt surreal to see the emperor smiling happily while all
the men
around him complained loudly.
Ignoring his soldiers, Lucius continued, “I read the reports written by you,
Knightess, and I
could see how talented you are. You made calm and shrewd decisions even during
dire situations. You showed that you are not afraid of defeat and you care more
about
your men than victory, which means that you are a good leader. How many times have
you read the ‘Battle Tactics and Strategies’ by Usher? Did you memorize the Fielm’s
book ‘The Importance of Supplies during Wars?'”
It was true, she read these books and others countless times. When people learned
about her efforts, they just called her stupid.
“Won’t you become my knight and follow me?” Lucius asked her once again.
“If you are mocking me…”
“I like those who make an effort, because I myself am that type. I have worked my
hardest to get this far.”
The emperor was praising Poliana for her endeavor, but it didn’t make her happy.
She
couldn’t be, because all the hard work she did in her life meant nothing without a
purpose.
But something strange started to happen. Her foggy mind began to clear and although
her body still felt awful, her eyes felt stronger. The ringing sound in her ears
stopped and
she was able to hear the emperor clearly.
Poliana raised her head and saw the Acreian emperor beaming down at her. He gave
her a gentle and beautiful smile.
A smile that could embrace all of her.
“I have a dream. I will continue to move down south and conquer the entire
continent.
I plan to become the first-ever emperor that was able to unite all the nations in
these
lands. I have tried my best to get this far, and I will continue to do so to make
my dream
come true. So, how about it? How about you, Knightess, follow me and reach the end
of the world?” Lucius the First continued.
To unite all the nations.
To become the emperor of them all.
It was such a crazy fantasy.
An astounding ambition.
A dream.
And this emperor was offering her this dream. He was asking her if she would share
it
with him.
The men around them began to protest again and this time, it was stronger, but
despite
the noise surrounding her, Poliana couldn’t hear a thing. Inside of her, a storm
was
brewing.
She finally realized the truth. She thought she didn’t have a purpose but in fact,
she did.
More than anything in the world, Poliana wanted to be recognized and accepted.
That was her goal in life. She wanted to be acknowledged, she wanted to be praised.
She desired for someone to realize how hard she has tried to learn and survive in
this
world.
And right in front of her, right at this very moment, the Acreian emperor was doing
exactly that.
Her emperor. Her leader.
She was his.
“Get… Get me a sword!” Poliana yelled.
She didn’t care who gave it to her. She didn’t care what kind of sword it was.
Poliana
just needed a sword to swear her fealty as a knight. The soldiers who were holding
her
down wavered. Forgetting her injuries and pain, she stood up tall. When the
soldiers
tried to push her down, the emperor gestured them to stop.
“Get me a sword!” She screamed once more after being freed.
She looked around and found that no one offered her a sword. They all glared at her
sharply and silently. For a moment, Poliana felt fear. Was this just a dream? A
hallucination?
When she was about to give up, a man in front of her suddenly handed her his own
sword, and Poliana was now certain that this wasn’t a dream.
This was real because the man who handed her the sword was the emperor himself.
He gave her his own sword.
Poliana took it out from its scabbard and kneeled in front of him. She announced
without hesitation, “I will never betray you and will protect you with my life. I
will follow
you like your own shadow. I will never fail and protect your honor. With my life, I
will
follow you and your order, even if it is to the depth of hell. I, Poliana, swear my
loyalty to
the Acreian emperor.”
“I, the Acreian emperor Lucius the First, will become the very first to unite and
rule all
nations. As of today, I acknowledge you as my own knight. Will you continue to use
your
old family name?”

Poliana shook her head. Her country was gone and her family name was now
meaningless.
“If your highness would give me a new name, I will consider it the greatest honor.”
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“Excellent. A new beginning requires a new name! Now, what should I call you?”
Lucius
the First contemplated when suddenly, he noticed Poliana’s bare shoulders
trembling. It
was the dead of winter and the almost-naked Poliana was shivering uncontrollably.
Lucius the First smiled and announced, “My knight is shivering. Yes, it is indeed
very cold
here. It is winter, after all. Therefore, I will give you the name of Winter to
celebrate this
day.”
“Stand up and raise that sword, Poliana Winter. As of this moment, you are my
knightess,” Lucius continued.
This was the moment.
The moment she has been living for all her life.
Poliana bit her lip to stop herself from crying. She knew that the other men would
mock
her for crying. They would most likely despite her for NOT crying either, but she
didn’t
care.
She didn’t let her tears flow because this was the happiest moment of her life and
she
didn’t want to ruin it.
This great day, the day when Poliana Cranbell became Poliana Winter, was not a time
for tears.
Chapter 11: Story 2. Aehas and Kukda- Chapter 11
Story 2. Aehas and Kukda
Chapter 11
Lucius the First’s decision was followed by huge protests from his men. Lucius the
First
surrounded himself with young loyal men around his own age. He was charismatic and
it was not difficult to have men follow him.
Those who used to serve his father, the former emperor, was left behind in Acreia
and
Lucius only took those young and healthy men to war. The emperor treated his men in
different ways. Sometimes, he talked to them like his friends, while other times he
treated them like his own brothers. When necessary, he, of course, treated them
like his
subjects, which they were. In return, the men treated Lucius like a friend, a
brother, and
an emperor, depending on the situation.
So when these soldiers talked to the emperor frankly and honestly, it didn’t mean
disrespect. It came from their deep sense of loyalty.
“Your highness! This can’t happen!”
“A woman cannot be allowed to hold a sword! Women exist to take care of homes
and children!”
“That b*tch is lying! She is lying because she doesn’t want to die! A woman’s best
weapon is their dishonesty.”
“Your highness, how could you trust a woman?”
Although his men objected loudly, especially because of the fact that Poliana was
abandoning her own nation to swear her loyalty to him, Lucius the First refused to
change his mind. He had no doubt that Poliana meant what she had said.
The emperor smiled and replied, “This entire continent will become mine soon. In
fact,
how can you accuse her of abandoning her own country when her homeland is now
mine? When I conquered her land, she immediately became my subject.”
“But your highness! She betrayed her emperor! Someone who betrays once will do so
again.”
“That won’t happen. To Poliana Winter, I will be her first and the last emperor.”
It was a done deal. With the emperor’s own sword, Poliana became Lucius the First’s
knight.
Once he returned to his own tent, Lucius smiled again. He won Aehas and also gained
an excellent knight.
It was a very good start.
***
Poliana Cranbell, now Poliana Winter, took a deep breath before entering the
commanders’ tent. It has only been a few days since she became Lucius the First’s
knight, and when she was given immediate access to the commanders’ tent, she
became the most hated figure in the base because most of the soldiers, if not all,
disagreed with their emperor’s decision.
Why did he trust her so much?
Poliana felt a huge responsibility on her shoulders. She had to repay his trust
with her
utmost loyalty and performance but physically, her performance wasn’t going to
amount to much.
Her body was damaged severely, therefore, she could not participate in battles as
of
yet. When she was assessed after her ordeal, she was told that the damages were
serious. She almost lost one of her eyes and she ended up losing a molar. Her nose
was
indeed broken and the doctor told her it was very likely that her nose will heal
crooked.
She couldn’t use her nose to fight, so Poliana didn’t care about this.
Additionally, several of her fingers and toes were either broken or dislocated. It
was also
suspected that she had some internal bleeding as well. If she entered a battle in
this
condition, there was no doubt that she was going to die.
But Poliana didn’t care. If the emperor ordered her to die, she would gladly obey
him
because now, her life finally had some purpose.
A dream.
And now that she had a goal in life, she was willing to die for it.

Poliana took a deep breath and stood tall. As a soldier, she always tried to
maintain a
good posture. After a polite cough, she entered the tent and as soon as she did,
she
had to make sure that she would look confident and nonchalant.
The men surrounding Lucius the First were glaring at her angrily. She expected this
and
knew that it couldn’t be helped. She was a female knight from a foreign country who
abandoned and even betrayed her own homeland. Poliana knew that the concept of
a knightess did not exist in Acreia so she understood why the soldiers doubted her
words
of loyalty.
But their obvious anger didn’t fade Poliana. After years of being ridiculed and
despised,
it was too easy for her to ignore those men and their petty emotions. She had
thicker
skin than any other man inside that tent.
One thing that she found odd was the fact that everyone in the tent was very young.
It
made sense that the emperor was a young man since he was born into royalty, but
strangely, the knights and the soldiers that served him were also young. It was
customary for the emperor to have older and wiser knights with experience.
Hiding her confusion, Poliana announced, “Poliana Winter, your highness. I have
come
at your command.”
“Come in.” The emperor greeted her with a smile, and as Poliana approached the
table, she noted the military maps and documents that they had.
She looked at them in determination. She couldn’t disappoint her emperor. Lucius
the
First told her that he wanted to hear her opinion before taking over Aehas.
Perhaps the emperor accepted her only for the information on Aehas, which could be
very helpful in their invasion. It was very possible that he didn’t truly saw her
as a knight,
but just a source of Aehas military secrets. It was a common belief that a woman
couldn’t keep a secret.
But even if Lucius the First was using her, Poliana didn’t care. He showed her a
dream,
and just to be a small part of this great ambition was an honor. She thought that
she
would die happy even if she was being used by him. It was a fair price to be
allowed to
see this great man’s dream.
Objectively speaking, Poliana also believed that the emperor didn’t truly need the
information she possessed. He has already taken over many of Aehas’ military bases,
meaning that he already had the official documents that he needs. Even though they
were in secret codes, it wasn’t going to take him long to have his men decode them.
On top of that, there was no doubt that he had spies placed in Aehas. Most likely,
he
has been collecting all the necessary information for years by now without Aehas
even
getting the faintest idea about their plan.
This was a losing battle on Aehas’ part from the beginning.
Poliana stood tall in front of the table and everyone stared at her.
‘Whatever happens, will happen.’
She took a deep breath and said, “I believe whatever information I am about to
provide you is already in your possession, most likely from your own spies, your
highness.”

And with that, Poliana told them everything she knew.

Military secrets, information on Aehas, the extensive corruption that took place
within
the military division, weaknesses of each military bases, the key points of the
capital city
defense, the locations of the most important military bases, the vulnerable spots
of the
capital city walls, the best way to get into the royal castle, the tax rates and
the major
figures of each city, the military strength of each city, and so on.
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It wasn’t long before their borders are taken over and now, their main problem
would
be Aehas’ individual cities’ reaction towards the Acreian soldiers taking them down
one by one. Would they fight back?
Unlike her expectation, the information Poliana offered was of great importance.
Everyone in the tent looked grave as their eyes darted from her to the documents
they
were holding. It was obvious that they were trying to confirm and see if she was
telling
the truth.
Poliana continued indifferently. She told them everything she knew, it being
insignificant
didn’t stop her nonetheless. Her mouth began to hurt from all the talking. If
Aehas’ men
saw her right now, they would’ve trembled in anger at her betrayal of her own
country.
‘Die, Aehas,’ Poliana thought secretly.
It was already a ruined country. It was better that it became part of a bigger and
better nation. As she spoke, it showed how she felt about her country, which helped
the
men in the tent be able to trust her information.
After she was done, Lucius offered her a cup of water and as she drank it, the
emperor
said, “good job, Sir Poliana. You may go now and rest.”
She suddenly became tense and nervous. The emperor called her by her first name.
Did
it mean that he still didn’t accept her as a true knight?
Chapter 12: Chapter 12
Chapter 12
When the knightess’s face fell, Lucius the First thought back on what he just said.
After a
few seconds, he figured it out. It wasn’t a big deal, it was merely a difference in
their
cultures and the emperor knew that this kind of misunderstanding would occur as he
conquers more nations in the future.
“Acreia is the land of hunters. Most men hunt or fight as soldiers, and oftentimes,
there
are multiple members of the same family serving in the same base. To avoid
confusion,
which will occur if we call people by their family name, we call knights by their
first
names in Acreia,” Lucius explained to Poliana.
Poliana felt relieved. Still smiling, Lucius the First pointed at the other knights
and
introduced them to her.
“I planned on making the introductions after you got better, but I guess this would
be a
good time too. Say hello to each other. You will all be seeing each other often
from
now on.”
Poliana didn’t know which position or division she was going to be assigned, but it
was
very likely that one of these men was going to become her future superior.
“I am Poliana Winter from Aehas,” she introduced herself properly.
It was meaningless to bring up her homeland in front of the men who planned on
taking
over the world. In the future, Poliana hoped that she, and everyone else in the
room,
would forget all about the small nations they’re from and unite under something
that
was much bigger.
Lucius the First grinned as he seemed to like her introduction. He informed her of
the
name of all the men in the tent in the order of their seniority and after it was
done,
Poliana’s eyes sparkled.
Aehas and Acreia had different military structures. In Aehas, 25 foot soldiers made
up a
platoon, which was led by a platoon leader. Four platoon leaders were led by a
company commander, and five commanders were led by a captain.
In Acreia, however, it was very different. A basic group would be composed of only
ten
soldiers. The one that who would lead those ten would be called a 10-leader and the
knight tasked to lead ten 10-leaders would be called a 100-leader. A company
commander would be leading 50 footsoldiers and only some units had this position.
The structure was so different that their positions sounded and felt unfamiliar to
her. But
one thing was certain, the man who had the lowest rank in this tent, a 100-leader,
was
actually considered as a fairly high-ranking officer.
This meeting consisted of very important people, so what was the meaning of
inviting
her here and introducing her to these men?
Poliana didn’t have many political ambitions and she knew her position very well.
A woman.
But she also knew her own talent and she knew exactly what she was good at. She was
no fighter and her usefulness was inside a tent.
Strategies and tactics.
‘Should I do it?’
Poliana contemplated. Their introductions were over which meant that everyone was
now expecting her to leave so they could start their meeting but she hesitated. She
felt
like she couldn’t leave the tent.
A good subject would know what the emperor would need even before he could
realize it himself.
Poliana glanced at the emperor who was smiling kindly. Could she dare to guess what
the emperor wanted or needed?
Lucius the First brought Poliana to the commander’s tent and he introduced her to
his
highest ranking men.
After hesitating for a moment, she decided on her course of action. It didn’t
matter if
they called her rude and it would be ok if they kicked her out for her insolence.
She didn’t care whatever name they wished to call her.
Poliana quickly studied the maps in front of her. They were of Aehas drawn by
Acreians.
It was most likely drawn based on the information brought to them by their spies.
It was a decent depiction, but it was not 100% accurate. Whatever data they
gathered
from their spies couldn’t compare to the information of an actual Aehas citizen.
Poliana’s eyes sharpened and she started to speak confidently. “I would like to
offer a
suggestion.”
“What is it?”
Lucius the First didn’t admonish her. In fact, his smile became even wider like he
was
enjoying this situation.
Whether it was genuine or not, this emperor certainly liked to smile a lot and
Poliana
liked it.

“Before I begin, is there a map of Kukda here?”

This meeting was to discuss their plan of conquering Aehas, so when Poliana brought
up
the subject of Kukda, the men’s faces fell. The only two people who looked calm in
the
tent were Poliana and Lucius the First.
The knights had no choice but to bring out the map since the emperor seemed very
interested. Poliana took a deep breath and as she looked at the map, she continued,
“I
suggest that your highness conquer Aehas and Kukda at the same time.”
The idea wasn’t a bluff. Poliana was sure of her plan. Aehas and Kukda have been
fighting each other for so long that they were severely weakened. And as every
Aehas
knight has done, Poliana also has put a lot of thoughts into defeating Kukda. Her
plan
was well thought out and was based on her extensive research and experience.
Poliana offered the men her best plan of attack. Finishing off Aehas was going to
be a
piece of cake, and conquering Kukda seemed to be just a bonus prize.
She knew the weaknesses, military structures, the main army figures of Kukda, and
she
knew how to get it done in the most efficient way.
After laying out her plan, Poliana blushed in excitement and pride.
It was a perfect war strategy.
Of course, the problem was if these men were willing to accept it. If they didn’t,
then all
her planning was going to be useless.
And as she expected, the men protested, “Your highness! This could be a trap!”
“Your highness, you can’t trust this girl! Even if she isn’t planning to sabotage
us, she is
still only a mere woman and therefore, her plan must be flawed.”
“A woman’s strategy! Why are we listening to her?”
“See how she is betraying her country? How could we trust a traitor?”
“She is suggesting that we divide our military force into two and attack two
different
countries! She is trying to kill us all!”
“That is not true! The two countries are much weaker than they appear. The morale
of
these soldiers are so low that if cornered, none of Aehas’ and Kukda’s men will
fight
back. If you promise to be fair and not to plunder the cities, they will not stand
in your
way and once you enter the capital, it will be all over. All of their best knights
and
soldiers are at the border. The capitals of both countries are weak and
defenseless.”
Poliana tried to defend her plan.
More protests came from the men and it seemed that the emperor would have no
choice but to listen to his knights. After all, Poliana was a newly appointed
knight and a
woman. It made sense that the emperor would respect and listen to his long-time
trusted men, even if he liked Poliana’s plan.
Lucius the First touched his chin slowly and asked, “Knightess, do you truly feel
confident
about your plan?”
Poliana swallowed hard and replied, “Please, your highness. You must trust me. It
will be
a piece of cake.”
“Then I will take your word for it.”
“Your highness!”

Lucius the First smiled sweetly, and all her worries melted away. The emperor
didn’t
waste any time. He took his soldiers and left immediately. Poliana was too injured
to
follow him into the battles, so instead, she stayed behind to study the Acreian
military
laws and cultures.
She also started planning for future battles with other nations. She was sure of
the fall of
Aehas and Kukda. She knew it was going to be easy, but even an easy war would take
time. She expected this conquest to continue around spring. This meant that Acreia
should stock up and rest for the rest of the seasons and start its conquest again
in
winter.
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The next nation to invade was Bebero. It was located at the south Aehas and Kukda.
Aehas and Kukda were separated from Bebero by a river named Koemong, which was
the widest and deepest river on the northern continent.
To get to Bebero, they needed to cross this river. Poliana had never done a battle
in
water, which meant that she needed to study a different tactic on that matter.
Having a goal and making an effort for it was a beautiful thing. It made Poliana
very
happy. It gave her a purpose to wake up every morning.
That winter, before the spring arrived, Lucius the First was able to make those two
kingdoms surrender. The emperor of Aehas kneeled in front of Lucius the First to
relinquish his country, while the emperor of Kukda kneeled in front of Sir Bentier,
the
head of the Acreian army that was sent to invade Kukda.
Lucius the first smiled in satisfaction. As his knightess promised, things happened
quickly
and efficiently. Her plan allowed him to conquer the two nations a few months
faster
than he had anticipated compared to their original plan.
“I’m going to have to reward Sir Poliana.”
Lucius the First was 22 years old and it seemed that he was able to dominate two
countries before he turned 23. He couldn’t stop smiling.
Chapter 13: Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Seating on Aehas’ throne, Lucius the First read over some various paperwork. The
maids
and the female servants of the Aehas castle blushed excitedly as they stared at
their
new and beautiful young conqueror.
Aehas and Kukda’s emperors offered their daughters to Lucius to marry. Lucius the
First
never refused a woman, but he also didn’t plan on having bastards all over the
continent. Because he was an emperor, he couldn’t sleep with a common woman.
Only the women of noble birth and who knew their places had the honor of warming
his bed.
Theoretically, he could take in the princesses of the conquered kingdoms as his
concubines, but he feared that these women could turn against him at any time. They
could also work as spies for their fathers, who were the former emperors of their
kingdom.
Lucius the First decided early on that he would forget about marriage or concubines
until he accomplished what he had set out to do. The same decision was made by the
emperor’s closest and best knight, Sir Ainno.
“Your highness.”
“Yes, what is it, Ainno?”
“Your highness, that girl is no longer useful to us, so it would be best if you
give her an
appropriate reward and dismiss her. I’m sure that she would be more than satisfied
with
that.”
Lucius the First stopped reading the documents and murmured, “Hmm… An
appropriate reward…”
“A piece of land would be the best.”

Indeed, the biggest reward a knight could receive was a title and land. When Aehas
was conquered, all the Aehas nobles lost their titles and their lands were to be
awarded
to Lucius’s men.
In Acreia, women could not inherit family titles or lands, so the fact that Sir
Ainno made
this suggestion meant that he greatly valued Poliana’s input in their recent
success. He
was being very generous.
“Same for me too, your highness.” Sir Baufallo, who was standing nearby agreed.
Sir Baufallo was the oldest knight among all the emperor’s knights, but he was
still only
40 years old. He was very detail-oriented and he was the head of the war supply
division.
The emperor then asked, “Really? Sir Bau thinks so too?”
“Yes, but for a slightly different reason.”
“Tell me.”
“Sir Poliana is of Aehas, born and raised. The biggest worry after conquering a
kingdom
is the threat of a rebellion by the locals. If you have Sir Poliana as the head of
Aehas, I
believe that she will be able to control this kingdom very well.”
What Sir Baufallo said made perfect sense and Lucius agreed to it, but Sir Ainno
disagreed, stating that it was too much.

“For a mere girl, that would be too big of a reward and a promotion.”
It was indeed a huge promotion for a mere knight, but Lucius the First seemed
interested in Sir Baufallo’s idea. The emperor then stated, “She did after all
greatly help
us in conquering two kingdoms. I have no doubt that she will do a good job of
controlling Aehas.”
Based on his assessment, Poliana was very intelligent and had a talent for
leadership
and politics. Lucius had a long road ahead of him, which meant that he couldn’t be
worrying about his already-conquered kingdoms. He also couldn’t spare many of his
men to be left behind to control the citizens. The emperor definitely needed
someone
who knew Aehas very well.
He knew Poliana would be a perfect fit to become the head of Aehas on his behalf.
But…
Although Lucius the First agreed with the two knights’ suggestions, something
didn’t feel
right to him. Sir Baufallo was right, Poliana was going to be able to take
excellent care
of Aehas in his absence. Aehas allowed women to hold titles, so there was a fair
chance that the locals would accept her as their new head despite the fact that she
was a woman. They may call her a traitor, but Lucius was sure Poliana could handle
anything.
But something felt wrong…
The emperor wondered why he felt so bothered by the idea. While he contemplated,
the scribe Momo, who has been recording the conversion, suggested, “If I may ask,
your highness. If the knightess refuses her reward and asks to follow you to the
war,
would your highness accept her decision?”
Sir Baufallo frowned and replied, “You have been reading too many fictional novels,
I
see.” Sir Ainno agreed as he needed.
For a knight to refuse such a huge reward, a land as well as a title, and opt to
follow
into a war, where he could be killed, was a rare occurrence. Only the bravest and
the
most loyal knights would make such a risky choice.
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Of course, a woman may make this decision, but not because of loyalty but because
of her own stupidity.
Lucius looked at the scribe, who looked down when the two knights glared at him.
Suddenly, he smiled as if he thought of something funny. He suggested, “Why don’t
we
start a bet?”
“Pardon?”
“I will take Momo’s side. Let’s bet to see whether or not Sir Poliana will choose
to follow
me or stay behind in Aehas. If Momo wins, you two knights will have to accept Sir
Poliana as your subordinate. If you guys win…”
“Then please take away the new family name you gifted her, your highness. That was
unnecessary and too big of an honor for her.”
“Yes, I agree with Sir Ainno, your highness.”
The scribe’s eyes widened nervously while Sir Ainno and Baufallo left after the
conversation. Lucius the First hummed happily as if he just found an entertaining
game.
Chapter 14
Poliana’s injuries were almost healed. Her nose ended up looking permanently
crooked,
and although her bones mended, she was still covered in bruises. Despite all that,
she
felt well. As long as she wasn’t going to be re-injured, she was going to be fully
healed
very soon.
Some parts of her skin were permanently discolored from being injured over and over
again, but Poliana didn’t care.
She walked alongside the other injured soldiers to the capital. No men bothered
her,
most likely because they knew who she was. In fact, they ignored her completely and
Poliana didn’t mind. She was used to being all alone.
Thankfully, the regular citizens of Aehas didn’t find it difficult to accept the
new
emperor as their own. The people of all northern kingdoms were of the same race
with
similar cultures and languages, so it made it very easy for the average men and
women
of Aehas to go on with their lives.
But it was a different story for the nobles of Aehas. Their titles and lands were
taken
away. They still remained in their current positions temporarily until Lucius the
First found
the appropriate replacements from his own pool of people, but it was inevitable
that
they were going to be replaced soon enough.
The Cranbell’s land was on the way to the Aehas capital. Poliana visited her home
to
see her old knight, but she found out that he had passed away. Rather than dying in
his
bed of old age, the old knight chose to face the death of a true knight. He
apparently
went to battle against Acreia and ended up being killed.
Thankfully, the old knight was given an honorable funeral by the Acreian soldiers,
who
valued such bravery from an old man. His grave was located near Poliana’s home.
Standing in front of his grave, Poliana reported to him, “I have found a dream.”
When she thought back, the old knight rarely praised anyone. He never openly
acknowledged her efforts and hard work, but still, his teaching had saved her.

“I will follow the emperor to the end of this continent. When I return from my
victory, I will
report back to you,” she continued.
After a quick emotionless bow, she left.
Poliana returned to her home, which was now temporarily used to house the injured
soldiers. Many of the Aehas nobles’ homes were forced to be used according to that
purpose. It was Lucius’ thoughtful idea to provide a comfortable place for the
wounded, and this fact helped with the soldiers’ morale.
Lucius the First had strict rules.
Soldiers should never go hungry and any injured men must not be left behind.
Poliana wholeheartedly agreed with his policy. When she entered her home which
never really felt like one, its servants and its workers were shocked to see her.
At first,
they didn’t recognize her, but when they did, they exclaimed, “My lady!”
“You have returned! Are you here for good now?”
Because Poliana was still wearing her Aehas uniform, people thought that she has
returned after losing the war to Acreia. She ignored their questions and went into
the
kitchen to start packing some food. She grabbed a few apples and cranberries.
She chewed on the as she walked away and their sour taste made her mouth water.
She then thought to herself, ‘I should’ve grabbed the craisins, not this one.’
Just then, she stopped when she spotted her younger stepsister, Liana.
It was a smart idea to be favored by the conquering soldiers and knights, so Liana,
who
hated soldiers and blood, was out pretending to help the wounded men. Instead of
wearing her usual lacy dresses, she was wearing a simple robe.
In truth, she was no help at all, but the knights seemed to enjoy the company of a
pretty girl, so they smiled and let her roam around.
Liana’s pride and joy, her long hair, was placed in a high bun, but she kept having
it
down to brush in front of the men. Every time her hair fell down like a brown
waterfall,
the soldiers drooled excitedly.
Something seemed different to Poliana. She studied her sister carefully and
wondered,
‘This is strange. Why doesn’t she look pretty anymore?’
In her memory, Liana has always been a pretty lady. Poliana didn’t like her, but
she still
had to admit that Liana was good looking.
But today, she didn’t look pretty. Was it because she wasn’t as dolled up as
before? But
Poliana has seen Liana before getting adorned, and even then, she had always
thought that her younger sister was attractive.
Poliana finished the last bit of cranberries when suddenly, their eyes met. Liana’s
eyes
widened and quickly, she walked towards her angrily.
“You!”
Liana continued to scream, “Why did you come here? Get out! There is nothing for
you
here!”

Poliana wasn’t here for anything. As Liana got closer, Poliana now was sure of her
findings.
Liana was no longer pretty.
It was shocking to Poliana. Liana was of age when she was supposed to be the
prettiest, so how could she have changed so much so badly?
“You have become ugly,” Poliana said.
“WHAT?”
“You should do something about that.”
Liana flinched and her hands covered her face in shock. Just then their father came
out and when he saw his oldest daughter, he started to scream at her, just like
Liana
did.
Poliana didn’t care, especially now. She did have something she has always wondered
about, so she finally asked her father, “So who was the one with the problem? You
or
my stepmother?”
Her father and her stepmother were still young when they had Liana, so the fact
that
they gave up having a son at the time meant that one of the two had a health
problem. But before her father could reply, Poliana answered for him. “Obviously,
you
are the one with the problem, right? How badly did you take care of your body that
you became impotent at such a young age?”
Embarrassed and angry, her father raised his hand to strike her, but Poliana
grabbed it
before it reached her. She was about to go see the emperor, and she didn’t want to
have any new bruises on her face.
“Why are you overreacting? It’s not like you have a family title to give to anyone
anymore. And why are you shivering so much? Are you cold? Is your home so old and
crumbly that it’s drafty? Maybe you should build a new home or something,” Poliana
continued indifferently.
Her father fell to the ground in shock. Poliana walked away quickly and when she
saw
her stepmother come out from the house, she made sure to advise her loudly that she
should divorce this impotent man. She also told her that she should take better
care of
her daughter, who was turning ugly.
Poliana thought to herself, ‘She isn’t a noble anymore, so her looks were going to
be
everything that she has. How could Liana lose her prettiness when she needs it the
most?’
Poliana felt satisfied but as she reached the castle where she was to meet the
emperor,
she suddenly regretted her words. She didn’t expect to see her stepsister ever
again,
but if she did, Poliana decided that she should apologize to her.
It was because Poliana realized the truth. It wasn’t that Liana has become ugly; it
was
that Poliana’s standard of beauty had increased dramatically.
She spotted her emperor, Lucius the First from afar. The most beautiful man in the
world.
As he smiled, his whole face shone like the sun, blinding everyone around him.
It was no wonder that after meeting the gorgeous emperor, everyone else looked
homely and plain to her.
The victory celebration took place for a few days and on the last night of the
party,
Lucius the First called for Poliana for a private meeting.
He offered her a drink, and she took it without hesitation. Even if it was
poisoned, she
would’ve taken it gladly. When she emptied the glass, Lucius the First said to her,
“There
has been a suggestion that you, Sir Poliana, should be the acting head of Aehas.
You
were born and raised here, and I believe that you would do a fine job. If you
accept, I
will make it happen immediately.”

Poliana almost coughed in shock. The acting head of this kingdom? It was too much.
And it wasn’t what Poliana wanted. Putting down her glass, she kneeled in front of
her
emperor and begged him, “Your highness. My dream is to follow you to the end of
this
continent. Please do not abandon me here. I will protect you forever by your side
as
your knight.”
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Lucius the First smiled happily and asked Sir Ainno, who was standing behind him.
“Did
you hear that?”
“Well, she is obviously too ambitious for her own good.”
“She just refused the posting of the acting head, so how could you call her too
ambitious? Oh well, whatever you say, Ainno.”
Poliana could guess what kind of conversation went between the knight and the
emperor, and it seemed that she gave the right answer. As long as the emperor was
happy, she was too.
Lucius the First picked up a cookie and continued, “As you have promised, Sir
Poliana, it
was a piece of cake to take over the two kingdoms. Therefore, I will let you have
what
you just asked for. You will follow me to the end of this world. You will be by my
side to
protect me with your life.”
“Thank you, your highness.”
“I will get the armor maker to make your new gears. You may pick any weapon you
want from the armory. You should take some rest until your wounds heal completely
to
prepare yourself for your next battle.
Looking at silent Poliana, he continued, “We will have to cross the river very
soon.”
Story 3. Getting Used to the New Life.
Chapter 15
Lucius the First accepted Poliana, but it was still undecided in which division she
would
belong to. Thankfully, her injury was so severe that she couldn’t have been allowed
to
work anyway. But as she healed and regained her strength, she began to get nervous.
Would she come to belong anywhere?
Then finally, good news arrived, making her smile.
She was assigned to Sir Baufallo’s division, the war supply unit. Unlike Aehas, the
Acreian
army didn’t have an administrative unit. It was the supply unit who took care of it
all.
This meant that Sir Baufallo was the First Sergeant of Lucius’s army.
Sirs Baufallo and Ainno were forced to accept Poliana because they lost the bet to
the
emperor and his scribe. Sin Ainno absolutely refused her when the time came for
them
to decide who would take her, saying that he would kill her if she ever was
assigned to
his division. Therefore, Sir Baufallo had no choice but to take Poliana. Of course,
Poliana
had no idea that all these things have happened regarding her assignment.
Regardless of their feelings, the two knights had to accept Poliana as part of the
Acreian army now. She was immediately notified of her posting. When she met with
Sir
Baufallo, he informed her, “His highness has asked either myself or Sir Ainno to
take you
as an aide and it has been decided that I will become your superior.”
“May I ask you a question?” Poliana became curious about which unit Sir Ainno led.
“Go ahead.”
“Which division does Sir Ainno belong to?”
“He is the head of his highness’s personal security unit.”
He’s the head of the emperor’s bodyguards, the knight who never leaves the
emperor’s side. This gave Air Ainno the right to kill anyone who appeared to be a
threat
to his highness. It made sense, this was why he slapped her that day.
At the same time, Poliana could also understand why Sir Ainno despised her. The
emperor ordered him to capture her alive when she escaped the Acreian attack. Sir
Ainno was forced to leave the emperor’s side, which he was never supposed to do
just
to get HER. No wonder Sir Ainno hated her.
Poliana learned soon enough that Sir Ainno refused to accept her into his unit and
she
couldn’t help but understand where he’s coming from. Having a foreigner in the
emperor’s security team was too risky. Poliana would’ve done the same thing if she
was
in his shoes.
Poliana then asked, “Is Sir Ainno strong?”
“He is the best night in the kingdom.”
And with his answer, Sir Baufallo almost asked her, “Why? Do you want to try
fighting
him and see if you can take him on?”

If it was any other knight, a male knight, Sir Baufallo would’ve asked in a half-
jokingly
manner, but he stopped himself because he suddenly remembered that he was talking
to a girl. He forgot about it for a second, and for a moment, it felt like he was
talking to
a normal average knight.
He did hear that she served in Aehas’ army for 6 years and it made sense. She
certainly
acted like a proper soldier.
But there was no ambition in her eyes, no desire to gauge Sir Ainno’s strength like
any
other male soldiers would have.
‘She is a girl after all,’ Sir Baufallo thought to himself.
Poliana could tell what Sir Baufallo was thinking. Just until a moment ago, he was
treating her like a soldier, but just now, his eyes changed and he was now looking
at her
like she was a stupid woman.
She was used to it. It wasn’t important to her at all. As long as she didn’t give
up on
being a knight, this was going to happen again and again.

‘Don’t get disappointed. Don’t feel weak.’ She exhaled deeply.

Poliana’s new position wasn’t unimportant. The supply division in any army was a
very
important unit. Without proper supplies, the soldiers wouldn’t be able to fight
well and
without strong well-fed soldiers, an army couldn’t win a war. The cases of
deserters
would increase the more their supplies dwindle, and there were some situations as
well
where a soldier would disobey their leader.
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Proper and adequate supply was indeed one of the most important aspects of an
army. This was why the First Sergeant of the supply unit was called “the mother”
instead
of a “father.”
But ironically, the supply unit wasn’t treated well compared to the other
divisions. Many
believed that a man was only a true soldier if they physically fought in battles.
They
considered those toiling in administrative and supply duties weak. The treatment of
the
supply unit was even worse in the Acreian army because the supply division took
care
of both the supplies and the overall general administrations.
When the soldiers found out that Poliana was assigned to the supply division, they
became more accepting of her presence. A woman in an administrative position
made sense to them.
In truth, Poliana was very disappointed. In a supply and administrative unit, one
could
not make any noteworthy achievements. Poliana wanted to stand out in this war. She
wanted to become an accomplished knight. She wanted to become a big part of their
battles, their victories, and most of all, she wanted to conquer lands.
In a supply unit, there was no need for strategies or tactics. One would just need
to
work hard with a detail-oriented mind. He/she must become a “mother” and take care
of the army’s soldiers.
‘Don’t feel disappointed, Poliana.’
She knew she couldn’t be too greedy. Her life in the Acreian army was just starting
so
she had to take it slow. In addition, she knew that the supply division was a good
place
to learn the true condition of their entire army. She didn’t know much about this
work
which also meant that she was going to learn a lot while working in this unit.
She felt disappointed that her last 6 years of experience were being ignored and
taken
lightly, but even so, she now belonged to an entirely different kingdom and this
was an
expected consequence for something that changed her life.
Chapter 16
The Acreian emperor’s official conquest team has been re-established with its war
supply department lead by Sir Baufallo and his aide, Sir Poliana Winter.
Poliana touched her new uniform. Her name and her rank were sewed onto it. Some
claimed that they could tell how talented the seamstress was just by touching the
seams, but Poliana’s fingers were so rough and scarred to the point that she could
barely feel anything with her fingertips.
She was wearing a brand-new uniform. The military ranking system was different in
the
Acreian army, but still, Poliana understood how significant her position was. She
was the
First Sergeant’s aide, which was higher than her previous rank. She no longer had
the
duties of leading soldiers, but still, what she ended up was a promotion. She
always
expected that she’ll be forever chained down as a platoon leader, so this ended up
becoming a nice surprise.
‘And being a viceroy would be too scary.’
The position of a viceroy would’ve been a much greater position, but Poliana
preferred
her current role. Being a viceroy was too high of a rank that she couldn’t even
imagine
becoming one.
A while back, Lucius the First promised her a set of armor, but since she was
assigned to
the supply unit, it never happened. It would have looked odd for an aide of the
supply
unit’s first sergeant to wear armor as she would overshadow her superior. At least,
wearing her new Acreian uniform made Poliana finally feel like she belonged
somewhere.
“Good morning, Sir Poliana.”
“Good morning to you too.”
Poliana bowed lightly to Sir Howe who greeted her. Sir Howe was originally Sir
Baufallo’s
aide before Poliana. He was only 20 years old, and thanks to Poliana taking over
his
position, Sir Howe was finally able to leave the supply department. He seemed very
happy about it. Luckily for Poliana, he seemed very eager to help her learn about
her
new position. He was very cordial and if Poliana had to choose the friendliest
person to
her in the army, it would’ve been him and probably Sir Baufallo right after.
“You are a very fast learner. You will do a better job than I ever did,” Sir Howe
praised
her.
“Not at all. You are too kind.”
A barely 20-year-old boy vs a knight with 6 years of military experience? Of
course, it
made sense that Poliana did a much better job. Sir Howe seemed to be oblivious of
the
importance of the supply unit. All he felt was a great relief to leave this
department.
“Bring me some water,” Sir Howe ordered Donau, Sir Baufallo’s personal help.
Donau kicked a chair in annoyance and replied, “I’m not YOUR help!”
Sir Howe was clearly higher in terms of rank than Donau, so this interaction was a
shock
to Poliana. She even flinched in surprise, but she didn’t say anything. Normally,
she
would’ve kicked Donau for his insolence, but she knew what was going on here.
Donau and Sir Howe were brothers, and Sir Baufallo was their father.
The first-born, Sir Howe Ribo, and the second son, Donau Ribo.
Sir Howe was newly knighted, and it meant that he had no personal help assigned to
him at this point. The Ribo family also was not very wealthy, so it makes sense
that he
couldn’t even afford to have a personal servant. This was why Sir Howe treated his
younger brother as his own help just as he probably did at home. And of course, the
younger brother felt frustrated at being treated like a servant both by his older
brother
and his father.
“How dare you treat a proper knight this way? There is another knight present here
as
well! Do you have any manners at all?” Sir Howe yelled at him.
“Another knight? What are you babbling about? I don’t see any other knight in this
room other than you.”
Donau screamed in his still-high-pitched voice and ran out. He was trying to leave
quickly, obviously trying to avoid being beaten but Sir Howe was even quicker. He
grabbed his gauntlet from the table and threw it at his younger brother. It hit
Donau
right in the back of his head and made him squeal.
Sir Howe turned to Poliana and apologized, “He is still so young and stupid…”
“It’s alright.” Poliana didn’t care.
Sir Howe was enthusiastic about teaching her but the process was long. There was no
official manual or guidelines for this position, and Poliana blamed it on the fact
that this
seemed like a group ran by a single household.
Because Sir Howe was Sir Baufallo’s son first rather than his aide, it seemed that
a lot of
things were carried out without official documents and records. It was also
apparent
that Donau was involved in certain tasks like delivering some official military
documents
when he was only supposed to be a personal help.
This kind of behavior was bad enough for Sir Howe to be arrested. Military records
were
needed to be kept safe, and a mere help was NOT allowed to even look at these
documents. She was shocked when she found about it.
Sir Howe begged her to keep it a secret. Poliana, who was very new to this army,
didn’t
want to create trouble so she agreed to keep it to herself. But because any shreds
of
evidence of these deeds were needed to be cleaned up first before Poliana could
take over, it would take a long while even before she could assume her position.
‘So much work to do…. It’s endless!’
Poliana felt frustrated and confused as well. It seemed that Donau, in fact,
produced
better and neater records and paperwork than Sir Howe. Because Sir Howe hasn’t
been working for very long as the aide, no obvious problem has occurred, but if
this
continues, Poliana knew that it was going to lead to a major issue. It was a good
thing
that she was taking over right now.
‘It’s not that Sir Howe is stupid or slow…’ She wondered.
When she glared at him suspiciously, Sir Howe begged her again to keep quiet. She
knew then what kind of a man he was.
A typical lazy self-entitled knight.
“My father told me to use my little brother as needed. Hahaha. Donau is actually
quite
smart.” Sir Howe tried to make an excuse for himself.
‘Idiot.’

“Even so, it was very unprofessional of you to have someone help you do your own
work,” Poliana replied.
“Well, the thing was, it was only me who was supposed to be assigned to this
conquest.
But then, both my father AND my younger brother were assigned to it as well. All of
the
men in our family were sent to war, and my mother got so worried because of it. She
begged that all of us get should get assigned to the same unit so that we could
keep
each other safe…”
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So that was why the entire family was assigned to the war supply department.
Originally, Lucius the First’s cousin, Duke Luzo, was responsible for this
division. But when
the emperor decided to leave for war, the kingdom needed an acting leader on his
behalf. This was especially important since Lucius the First did not have an heir
yet. It
was then decided that Duke Luzo needed to stay behind with Sir Baufallo taking his
position.
Giving your cousin the kingdom while you go into war? It was a perfect coup
scenario.
Even if they were the best of friends, one could never know what the future holds.
Poliana thought to herself, ‘I mean, who knew I would end up pledging my loyalty to
a
whole different country?’
But Poliana didn’t doubt Lucius the First’s decision. No one knew what the future
holds,
but the emperor must’ve given that responsibility to his cousin for a good sound
reason.
She didn’t trust Duke Luzo, but she trusted her emperor.
Sir Baufallo’s works and recordkeeping were excellent, but Sir Howe’s works were
problematic. He originally wanted to belong to Sir Rabi’s team, but when he didn’t
get
what he wanted, Sir Howe lost all interest in his work.
The funny thing was, Donau was indeed rather excellent at this work, especially
considering his young age. That must’ve been why Sir Howe continued to dump his own
work on his younger brother.
And meanwhile, Donau was feeling proud of himself for doing a knight’s work.
Donau returned to the room again and without even acknowledging her, he threw the
documents at her and left. She remained quiet for now but some time soon, she knew
that she needed to teach him a lesson.
Chapter 17
Poliana has always been ignored.
Always.
Because she was a woman, there were many times when she was treated worse than
the enemy by her own side.
This didn’t mean she didn’t do anything about it. This was beyond just personal, it
was
against the written and the unspoken rules of any military group. No matter what
others
said, she was a knight and a military officer, and now, she was being watched by
everyone. She needed to make her strength show.
When she was a platoon leader, her men followed her because they knew this. They
called her a witch and they hated her, but they had to follow her orders or else,
they
were going to be beaten by her.
When she took over the position of Sir Baufallo’s aide, she would have to see Donau
more frequently.
‘It’s time to teach him some manners.’
When the personal helps liked their knights, they would hang around them
constantly.
In this case, Donau worked for his own father, which meant that Donau was going to
be
around her A LOT. On top of that, Donau thought very highly of himself because he
did
a lot of the work his older brother Sir Howe was supposed to do.
A personal help or the son of a knight was usually treated poorly by everyone, but
because Donau came with his father as HIS help, the other knights were unusually
kind
to him.

Because the base was filled mostly with young knights, not many of them had
personal
aides. This meant that there weren’t many other personal aides older than Donau who
could put him in his place.
Donau had no manners, but it wasn’t enough of a reason to beat him up. He also
mostly ignored her but hasn’t technically outright disrespected her yet, so she was
in an
awkward position.
And most of all, Donau was Sir Baufallo’s own son. Her superior’s child. Blood was
certainly thicker than water.
Finally came the day when Sir Howe’s work was done. He laughed like a madman and
left, leaving the supply unit headquarters’ tent with Sir Baufallo, Sir Poliana,
another
knight, and Donau in it. When Sir Baufallo and the other knight left for a meeting
in
command, they left her with Donau.
As soon as they left, Donau sat on a chair rudely without asking for her
permission.
‘What should I do… Should I beat him up good?’
A 15-year-old teenager was sitting there with his legs up. Poliana felt a sudden
urge to
break both of his legs.
Poliana ignored him and worked on her reports. When Donau flicked the paper on her
table, she warned him quietly.
“Don’t touch that.”
“I work on these all the time, so why do you care? Do you even know how to read?”
Donau laughed at her, and again, Poliana warned him quietly. “These are official
military documents. You have no right to read them, so return to your place,
Donau.”
“Don’t you dare order me around! A woman, who bleeds between her legs holding a
sword?! Ha! You should just go back home and work in the kitchen where you belong!”
Disobeying a knight’s direct order and talking back this way? This was enough for
her to
reprimand him, but she stopped as Sir Baufallo walked into the tent.
Donau jumped off the chair immediately and stood straight. “Hello, Father!”
“Address me properly, Donau.”
“Welcome back, Sir.”
Poliana also stood up and saluted. Donau, being a good help, took his father’s coat
and his sword. He also grabbed his father a bowl of water and a towel to wash up.
Sir Baufallo patted Donau’s head as a habit. He acted indifferently, but from time
to
time, his love for his son was obvious through his meaningless gestures.
Suddenly, Poliana felt envious.
Donau came to war with his own father. He was the lowest of rank in the base, but
because of his noble birth and his father’s status, no one ignored or mistreated
him. His
older brother was also a knight, so the others treated him kindly. Among all the
personal
helps in the base, Donau was at the top of the food chain.
And most of all, thanks to their kind and rather an ethical emperor, Donau never
had to
know how it felt to be sodomized by his superior.
Donau was a rather pretty-looking boy. Poliana remembered Sir Batre, who used to
rape both boys and girls who came as new recruits to his unit. When he was killed
during the Acreian military’s conquest, Sir Batre’s body was sent back to his home
as a
show of respect and honor to a fallen soldier. But the rumor had it that during his
funeral, an unknown somebody stabbed his anus with a spear and ran away.
Some believed it was false, but Poliana couldn’t herself but nod. The details made
too
much sense.

Karma’s a b*tch.
Poliana couldn’t do what she wanted to Donau because of Sir Baufallo. She felt
frustrated and envious at Donau at the same time.
Sir Baufallo acted awkwardly around her, who now was his aide in place of his older
son. He was still very professional around her, especially compared to all the
other
knights so Poliana felt thankful about it.
Except for the fact that he had such a brat of a son.
Sir Baufallo asked her, “How long do you think it will take to reach our goal?”
“If we receive the planned supplies from Aehas and Kukda, we should be able to
reach
it by the end of this month.”
“Hmm… and anything else? Anything we are lacking?”
“Not according to the reports we received, Sir.”
“When I was walking around, I noticed that we may need more uniforms for the
soldiers.”
“The winter will be over soon. If we mend the existing uniforms and get a few more
made from the nearby towns, we should be able to survive the rest of the season.
The
town of Lotto, which is located nearby, happens to produce fabrics, so if we can
grab
the unused stocks from there, we can dye it ourselves and use it.”
“Good. Take care of it.”
“Yes, sir. And as for the cotton needed to create a layer for warmth under one’s
clothes, Acreia produces the best ones so we will wait until the harvest is over.
It
shouldn’t be long, we would have it most likely before the end of winter.”
“We don’t need winter uniforms.”
Poliana was sick of these Acreian men claiming how much colder Acreia was. Just
because they came from the northern region, the Acreian soldiers thought so little
of
the Aehasian winter.
Poliana thought secretly, ‘Aehas’ winter is pretty cold too, you jerk.’
Perhaps the best thing for her own good was to not say anything in this situation,
but
Poliana’s responsible nature wouldn’t let her remain quiet. They could lose their
limbs if
their soldier suffers a severe case of frostbites. The regions near the Koemong
River were
going to be even colder. It didn’t rain much there, but starting in the late
autumn, those
areas would be covered in ice.
Well-insulated winter uniforms were a must.
“It may not be as cold as Acreia here, but it will be freezing near the river,
sir,” Poliana
said politely.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I meant that we will be heading down in the spring.”
Poliana’s mouth suddenly felt dry. She became confused. “S-spring, sir?”
“Yes, that is what the emperor wants.”
She couldn’t understand and she couldn’t help but swallow audibly. If they were
heading down in the spring, it meant that they were going to battle in spring as
well. All
of their wars occurred during winters, and the other three seasons were for farming
and
rest. It has always been this way.

The majority of the foot soldiers were commoners. They needed to farm during the
spring, summer, and fall. If they didn’t, the land would go to waste.
Winter was for war, spring was for planning, summer was for growing the crops, and
fall
would be the time for harvest. All of their battles would continue during the
winter.
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They cannot toil their lands if they were to fight during the spring. Without
farms, there
would be no food, and without food, their people would die or worse, they would get
rebellious.
This couldn’t happen.
“This can’t be! If we do this, we will not get enough food from our harvest!”
Poliana
exclaimed.
“That won’t happen.”
“How?”
“All of the Acreian soldiers’ sole occupation is being soldiers. None are being
drafted.”
This was a piece of shocking and meaningful news to Poliana. She still had
difficulty
accepting the idea of war in spring, but she remained quiet. All their soldiers
were PAID
as such instead of drafting farmers and forcing them to fight?
She needed time to digest this news.
Chapter 18
Lucius the First’s army didn’t immediately march down south. Instead, it restocked
its
supplies, rested, and treated its injured in Aehas and Kukda. Poliana expected the
army
to stay where they were for a while longer before continuing its conquest but
Lucius the
First had another idea. Against the unspoken rule of war on this continent, he
planned
on marching down in this upcoming spring.
She understood that this did mean they were going to have an advantage. The
kingdom of Bebero wouldn’t be expecting any kind of attack from them at all. They
would be sighing in relief that the winter was almost over.
Every kingdom already knew about what happened to Aehas and Kukda. It did make
sense to attack Bebero now rather than giving them the chance to become prepared
for the war. In spring, their defense would be down as well.
‘A war in spring…’
It was hard to get her head around the idea. It sounded like a nonsense phrase,
like “a
pregnant man,” or “a bearded woman.”
As Poliana pushed around the fire with the metal poker, the black coals turned
bright
red. She was preparing a brazier for Sir Baufallo’s tent. This was one of the
responsibilities
of his personal help, Donau, but Donau claimed that it was a woman’s job and ran
away. It was such an Acreian thing to say.
In Acreia, men would go out to hunt while women stayed behind to keep the house
warm.
Poliana wanted to beat Donau up with the brazier, but she remained patient.
When she was in the Aehasian army, she had to build her own tent, which was
supposed to be handled by a lot of people. She expected something similar here, but
to her surprise, she was given a private tent without any fuss by Sir Baufallo and
he even
had the other soldiers set it up for her. He also told her to take as many supplies
as she
needed from their storage.
Poliana couldn’t repay his kindness by beating up his son. She just kept it to
herself,
saying, ‘That’s my superior’s son. That’s my superior’s son. That’s my superior’s
son. That’s
my superior’s son. That’s my superior’s son.’
Donau was an a*shole.
One of the supply unit soldiers came to her with a pot and a ladle and told
Poliana,
“I was told that you are going to be cooking for a while now.”
“I said that?”
“I heard it from that boy, Sir Baufallo’s personal help.”
“Wow, we get to eat the food prepared by a woman for once,” the other soldier said
excitedly.
“But THAT person is not a girl.”
“It will still be better than what we can make ourselves.”
“That’s right. Anything cooked by women is better than that by men.”
Poliana looked down at the ingredients nervously. Because of Donau’s lie, she
suddenly
became responsible for her division’s dinner. In Aehas, there were official cooks,
but in
the Acreian army, that position didn’t exist. Men took turns to cook and it worked
because Acreian men were used to preparing what they’ve hunted.
Looking down at the giant pot, Poliana wondered, ‘What should I do…’
She tried to go around and tell people that she never offered to cook, but it was
no
use. The men replied, “What? But couldn’t you just do it anyway? You must’ve cooked
a lot in your life anyway, right?”
“We were told that you will be cooking, so that’s that. If you have a problem with
it, you
should go take it up with that help.”
“Can’t you just do it? It must be easy for you to do it.”
“…”
This was not the response she expected from the soldiers. Poliana had no choice but
to
go find Sir Baufallo. She hated to tell Donau to his own father, but she had no
choice.
Poliana explained to Sir Baufallo what had happened in a very objective manner. He
looked awkward as he apologized. It was indeed his responsibility to train his
personal
help and son.
“I will make sure that Donau gets a special lesson from me, Sir Poliana.”
“Thank you.”
“And I am looking forward to your cooking.”

“Pardon?”
“The soldiers are already expecting you to cook, so I think you need to do it. IT
can’t be
that bad to cook just once.”
‘Dammit.’
This was ridiculous. Everyone was being unreasonable, but Poliana took care not to
show her anger on her face. She had no choice but to follow the order. This was an
army; whatever her superior said cannot be disobeyed.
She clenched her fists and her teeth instead and replied, “Yeasesse.”
“What did you say?”
“I said yes sir.”
“I won’t make you do it again even if you do a good job, so please don’t make it
taste
bad on purpose.”
“I will do my best.”
“Haha, I will look forward to it then.”
Sir Baufallo tapped her shoulder, hoping to appease her, but it didn’t help Poliana
feel
better at all. She felt frustrated and angry.
She shook her head as she stared at the ingredients again. If she did well, the
soldiers
would say it wasn’t a big deal because she was a woman and therefore it must come
easy for her. If she didn’t do a good job, she knew the men would get angry at her.
In the end, Poliana decided that she should at least make it good. She might as
well do
her best since she had to eat it after all.
But…
At the end of the day, Poliana was a noble-born lady as well. She never spent any
time
in the kitchen. Of course, she learned to hunt and recognize the poisonous ones
from
the other mushrooms but the old knight never taught her how to cook. When she was
in
the Aehasian military, there were cooks who made food for everyone.
In fact, Poliana had never even held a kitchen knife.
Thankfully, she did have some basic nutritional knowledge. She was used to poor
meals
in her old unit where they always lacked supplies, but now, there were a lot of
ingredients in front of her. This meant that whatever she cooked, it would turn out
good.
Poliana remembered her previous meals. They were mostly stews. In front of her were
a
pot with some fat, salt, meat, oats, wheat, and various vegetables. All she had to
do
was put them in the pot with water and bring it to a boil. She did just that. She
chopped
everything up as the water simmered before dumping everything into the pot. She
also
added some spices for better taste.
While she glared at the pot full of boiling stew, the men began to gather around
her.
Some from even different divisions came after they heard that Sir Poliana was
cooking
tonight.
Apparently, it was Sir Baufallo who bragged to the other knights that he was going
to
be able to eat a dish prepared by a woman tonight. It was an odd thing to be proud
of
because ever since they conquered Aehas and Kukda, they had plenty of women
from the towns to cook for them during their stay in the conquered kingdoms. This
was a
while ago, and apparently, these men missed a woman’s cooking.
When they heard Poliana was cooking, they gathered around her like hungry dogs.

Feeling pressured, she tasted a spoonful of the stew.

‘What the!’
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It tasted normal. In fact, it tasted the same as the stew she had yesterday. It
wasn’t
bad, but it was nothing special. It made sense since she used the same ingredients
that
her meal had yesterday.
But Poliana knew that if she gave this to those men, they would complain about it,
saying that she didn’t do her best. She then started to get nervous, especially
after
seeing some of the high-ranking officers gathering inside the kitchen.
‘Why are they here?’
She had to do something, so Poliana dumped even more fat into the pot. More fat
would make anything taste better, she thought. She also put even more spices, and
the
thick smell that came from the pot began to spread. The men began to salivate.
Sir Baufallo came in with Donau and asked, “Is it ready?”
When Poliana nodded, the knights from other divisions insisted that they wanted a
taste
as well. So they were given a spoonful to try.
The knights ate it and then…
BLAARGH.
Chapter 19
Many of the knights vomited uncontrollably while some heaved, and ran out to get
some water to rinse their mouths. The soldiers who were watching excitedly gasped
in
shock.
“Is the food poisoned?”
“Or maybe some food poisoning?”
“But none of the ingredients went bad! They were all new and fresh!”
“And it can’t be poison. We watched her cook the entire time!”
“So that must mean… it tastes like sh*t?!”
Sir Baufallo was one of the knights who threw up after taking a bite. With his
hands
shaking, he asked, “Did you do this on purpose?”
“No, Sir!”
She couldn’t feel any worse. With a trembling hand, Poliana took a bite herself.
Everyone stared at her as she swallowed. Her eyes widened, she then looked around
and announced, “This is perfectly edible.”

“What?”
Sir Baufallo took another bite and threw up immediately. Feeling confused, Poliana
said
to him earnestly, “Sir, this doesn’t have inedible components like bugs, dirt,
rotten meat,
corpse, or anything soiled. It is perfectly edible, and it won’t kill you.”
“But the goal of a meal isn’t to be just edible!”
Delicious food would increase their men’s morale significantly. Good quality food
was
just as important as plentiful supplies.
The knights who tried the food left in shock while the soldiers who were left
behind to
eat the stew remained in place angrily. Some soldiers tried it out of curiosity and
had a
similar reaction to the others who experienced it firsthand.
So in the end, Poliana offered to take responsibility.
“Sir, I will eat the whole thing.”
“Sir Poliana, did you lose your taste buds during your service? Are you unable to
taste
anything at all?”
“Not at all, sir!”
“Yet you are offering to eat that whole thing yourself?”
“I won’t throw it out. I will finish it.”
“… are you sure you will be ok?”
“I have eaten worse things, including a bread that was stepped on by others. I
should
be fine!”
“But you might get sick.”
“I will be ok!”
“Alright then. You can finish that pot of stew, Sir Poliana, and we will make a new
pot for
the soldiers. Donau!”
Donau came to his father quickly.
“Yes, sir!”
“You are the one who started this whole mess, so you will be the one who will fix
it.
Make everyone’s dinner, Donau, and you will also do the dishes yourself.”
“Father!?”
“You can use the spare pot. Let me know when it’s ready.”
Sir Baufallo grabbed some tea leaves and placed them in his mouth in an attempt to
cleanse his tongue. The soldiers saw what had happened in the kitchen and left for
now. They were upset that their dinner was going to be later than usual. Some, who
were so hungry, tried a bite of Poliana’s stew and grimaced. They were so hungry,
but
they couldn’t stand her food.
The problem was that it had too much fat and spices. As soon as the dish hits their
tongue, the oily taste of fat would spread throughout their mouth, only to be
followed
by the overwhelming taste of spices.

In the end, everyone left. Poliana was ready to keep her word. She poured a large
bowl
for herself while Donau glared at her. He filled the spare pot with water to boil.
While
waiting, he tried a spoonful of Poliana’s stew as well.
“How bad could it be… Blarrrggg.”
The stew smelled ok, so Donau took a bite but he ended up reacting the same way as
his father did. He then yelled, “You made this? To eat?”
The pot containing the stew was made of thick metal. It would’ve hurt to kick it if
one
would have military boots, but Donau did it anyway. Poliana cracked her fingers
when
she saw this. Donau groaned as he held his foot in pain and on the other hand,
Poliana
wanted to push his head into the hot boiling stew and hold him down.
No matter how hard she thought, she knew that Donau has crossed the line. She
decided to be patient just one last time where she warned him calmly, “This is the
last
time you will be allowed to disrespect me.”
“Ha! Like I would be scared of you! I can take you out easily. Let’s do this!”
“You are not a knight yet, which means that you have no right to fight me. But of
course, I can teach you a lesson.”
“You aren’t a true knight either, b*tch!”
If this happened in Aehas, Poliana would have beat him up till all of his bones
broke,
but her current situation was a bit different. She was still new, and she didn’t
want to
cause any problems. This was especially important because she didn’t want her new
emperor Lucius the First to be disappointed in her. This was the only reason she
was
being so unusually tolerant.
“Stop being stupid, Donau. I may not win against other knights, but I can certainly
beat
you up easily. I am an officer that was knighted personally by his highness. If you
continue to show disrespect to me, I will have no choice but to punish you,”
Poliana
replied.
“I don’t believe you! I don’t believe his highness knighted you on purpose! You are
lying
about the whole thing or you did something strange to make it happen. You don’t
look
like a girl, so you probably hid your gender until you were knighted! Or maybe you
begged like a coward until his highness felt sorry for you!”
“Do you think his highness knights everyone who begs for it?”
“The emperor would never do something like that, you b*tch!”
Poliana felt bored, so she began to eat her stew. It didn’t take her very long to
empty
her bowl and while watching her, Donau murmured, “You aren’t a girl. You are a pig!
Blarrgg. I would never eat such garbage even if someone paid me to do it.”
The very first meal she received as a soldier, at the age of 14, was a piece of
bread that
had a clear footprint. At the time, the 14-year-old Poliana contemplated whether
she
should eat it or starve.
In the end, Poliana ate it. From then on, she had to eat much worse things. Food
with
dead bugs in it, water with some bastards’ spit, rotting meat and fruits, sour
wine, and
the list goes on. In fact, she drank some water recently that had Donau’s spit.
“I knew you threw some spit in my water,” Poliana said to him.
“Oh, now you are making stuff up to get me in trouble?”
“If you were so desperate to have me drink your fluids, then I guess I have nothing
to
say about it. But I will have to tell Sir Baufallo that his son has a strange
fetish.”
Donau’s face crumpled into an ugly frown as Poliana continued, “Dirt, dust, bugs… I
have eaten it all, you idiot. I don’t know if you have any hair down there yet but
listen
carefully Donau, I became a knight at the age of 14 and I have been in the army on
active duty for the past 6 years. I may bleed between my legs as you said, but I
still
have more hair down there than you do.”
Donau turned red and screamed, “You B*TCH!!!”
He came after her, but before he could reach her, Donau fell to the ground. It was
because a gauntlet hit him from behind.

“GYAAA!”
Donau shrieked in pain while Sir Baufallo came towards him and picked up the
gauntlet. Sir Baufallo said to his son, “You will be responsible for everyone’s
meal for a
week. I apologize, Sir Poliana. I will make sure to teach him some manners.”
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Sir Baufallo kicked Donau, who yelped in pain. Poliana was no stranger to punching
and kicking, and based on her observation, she knew that Sir Baufallo wasn’t
putting
too much force into his kicks.
“From now on, if your son causes any more problems, I would like to be the one who
reprimands him, sir,” Poliana offered.
“Do not think of him as my son, Sir Poliana. He is a mere help, so you may do
whatever
you would like to him. Donau, listen carefully. Sir Poliana may be a woman, but she
has
been acknowledged by the emperor himself. What you just said and did to her was
unacceptable.”
“If it wasn’t for this b*tch, I would’ve become a knight!” Donau argued.
“You idiot!”
Sir Baufallo began his lesson, and it was a lesson given by a father rather than a
superior. Poliana knew when to butt out from family businesses, so she left quietly
as she
enjoyed Donau squealing in pain.
But before she left, she took a spoonful of Donau’s stew out of curiosity, and her
eyes
widened in shock.
It was delicious.
Chapter 20
Poliana saw less of Donau from then on. She tried to find a chance to get him, but
it
didn’t come easily. Donau was sneaky, he would get himself away whenever she’s
close.
At first, Poliana thought that he was smart and lucky, but she soon realized that
she was
falling into his trap. Donau had less military experience than Poliana did, but he
knew
the Acreian army much better than she did. Donau knew the paths and schedules of
everyone very well, and he used it to his advantage to taunt her.
The only time he couldn’t escape her was when he’s cooking. He was still on the
kitchen duty, which meant that for at least an hour before lunch and dinner, he had
to
be in the kitchen. Poliana used this to her advantage.
While cooking, Donau couldn’t pick a fight with her. If they ended up in a physical
spat
and something happened to the food, he was going to get in trouble. So it was
Poliana,
who tried to pick a fight with him during those times.
She made a point of roaming around the kitchen while he worked. She knew that he
hated her presence and that was why she did it. She also tried his food while he’s
cooking or ate a few pieces of vegetables after he chopped them. Others assumed
that she was just hungry, and Donau couldn’t openly complain about what she was
doing since she wasn’t doing anything wrong.
Donau quickly became extremely irritated, particularly whenever Poliana criticized
his
cooking.
“Little boy, your soup is too salty.”
“Go drown, you b*tch.”
Poliana smiled and Donau smiled as well. From afar, they looked like they were
having
a nice conversation.

“If it wasn’t for you, b*tch, I would’ve been knighted by now.”

“I see that you are a coward who likes to blame others for your own incompetence.”
“This isn’t my fault! All of my friends became knights already!”
The biggest reason Donau hated Poliana wasn’t that she was a woman. There was a
limited number of knighthoods given every year. Donau was still waiting for his
time.
Most of his friends were already knighted, and Donau believed that he was the best
of
them all, so he was angry that he still remained to be a mere personal help.
He was so sure he was going to make it this year. It had to be, all the other helps
his age
was already knighted. It was just him and the younger boys left.
It was going to be this year, but Poliana took his spot. After knighting her, the
emperor
announced that he was no longer going to knight anyone for the next three months.
It was all Poliana’s fault.
“That is ridiculous. His Highness didn’t knight you because he knew what a brat you
are,” Poliana replied.
“You ruined everything, b*tch!”
Donau smacked the pot with the ladle he was holding, and some small bits of the
stew
had been splattered everywhere. Poliana frowned and took the ladle away from him.
She wanted to hit him with it, but she stopped herself from doing so.
Then suddenly, a dog sniffed his way in. When Poliana offered the dog her bowl,
which
contained the stew she made herself earlier, it sniffed it and licked it a few
times before
running away.
“…”
“Hahaha! Even the dog doesn’t want your soup, you b*tch! Even the dog won’t eat
it!”
Donau laughed at her evilly, but she ignored him. She got another bowl and ate it
herself. Her philosophy was that food could not be blamed for its taste.
They weren’t in an active war, but there were still some reports for her to
complete.
After a long day, when Poliana finally could take a break, she left the tent and
took a
walk in the night. When she was younger in the Aehasian army, there were times when
men would try to rape her whenever she took these nightly walks. And every time it
happened, she would fight back and escape. She wasn’t a talented fighter, but she
was persistent. She wasn’t the strongest, but her experience as a knight made her
tougher. Anyone who thought they could take her because she was a woman got a
painful lesson from her.
In the Acreian army where the military law was enforced more strictly, things like
this
never happened. Men took care of their needs however they had to without raping
anyone. In the Aehasian army, the superiors always told the men and herself not to
complain about anything, whether it was rape done by Sir Batre or any other unfair
treatment. Poliana didn’t need this warning, she didn’t even think of complaining,
to
begin with. Even when she was having her period, she didn’t even dream of taking it
easy. Thankfully at least, her period was infrequent.

But when she did have it, it felt awful. She wasn’t in so much pain, but she felt
angry
and annoyed. She became crueler and rougher, and during battles, she killed her
enemies better.
The reason for her walks in the night was to relieve her stress. She walked to a
nearby
tree and began to hit it with her bare hands. The patrol nearby saw her and walked
away while shaking his head. He clearly thought that she had lost her mind.
Suddenly, Poliana felt a presence coming towards her. She stopped assaulting the
poor
tree and turned around to find a few men staring at her in shock. One of them was
Sir
Ainno.
Sir Ainno never left the emperor’s side. Wherever Sir Ainno was, it meant that most
likely,
Lucius the First was nearby.
“Greeting to your highness from Sir Poliana Winter.” Poliana began to sweat
nervously
as she addressed him.
“Oh, hello. I’m not sure about what you are doing right now, but good luck to you.”
Lucius the First glanced at her without interest and continued to walk past her.
Poliana
gritted her teeth. It was obvious that he was uninterested in her and it most
likely was
because she was unimportant. She had no one to blame but herself.
Sir Ainno looked at her in disgust and followed the emperor. Behind them were men
carrying a wild boar.
Acreian men were excellent hunters so even though they didn’t lack food or
supplies,
they often went hunting for fun. Sir Baufallo didn’t approve of these hunting
expeditions.
Technically, it wasn’t an illegal practice to do so in the military base, but since
the First
sergeant frowned upon it, the soldiers refrained from hunting.
So here he was, caught hunting. But then again, he was the emperor.
Poliana felt awkward, and the knights seemed awkward as well for being caught by an
aide who belonged to Sir Baufallo’s unit.
Lucius the First tried to leave quickly, but he stopped as if he remembered
something.
He turned to Poliana again and asked, “I hear that you, Sir Poliana, was involved
in
poisoning the soldiers recently. Is that right?”
“It wasn’t poisoned!”
She was happy that the emperor showed his interest in her, but this was not the
kind of
thing she wanted her emperor to know. Poliana kneeled in front of him.

She didn’t put any poison in that stew. All of its ingredients were edible. She
didn’t burn
the pot, nor did she put any soil into it. In fact, she has been eating that stew
three times
a day for three days now.
The other men saw her eating it and they couldn’t believe it. They called her a
crazy
btch. A btch without taste buds. A b*tch who could probably survive being poisoned.
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‘Whatever.’
Poliana didn’t care. All she wanted was to eat her food as quickly as possible so
she
could start eating Donau’s food. He was going to be cooking for just a week, so she
had to finish her stew as soon as possible.
Lucius the First then said, “I would like to try your stew too to see what it
tastes like.”
“No, your highness. You mustn’t.”
One of the knights in his group shook his head seriously. He stated that he was one
of
the few who tried it. When the knight looked so upset, Lucius the First burst into
laughter.
“It was that bad? Well, I guess I shouldn’t then. I will grant you this wild boar,
Sir Poliana,
so make sure that the men would get their fair shares.”
Apparently, Lucius the First caught two wild boars that day. He gave one to Poliana
and it was clear that he was asking her to put in the good words to Sir Baufallo
about his
hunting trip.
Poliana bowed her thanks and the men dropped one of the animals in front of her.
Chapter 21
When the emperor left, Poliana stood up and examined the wild boar. It was way too
heavy for her to move by herself.
“Dammit.”
She knew what the men would say if she asked for help in carrying this animal. They
would say she couldn’t handle it because she was a mere woman when the truth was
that no one man would be able to lift such a huge beast.
Angrily, Poliana began to assault the tree again. The leaves and small branches
fell
helplessly onto the ground.
Sir Baufallo became annoyed at the unexpected gift from the emperor. It wasn’t
because the emperor went hunting against his wishes, it was because the emperor
didn’t take HIM along on the hunting trip.
The soldiers, however, were excited at the meat. Most men were originally hunters,
so
they all had different ideas on how best to cook a wild boar. Soon, they began to
argue and Sir Baufallo had to step in.
“Since this was a gift to ME from the emperor, I will be the one deciding what to
do with
it.”
The hide, teeth, and bones were obviously going to be stored for later use. But
what are
we going to do with the meat?
“Let’s cut it into steaks and cook them in the fire!”

“No, we should steam it!”

“No, we should barbecue it whole!”
“No, why don’t we smoke it?”
“No! We need to make it into jerkies! The other divisions are going to be so
jealous!”
Suddenly, Sir Baufallo turned to the last man who spoke and exclaimed, “Wait!
That’s a
great idea! You, come over here for a second.”
When the soldier walked to them, Sir Baufallo turned to Poliana and asked, “What do
you think, Sir Poliana?”
There was only one right answer here. Poliana had enough military experience to
know
this, so she immediately replied, “Jerky sounds like a good idea, sir.”
“Excellent. Then first, skin it and dry the hide over there. Take out the bones and
teeth.
Make sure you throw away all of the blood. It might be infected with parasites. If
anyone is caught eating blood or any of its intestines, you will be severely
punished. You
never know what’s in a wild animals’ innards.”
Parasites and epidemics were an army’s worst enemies. The Acreian military’s
“Mother,”
Sir Baufallo, ordered Poliana to supervise the process before he left.
The soldiers began excitedly. They chatted loudly, guessing how old the beast must
be
and how much jerkies they might get out of it. When they slit its throat, its warm
blood
began to spill out. Poliana watched it with her hawk eyes, making sure that none of
the
men stole any. After it was drained, she made sure that the soldiers shoveled the
bloodsoaked dirt and throw it out in the forest.
The dogs and cats skulked nearby, whining. If it was daytime, the birds would’ve
been
flying all around them too. When the soldiers threw away the innards, the dogs
grabbed them and ran away while the cats licked at whatever was left. Some dogs
were seen fighting over the biggest pieces. The men looked at the dogs enviously.
“Intestines are supposed to be the best part.”
“Shut up and start cutting the meat.”
In the middle of them cutting the boar apart, the soldiers whispered among
themselves.
Suddenly, they’ve put aside the best and the biggest piece of the meat, and said to
Poliana, “This is for you and the boss.”
“You must know how to cook meat, right, Sir Poliana?”
Receiving a wild boar directly from the emperor himself was enough for the men to
begin treating Poliana with some respect. At the end of the day, she was still a
noble.
They might not have fully accepted her as a knight yet, but they felt more generous
towards her now that she brought them an animal.
Poliana wondered, ‘Why are they so obsessed with food? It’s not like they are
starving…’
Compared to Aehas, Acreian soldiers were fed very well. They received enough
protein
in their diet and yet, the men behaved like they were starving all the time.
Poliana roasted the meat till it charred, making sure the parasites would not
survive if
there were any. When the meat became a bit too chewy, she seasoned it well with
salt
and spices.
The steak looked mouth-watering. Poliana handed one of the steaks to Sir Baufallo
and
grabbed her own. She was walking to her tent when suddenly, someone tripped her.
Luckily, she didn’t fall, but the ended up dropping her steak.
Poliana turned to the culprit who tripped her. It was Donau, who had his arms
crossed
as he laughed.
“Pick it up,” Poliana said to him quietly.
“Oh, do you eat even the food that fell on the ground?”

“Pick it up.”
“Even the dog won’t eat it. So you would eat anything, eh? Even garbage?”
Donau kicked the piece of meat. When Sir Baufallo heard the noises outside his
tent, he
came out to see what was happening. No one had to explain to him what had
happened. Sir Baufallo looked resigned as Poliana made a request.
“Sir Baufallo, may I punish this insolent help of yours?”
“Oh, go ahead.”
Donau sneered. “I refused to be punished by a girl…. AHH!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Donau screamed in pain and fell to the ground.
It
was because Poliana kicked him in his crotch. It was so unexpected that Donau
kneeled on the ground in agony. Even Sir Baufallo’s eyes widened in shock. During
the
last few weeks in the supply unit, Poliana studied how the helps are treated by the
knights. She learned that although they weren’t sexually assaulted and there wasn’t
any severe beating either, the helps were still reprimanded through physical
punishments.
This was for the good of Donau. This young man had to learn his lessons now so he
could have a bright future.
Poliana picked up the steak that was now covered in dirt. She threw it at him, and
it hit
Donau right in his face.
Donau was now shivering in shock, pain, and fear. He expected that the worst
Poliana
would dare to do would be to slap him as any other girl would.
But she kicked him in his manhood and slapped him with a dirty steak.
“What is the meaning of this?” Sir Baufallo yelled in shock.
“This isn’t the first time I kicked someone’s balls, sir. I made sure not to pop
it, so you
don’t have to worry about not getting grandsons from this young man,” Poliana
replied
calmly.
Poliana seemed so nonchalant that Sir Baufallo couldn’t even get angry at her.
Poliana
grabbed Donau’s collars and with a horrifying kid of tone, she whispered, “You keep
mentioning how I bleed between my legs, so perhaps I should make the same thing
happen to you, eh? Whenever you disrespect me, I will hit you only in your balls. I
will
kick them until they burst and bleed, so if you want that to happen, keep being a
jerk to
me.”
Sir Baufallo ran towards his son and protested, “But Sir Poliana, this isn’t a
proper way to
punish someone!” He patted Donau’s bum to comfort him, which seemed to cause
even more pain to Donau whose crotch was most likely very bruised.
Poliana felt satisfied. She then replied, “It’s not like I cut his penis off, sir.
At least I didn’t
break any of his bones.”
“What? Do you know how painful this area is to a man?”
“Well, that’s why he will never disrespect me again. Pain is a very good teacher.”
Poliana threw the ruined steak at the dogs. The dogs barked happily and ran away
with
it.
So many people saw what happened today. There was no way of hiding this. The
rumors would start immediately and reach everyone in the base by the end of
tomorrow. Sir Howe, who came running after he heard about the trouble, laughed
hilariously as he watched his younger brother being beaten by a female knight.
Towards the end, he was rolling on the floor crying because he was laughing so
hard.
Poliana continued, “I want to make this very clear to everyone. I am a knight who
was
appointed by his highness himself. I am also Sir Baufallo’s aide. I have no reason
to
ignore and forgive a mere help’s insolence. In fact, what I did today will save
this young
man’s life someday. He has been acting disrespectfully and idiotically because he
must’ve believed the power and status of his father and his older brother would
protect
him. But this won’t always be the case in the real world. I am also telling you,
Sir
Baufallo, that if you truly care about your son, you will stop preventing his
knighthood
and also teach him some manners.”
The truth was, it wasn’t Poliana’s fault that Donau wasn’t being knighted. It was
his
father’s. There were no official rules of limiting the number of soldiers being
knighted per
year. In fact, during the war times, it was a piece of cake for nobles to become
knights.
So the reason Donau hasn’t been knighted so far was because Sir Baufallo asked his
highness for it. Sir Baufallo was worried about his youngest son, especially
because both
himself and the oldest son were both knighted already. What if all three men died
in the
war? There would be no more man in his family.

Donau was a smart boy. Based on what she saw, Poliana knew this to be a fact. This
meant that Donau most likely already knew why he didn’t get knighted. But he was
blaming Poliana because he didn’t want to blame the emperor or his own father.
Poliana had no intention of being blamed for something she had nothing to do. She
already had enough to deal with in her place just for being a girl.
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As Poliana walked away, the soldiers avoided making eye contact and covered their
crotches. Satisfied at making a point, Poliana returned to her own tent.
Inside, she sighed.
‘I’m so envious of him.’
Donau had a father who truly cared about him. He also was born in a kingdom where
the emperor took care of his people. He was a very lucky boy.
From then on, the soldiers seemed to behave more carefully around her. Donau,
however, still screamed at her whenever he saw her. He yelled that what she did was
unforgivable. Poliana would ignore him and tell Sir Baufallo, “I think your
youngest son
must not want to sire children in the future.”
This was always enough for Sir Baufallo to immediately shut Donau up, and when Sir
Baufallo wasn’t around, Poliana kept her promise and kicked Donau in the crotch for
his
rudeness.
Soon enough, things started to settle down. Donau was now nicknamed and teased as
“the boy who got kicked in the balls by a girl.”
Poliana was overall very happy.
Chapter 22
Inside the Acreian command tent.
Lucius the First and his knights were discussing their plan to cross the Koemong
River and
attack the kingdom Bebero.
“We already completed selecting the appropriate fishing boats from the fishing
village
nearby. About 80 percent of these boats have been adjusted and remodeled for our
military purposes. The rest of the work will be done very soon.”
“We also recruited the fishers who knew the river very well. We are training them
according to our basic military skills.”
“And how is Bebero reacting?”
“So far, very quiet, your highness. We believe that they are feeling safe since
spring is
coming. They most likely think that we won’t attack till the upcoming winter. Our
spies
planted inside the Bebero kingdom are still unable to return since the borders have
been closed, but they were able to send us several reports. All sounds good so
far.”
Lucius the First’s army would be attempting to cross it once spring had arrived
when its
waters had melted. The key to this mission was to keep it a secret. No one could
know
about this. A surprise was the biggest advantage an army could have in a war.
A surprise attack rarely failed.
Lucius the First studied the maps carefully. The Koemong River was wide and deep.
It
was the biggest river in the northern region of the continent, and around it was
various
fishing villages. The river was regularly used to travel as well as to transport
supplies to
different areas.

But during the winters, the rivers would freeze completely where no boats could
cross it.
The only use of this river during winter was for some odd winter fishing.
The biggest problem of this military plan was their lack of experience in a naval
battle.
Lucius the First’s army has never fought in water before.
Acreia was located in the most northern region of the continent. During springs and
winters, all the water surrounding the kingdom was frozen. There was no reason for
the
Acreian soldiers to ever fight in the water.
To fight on boats.
To fight against the enemy boats.
To shoot arrows on boats and at the enemy boats.
All of these tactics were new to the Acreian soldiers.
On top of that, what if their soldiers became seasick?
So Lucius the First took some time and care to make sure that his men became used
to
the waters. He also ordered the fishermen to teach his men how to stay safe inside
a
boat.
“The one positive thing is that the Bebero soldiers are also not used to battling
in the
water. Because Aehas and Kukda were busy warring against each other, Bebero never
worried about its river border. Bebero soldiers aren’t prepared at all, so please
don’t be
too concerned, your highness.”

“But the Bebero has plenty of citizens that are used to riding and working on
boats. Our
men, on the other hand, have no idea how to even maneuver one. Some don’t even
know what an oar looks like,” Lucius the First replied.
“We already have begun our training, so all will be well, your highness.”
“I believe in all of you. All I am saying, however, is that it won’t be as easy as
it was with
Aehas and Kukda.”
Suddenly, the emperor remembered the person who made it so easy to conquer the
two said nations.
The female knight who made it all possible.
She was a foreigner and a knightess, but Lucius the first believed in her
abilities. He had
no doubt that she would adapt to whatever situation came at her.
It was those around her that had difficulties getting used to HER.

The soldiers received an order from Sir Baufallo to grab the shovels. They were to
work
on improving and maintaining their army base. The men from other departments could,
in theory, reject Sir Baufallo’s order, but none of them did. After all, Sir
Baufallo was the
one who fed all the men on the base, which meant it was a bad idea to disobey him.
But some men did complain. To them, Sir Baufallo yelled, “If you don’t want this
job,
then you can participate in the special training instead!”
The special training involved getting into the battle gears and jumping into the
river in
the middle of the winter. No one volunteered for this. Without further protests,
all the
men grabbed their shovels and went to work. Sir Baufallo grinned.

Some men were ordered to work on building new boats. The fishing boats they
acquired were not enough. Lucius the First ordered all the available boat builders
and
carpenters to be gathered so they could build more proper military ships. It was
impossible to build large ships at this point, so they worked on creating smaller
vessels
instead.
Koemong was a slow-streamed river. As long as the purpose of the vessels was to
carry
the soldiers across, smaller ships were going to be enough.
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Although Lucius the First’s men assured him otherwise, there was a good chance that
Bebero was planning their defense already. Acreia conquered the two kingdoms
directly above it, so they had to have at least an idea on where they would be
next.
Bebero had to be preparing for war.
One main difference was that while Bebero was preparing for a winter battle, Acreia
was lying in wait for the spring.
Another huge difference was their soldiers. Any emperor dreamed of maintaining a
strong army. More soldiers meant more power, but maintaining soldiers costs a lot
of
money. Providing food alone was not enough. The soldiers needed to be clothed, fed,
and housed properly. On top of that, they also needed to be paid so they could
afford
to have families of their own.
During active wars, it made sense to have as many soldiers as possible. But what
about
when it’s over, or during a truce? What should the soldiers do?
This was why the emperors on this continent did not have a military force on
contract.
The soldiers they gathered were not soldiers by occupation. They were just regular
men
drafted by force and by law. The nobles became knights while the farmers became
foot soldiers.
This meant that these military forces were weak and untrained at best. There were
times
when the battles were fought only by the high ranking knights from each side.
Lucius the First did things very differently. He was, in fact, the very first
emperor who
created his entire army made of professional soldiers. His men trusted him and
followed
him, believing in his plan to conquer the world.
And as soon as the Koemong River melted, Lucius the First’s men made their first-
ever
attempt to cross it. Just in case things didn’t work out, only a part of the
soldiers went on
this first try.
Chapter 23
While the main troop went on to cross the river, the soldiers left behind continued
to
train and work on improving the military base. Some were even sent out to Aehas and
Kukda to volunteer and help the locals. It was very important to maintain a
positive
impression on one’s colonies.
Sir Baufallo left the base to supervise the men who were sent to help the locals.
Poliana
remained on his behalf to take care of the station.
After what she did to Donau, no men disrespected her.
At least not in front of her.
They no longer spat in front of her. They waited until she left. The soldiers also
didn’t call
her a b*tch. When they needed to address her nowadays, they would look at her
awkwardly and call her, “Hey…” or “You over there…” Some knights went as far as
calling her “Sir,” but never her full name of “Sir Poliana.” There were odd people
who
convinced themselves that she was really a man. These men called her “Sir Paul.”
But despite the change in all the men on her base, there still was one boy who
continued to call her nasty names.
Donau.
Lately, he has been constantly trying to pick a fight with her.
“I dare you to have a duel with me!”

“Hmm… A hairless boy like you? Do you have a death wish or something?”
Since that incident, Donau began to wear a cup for his protection. Until that
incident,
he was more of a nuisance as he bullying Poliana, but now, he openly challenged her
for a fight. She kicked him again once, proving that a protective cup was useless,
but
Donau refused to learn his lesson.
‘It’s not that he is stupid… so why?’ Poliana wondered.
Donau showed his intelligence when he wrote out many of the reports for his older
brother. Poliana also witnessed how friendly he could be with others, which meant
it
wasn’t his personality who had the problem.
So why was he being an idiot around her? Was it simply because he was a teenager?
Strangely, Poliana felt a little guilty. She felt apologetic towards Donau because
what
she did to him was mainly done to establish her strength and position in this
place. She
made an example out of him. And it worked because now, she was seen as a person
to be feared. What she did to Donau was unnecessarily violent. She admitted this
much.
But it also didn’t make sense how Donau continued to disrespect her. Poliana
couldn’t
help but feel the burning need to show him again how a proper soldier needs to
behave around his superior.
But Poliana was a woman of her word. She couldn’t beat him unless he made the first
move, and whenever he did, she’d only attack his crotch. It must’ve been painful
every
time, but strangely, Donau never gave up. Poliana had to admire his persistence.
Every single day, Donau picked a fight with her. He always tried to get away before
she
could kick him, but on most days, Poliana was quicker.
But she was getting sick and tired of this interaction.
Poliana tried to figure out why Donau was acting this way. She recently learned
after
meeting the emperor that she had a secret need and desire to be acknowledged. Was
Donau feeling the same thing? Did he want his persistence and existence to be
acknowledged by her?
She asked about it to him once, vaguely, and this wasn’t the case.
Finally one day, Poliana grabbed him and asked, “Are you doing this because you
like
your penis being kicked? Because if you like that kind of pain, you should just get
a
prostitute.”

Poliana has seen some soldiers developing a strange fetish after going through many
traumatic battles. When she asked if he was a masochist, Donau reddened. Poliana
continued, “I’m just telling you because I feel like my legs are going to rot from
kicking
your balls all day.”
“You b*tch! Have you lost your mind?”
“I am trying my best to control my strength. I have been avoiding turning you into
a
eunuch but getting injured like that every day can’t be good. It’s a very sensitive
and
fragile area, you know. Aren’t you in pain?”
“I have no choice because you won’t accept my challenge!”
“A duel is a privilege only given to the knights. A mere help like you have no
right!”
“If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve become a knight…! DAMMITTT!”
“Donau, manhood is a very important part for any man. You are young, so perhaps you
haven’t realized this yet.”
Poliana should’ve stopped here, but she was so used to verbal and sexual abuses
that
she continued without thinking, “Have you ever been with a woman before, little
boy?”
SLAP!
Suddenly, Donau slapped Poliana with his leather glove. He then threw it at her and
screamed, “I challenge you to a duel!”
“… I apologize. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Poliana felt a little sad. Just now, she acted like all the men she hated so much.
What
she said was wrong and she had no excuse for it.

Poliana remembered her first day in a military camp, and how her superior treated
her.
If it was her who was forced to be with Sir Batre instead of that pretty boy, she
would’ve
cried.
She thought to herself, ‘Hmm… HE said the similar thing to me too I suppose.’
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Lucius the First.
But his intention was very different than that of Sir Batre.
Poliana slowly picked up the leather glove and handed it to Donau. If he was a
proper
knight, the act of picking it up would’ve meant Poliana accepted his challenge, but
Donau was only a help. A duel was not allowed for him and in fact, it was against
the
military law.
Poliana felt envious of him. He could challenge and insult her all he wanted, and
she
couldn’t fight him to the death.
Donau screamed again, “I want a duel!”
“What I just said was wrong, so I won’t kick your balls anymore.”
Donau ran towards her with his sword out. Without much effort, Poliana kicked the
boy’s
stomach. When he fell, she easily took away his sword and threw it far away. She
then
kicked his legs a few times, and before Donau could stand up, Poliana placed her
foot
on top of his chest and said to him apologetically, “And don’t worry. I won’t break
any
of your bones. I’m not very strong, so without a weapon, I can’t break bones that
easily.”
And with that, she punched his stomach without mercy.
Chapter 24
The kingdom of Bebero was shocked at the unexpected attack, but in the end, they
remained calm. Before the Acreian ships reached the shore, Bebero’s military force
quickly began their assault using their bows.
Long spears and arrows came at Lucius the First’s men. The Acreian soldiers, who
were
used to fighting on land and hunting in the mountains, moved desperately to avoid
being hit.
And the result was…
A huge loss on the Acreian side.
Before the Acreian soldiers could cross even half of the river, they had to turn
back. At
least, they didn’t have too many casualties, which was caused by pure luck.
Those who returned alive no longer felt sure of themselves. Those that were left
behind
wanted to hear the details of the battle, but the high-ranking offers needed to
meet
with the emperor first to discuss what happened.
The injured were transported to the medic’s tent while the rest of the soldiers
fell asleep
after such a long day. The young men felt devastated as this was the first loss
they
experienced since Acreia waged its war against everyone. Their morale went down to
dangerous levels.
This could be a problem. Low morale meant the possibility of deserters. It also
meant
that the soldiers wouldn’t and couldn’t fight well. Battles and even wars could be
lost
because of it.
This needed to be fixed, and this was the job for Sir Baufallo, “The Mother.”

“Stupid boys! Get up right now, and snap out of it!”

Sir Baufallo walked around and kicked any man who had a disappointed face. He
screamed, “Get your shovels and get to work!” The men slowly stood up and followed
him.
Sir Baufallo’s aide Poliana followed him closely. She had a determined look on her
face,
ready to take over if any men disobeyed her superior. Every man on the base was by
now aware of what happened to Donau. The story of her kicking his balls was now a
legend among men. Most men feared her, especially because she got away with it
even though Donau was Sir Baufallo’s own son. If their superior was ok having his
son
treated this way, there was no doubt that Sir Baufallo would allow Poliana to do
whatever she wanted to on those mere soldiers.
“How many shields do we have left?” Sir Baufallo asked the soldiers.
“Some of them have arrows stuck in them, but none of the arrows went through. We
can reuse all of our shields.”
“Is that so?”
Sir Baufallo examined Bebero’s arrow carefully. Acreian arrows were much stronger
and
sharper because they needed to be able to kill the northern animals, which had
tougher hides. The Acreian shields were designed to be able to withstand the
Acreian
arrows, which meant that Bebero’s arrows were no match against them. This was one
of
the main reasons why there weren’t many huge casualties despite their loss.
Sir Baufallo asked, “Do we still have any of Bebero’s arrows that are still intact
on our
shields? I want to have a look at it.”
“Here is one!”
“None of their arrows were covered in poison!”
“They also didn’t use any arrows lit with fire!”
Sir Baufallo studied the Bebero arrow carefully. He looked at the material and how
long
and sharp it was. Meanwhile, Poliana examined the soldiers. They were covered in
mud, looking pathetic.
Poliana threw some clean water at them, she checked to see if any of them had
leeches or bugs on them. She even took some of their clothes off to check. Those
soldiers shrieked in shock and embarrassment, but Poliana ignored them. When she
moved on coldly, the men would yell, “None of us have leeches on us!”
“We didn’t even get to go into the water.”
“You went to cross the lake, so how does it make sense that you didn’t even get
into
the river?” Poliana asked incredulously.
“We couldn’t move beyond the riverbank.”
Bebero didn’t set any traps on their riverbanks, so why couldn’t the Acreian
soldiers
move past it? Poliana couldn’t understand what was happening.

Inside the Acreian commander’s tent, Lucius the First smiled kindly and encouraged
his
men, “Don’t feel so bad.” The beautiful emperor was neither angry nor disappointed.
He was never going to give up. A failure like this was only going to help their
future
victories.
“Everyone, cheer up. The main purpose of this attempt was to learn about our
enemies,” he continued.
They couldn’t ignore their emperor and they had to obey their master. The knights
looked up at Lucius with their eyes beginning to lighten. They had to stop groaning
and
start figuring out why they lost.

Lucius the First didn’t participate in the battle this time, so he asked the head
of this
attempt, Sir Rabi, to provide him a full detailed report.
“At first, we tried to follow our original plan. We were going to push the ships
down the
riverbanks so we could cross it, but we ended up not even being able to get to the
water,” Sir Rabi explained.
It took so much effort to build their ships and yet, they weren’t even given the
chance
to use it at all. This was an unexpected turn of events for the Acreian soldiers.
The Koemong River was the biggest body of water in the northern region. It would
freeze completely except for its dead center during the winter. As they had
expected,
they would melt during spring, but for those who were used to have frozen grounds
during that time, they weren’t prepared for what awaited them.
Wet muddy riverbanks.
As the men pushed the boats down the banks, their legs were caught in the mud. They
couldn’t move. Bebero’s soldiers laughed at them from the other side of the river.
When
one team got close to getting its vessel into the water, they shot their arrows at
them
and even used their catapults against them.
Getting attacked while stuck in mud… The Acreian soldiers had no chance against it
as
their only defense was their shields. Most men came back alive, thankfully, but it
was
clear that they lost the battle.
“With all the mud out there, it will not be possible to build a dock either,” Sir
Rabi
continued.
“How about we pour soil over to harden the banks?”
“Bebero soldiers wouldn’t just stand by and watch us. They will shoot their arrows
at us,
and it would be impossible for us to work and defend ourselves at the same time.”
“The wind will also be a problem for us. There is currently a very strong northern
wind
going on right now,” another knight added.
Bebero’s arrows were weaker, but because they were also lighter, they could go very
far. The northern wind meant that Bebero had a huge advantage over them. On the
other hand, the Acreian arrows were too heavy and they couldn’t travel far against
the
strong wind.
“They said that the riverbank would turn solid around summer,” Sir Rabi suggested.
Another knight then said, “But in summer, the water will be too strong. We won’t be
able to cross it.”
Only big ships could cross the river in the summer, and even if they had enough big
ships, the Acreian soldiers were no sailors. Crossing the Koemong River during the
summer was out of the question.
One positive thing was that the summer was very short. So should they try it again
in the
autumn?
In the fall, the water level of the river would go down significantly, which meant
bigger
vessels would not be able to cross it. Only smaller ships could make it across. It
was also
the only time in the year where people could swim in it. On sunny fall days, many
locals
went for a swim in the Koemong.
Bebero now knew that Acreia wasn’t going to wait till the winter. This meant that
Lucius
no longer had the edge of surprise on his side. Bebero was now going to have its
defenses up. A small troop was no longer going to be enough to defeat Bebero
anymore.
Should Acreia stop and be satisfied with conquering Aehas and Kukda?

“Do we need to wait like this until the winter…?” Lucius the First murmured in
disappointment,
But even if they did, he still had no idea how to defeat Bebero. This was going to
be his
best chance. A surprise attack.
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He asked Sir Rabi, “Can you think of any other way?”
“… What about if we go up the river?”
“North of Koemong would be…Acreia.”
“And there, perhaps we can build a bridge across?”
“It that was possible, it would’ve been done a long time ago, don’t you think?”
If the kingdoms were in a good relationship, there would’ve been a bridge built
already, but Aehas and Kukda have been busy fighting against each other while
Bebero didn’t bother with them.
Lucius joked gloomily, “Once I conquer Bebero, my first order will be to build a
bridge
across the Koemong River.”
“Hahaha,” everyone laughed and the meeting ended with no plan in place.
Chapter 25
The Acreian soldiers turned into carpenters. They were professional soldiers, but
if and
when their superiors ordered them to become something else, they had no choice but
to obey. Men grabbed the shovels, hammers, and nails. If they didn’t have what they
needed, they would go to the cities to get them or made them themselves. One good
example was the catapult.
The Acreians were planning to conquer the world, which meant they could not carry
something like a catapult, so they didn’t. Lucius the First expected the need for
one
would begin once they reached the kingdoms with bigger castles, like those in the
middle of the continent, but he was proven wrong.
The newly and hurriedly built catapult was not capable of launching large rocks.
But
then, the catapults owned by Bebero also had the same problem. Besides, it was
going
to be difficult to find large rocks and transport them to the catapults anyway.
There were a few small docks at the river before the battle, but most of them were
damaged or completely destroyed by now. It was possible to build new ones, but they
were going to be wrecked by Bebero catapults anyway, so there was no point in
rebuilding them yet.
The Acreians also were short on wood. They couldn’t waste them on anything that
wasn’t going to last in this battle.
A makeshift camp near the river was a day’s walk away from Poliana’s supply
division.
With Sir Baufallo’s permission, Poliana approached the Koemong River.
Poliana watched the Acreian soldiers standing around near the riverbanks. When the
wind calmed down, one soldier suddenly shot an arrow to the other side. When it
reached the middle of the river, the wind began to blow again and it dove into the
water.
“Oh, that was so close!”
“What are you talking about? That was not even close!”

“Listen, I used to be very famous for my archery skill back home.”

The soldiers chatted loudly. It seemed that their morale was still intact. Poliana
sighed in
relief.
After the first failed crossing, the Acreians didn’t give up. They tried again and
again.
Second attempt…
Third attempt…
They all led to failures, with each one worse than the one before. Bebero’s
soldiers
seemed to able to shoot their arrows and stone farther now. The docks on Bebero’s
side
were still intact, so they could stand on its edges and attack. They also got into
their
ships to get even closer to the Acreian side to attack.
There seemed to be no solution to this problem.
One knight suggested that they should create a large wooden shield for their boats.
Bebero’s arrows were weak, so perhaps they could cross in their vessels this way.
But
then, one knight voiced a concern that what would they do if their enemy started
shooting them with arrows lit with fire? It was going to be a massacre.
“DAMMIT!”
Sir Rabi screamed angrily nearby. Those men who were standing around him slowly
backed away, fearing that they might become the victims to the knight’s
frustration.
Only Poliana was left. Sir Rabi pointed his finger at her and stuttered, “Umm… Umm…
You…”
He remembered seeing her and knew who she was, but Sir Rabi couldn’t remember her
name. When he continued to frown, Poliana saluted him and replied, “Sir Poliana
Winter, the aide of Sir Baufallo of the Supply Division, reporting for duty, Sir!”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right. I remember. Why are you here?”

He didn’t look very happy to see her. Poliana then answered, “I came here to see
the
Koemong River. I have never seen it before.”
“Aren’t you originally from Aehas? Good, then do you know anything about this
river?
You must’ve heard things growing up so nearby. You know, like any battle records
between Aehas and Bebero or something.”
“Sir, this is the first time I saw the Koemong River! And there has never been a
battle
between Aehas and Bebero!”
“Dammit! Then why did you come here?”
“I have never seen the Koemong River, so I came to see it, Sir!”
“So you came here for fun? Do you think this is funny?! Huh!?”
Poliana came here just to see the river, and she didn’t mean anything by it, but
the
angry Sir Rabi took it the wrong way. Given the role of leading the battles was a
huge
honor, and failing the emperor’s expectation was a horrible feeling indeed. Sir
Rabi was
not a happy man at the moment.
Lucius the First did not blame Sir Rabi at all, but this made Sir Rabi feel even
worse. Every
day, Sir Rabi screamed at the river angrily. Some times, the Bebero soldiers would
shoot
a few arrows at him in reply. By the time a few of the arrows reached near Sir
Rabi, they
were too weak and slow to the point that it was easy for him to just knock them off
with
his sword. Those arrows could never hurt him considering where he was, but he still
got
angrier.
The only way Sir Rabi could relieve his stress was to spar with other men. But
after the first
few times, his men began to avoid him. At the moment, Poliana was the only one
visible
to him, but he remembered her gender. She didn’t look like a woman, but she was.
He grumbled, “Dammit… I can’t even spar with you because you are a girl.”
“If you need a sparring partner, I would be honored, Sir!”
Sir Rabi grabbed her collars and lifted her off the ground with only one hand. She
wasn’t very heavy, but Poliana was still well-armed with leather armor, a sword,
and
two daggers. Lifting her off the ground with only one hand… That was quite a feat
and
Sir Rabi didn’t seem to be even out of breath.

The interesting thing was, Sir Rabi didn’t look muscular or manly. He, in fact,
looked
almost too pretty for a man.
‘He is incredibly strong.’
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Poliana now could understand why he was appointed to lead this battle.
“DAMMIITTT!”
Sir Rabi shouted again, louder this time. Poliana almost felt like her ears were
bleeding
from it. She suddenly realized that perhaps the real reason why he was given this
position was for his loud voice, which could be useful in leading the men during
noisy
battles.
“If you will allow me, I will be honored to spar you, Sir!” Poliana replied.
“If you have a death wish, then go for it, you idiot! AAAHHH! What does everyone
want
from me?!”
Just then, a beautiful voice commented from behind them.
“Perhaps I demanded too much from you, Sir Rabi.”
It was their emperor, Lucius the First.
Chapter 26
At the sudden and unexpected appearance of their ruler, Sir Rabi flinched while
Poliana saluted her emperor immediately. Lucius the First, who was dressed
unusually
luxuriously today, looked gorgeous as usual.
Poliana was impressed.
‘He is so handsome.’
She truly believed her own emperor was the best-looking man in the world. But there
was no time to admire him. With his fancy outfit and blindingly gorgeous look, he
was
an obvious and noticeable target. If any of the Bebero soldiers spotted him from
across
the river, they were going to shoot him.
Poliana bowed and said to him anxiously, “Your highness, please move far away from
here. It is too dangerous.”
But the emperor ignored her. Instead, he turned to Sir Rabi and announced, “I did
not
order to, Sir Rabi, to bring me a victory against Bebero. I ordered you to study
the river
and research on how we can cross it. You made a rash decision of attempting to
cross
it without a good plan. You did it several times in fact! That was your mistake,
Rabi. It’s
not you losing the battles, but it was you not following my orders accurately.”
Sir Rabi bowed as well and replied, “Your highness, you are absolutely right. And
you
may reprimand me all you want, but please step back first away from this area! It’s
too
dangerous.”
“I am very unhappy about all this. This won’t do.”
Lucius the First ignored his knight’s worried request. He refused to leave the
place.
Instead, he turned to the river. His beautiful green eyes stared at the water as
well as
the army beyond it.
They were now in the middle of the spring. The Bebero has recruited many more men
since the first battle and strengthened their defense. A gentle wind blew suddenly,
and
Lucius the First’s golden hair danced around his face.
The wind blew towards the Acreian army and it was going to remain in this direction
until the fall. Suddenly, a weak arrow flew from the Bebero’s side and reached the
dirt
in front of Lucius the First’s feet. Sir Ainno, who was standing behind the
emperor, finally
realized the danger his emperor was in. Sir Rabi and Poliana stepped forward to
place
themselves in front of their emperor.
But Lucius the First smiled and replied, “I’m fine, Ainno. Step back.”
Just then, Poliana saw that her emperor was holding a bow and an arrow. They were
the best-looking weapons she had ever seen. Lucius the First shot his arrow without
hesitation, and despite the strong wind, it flew strong and ended in the middle of
Bebero captain’s head.
The captain was wearing a helmet, but the arrow went through and killed him
instantly.
The Bebero archers shot at Lucius the First in panic, but none of them got even
close to
the emperor. In fact, most of them fell into the water.
Lucius the First murmured disappointedly, “This is embarrassing… Hmm…” He handed
his
bow to Sir Ainno, who used it to shoot his arrows this time. His arrows killed a
foot soldier,
two archers, and another soldier handling the catapult.
The best knight in the Acreian army, Sir Ainno.
Aehas’ main weapon was a sword while Acreia was known for its archery. Acreian men
made their bows and arrows from the trees that could survive the freezing climate
of
Acreia. Men from other kingdoms usually couldn’t even pull the string because it
was
too tough. An average Acreian man could use it, but perhaps just once or twice.
Not three times in a row like Sir Ainno just did.

The emperor only brought a few arrows. This was just to scare Bebero’s soldiers. It
should
be enough to keep them quiet for a while.
Lucius the First then announced, “I don’t think they will be attacking us for a
while now.
Before they start shooting again, explore the river well, Sir Rabi.”
“Yes, your highness.”
“Ainno, is your shoulder ok?”
“It’s fine, your highness. You need not to worry.”
Other soldiers began to gather around their emperor with bright faces. Their morale
has
been down lately due to the recent failures and losses, but with the presence of
their
emperor and what he has just done, they were starting to feel more confident.
Lucius the First looked around. He saw the soldiers and Poliana as well, but his
eyes
didn’t linger anywhere. There wasn’t going to be another personal interaction
between
them, like the one they had that night when he rewarded her with a wild boar. After
the
emperor left, Sir Rabi also ran to his tent, screaming again like a beast.
Now alone, Poliana enjoyed the wind as she walked along the river. As the emperor
predicted, no arrows came from the other side of the water.

Poliana clenched her hands into fists. She was not strong enough to shoot an arrow
as
Lucius the First or Sir Ainno did. And even if she managed to pull the string, she
was not
a good marksman. Poliana also was well aware of her limited swordsmanship. If Sir
Rabi
did take up on her offer and they sparred, she would’ve lost easily. He probably
could
beat her even without a sword.
‘Whatever it takes… Somehow… I need to…’
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She had to do something. Anything.
She needed to become a knight her emperor could be proud of, a knight worthy to be
in Lucius the First’s army.
Poliana knew that the emperor would be perfectly satisfied with her being a good
aide
to Sir Baufallo, a good supply unit soldier. Her emperor was a man who would
appreciate everyone, even those who worked behind the scenes, but still…
Every knight probably felt this way. They all wanted to be seen by their emperor.
To be recognized, to be near their ruler.
Suddenly, Poliana remembered Sir Rabi’s question.
“You are from Aehas, right? Then you must know the river well? Maybe you heard
something about it in the past?”
The wind blew again, but unlike Lucius the First, Poliana didn’t have long hair
that could
dance around her face.
Chapter 27
Lucius the First saw the big picture for his future. After his father’s death, he
inherited the
throne as a young boy. Once he became an adult, he left his kingdom in his cousin’s
hand and went south. He conquered Aehas and Kukda in record time.
The last kingdom to conquer in the northern region was Bebero and to do this, he
had
to cross the Koemong River.
“When will Bentier arrive?”
“In four days, your highness.”
Sir Bentier was the deputy commander and the current acting head of Kukda. He had
been ordered to bring his men and join the emperor. The soldiers didn’t provide an
obvious answer to their current situation, but there was nothing else Lucius could
think
of. He thought that perhaps more brains to think would help him come up with a
plan.
It was summer now, and it has been 5 months since the Acreian military remained
still in
the river. The weather was getting too hot, and the men now wore their summer
uniforms. Sir Baufallo busied himself by making sure that no infections or epidemic
would
start while they’re there. He had strict rules about boiling all of their water
before
drinking it.
Meanwhile, the water level rose in the river, pushing the Acreian soldiers further
back.
They were so far from each other that no stones nor arrows could reach either side,
The Bebero soldiers did not make a mistake of attacking the Acreians. Instead, they
focused on strengthening their defense. They expected Lucius the First not to give
up,
they realized that he could always build bigger ships to cross the river the next
spring.
They then began to build a wooden barrier along the river, which ended up being a
big source of frustration for the Acreians. Even though it wasn’t a stone citadel,
the
wooden barriers were still an excellent defense system.

Lucius the First thought unhappily, ‘I still haven’t conquered the northern region
yet!’
He knew that uniting the three northern kingdoms was going to be good enough. This
alone was enough to make him be remembered as a great emperor.
But it wasn’t enough for him. Lucius the First wanted much more. He wanted to unite
the entire continent and become the emperor of all.
This was his dream. This was what he was born to do.
He could never give up.
Four days later, Sir Bentier arrived. He was a legendary soldier like Sir Ainno. He
was also
known for his great intelligence and strategies, and Lucius the First always valued
his
brain and prudence. He kneeled before his emperor and said to him, “Your highness,
conquering Aehas and Kukda could still be your greatest accomplishment.”
“Are you saying I should be satisfied with what I have? That I should stop?”
“No one will think less of you if you did, your highness.”
“So you are saying I should give up. I should give up my dream, which I have been
planning since I was a little boy. Sir Bentier, I appointed you as my deputy
commander
because of your prudence, but in this case, you are making a mistake. What I need
is
your brain, not your caution. Please do not disappoint me now.”
“I will do my best for you, your highness.”
The truth was, Lucius the First had been planning this for a long time since his
father was
well and alive. If it wasn’t for his father’s sudden death, Lucius the First would
be still in
Acreia just like his cousin was right now, protecting his kingdom. He was the only
heir
after all.
Even now, there were many who disagreed with his mission. In fact, there were some
who wanted his cousin Luzo to take over the throne in his absence.

Thank goodness Duke Luzo had no desire to be an emperor.

Sir Bentier was like those people back in Acreia who disagreed with Lucius’
aspiration.
He was a complete conservative, but the emperor truly appreciated the knight’s
caution. Having someone like him around was important.
Sir Bentier went to the Koemong River himself to check it out. Its waters were
rapid and
unless one was a competent swimmer, he/she could be easily swept away. Sometimes,
there were stones and pieces of wood that came down from the upper river. Watching
the water, Sir Bentier knew that crossing it in summer was not possible. He was
certain of
that.
The next day, Lucius the First wore another one of his fancy outfits and appeared
at the
river while holding a bow and an arrow. The Bebero soldiers remembered that bloody
spring day, so they quickly hid behind their barriers. The bow and arrow Lucius
held
were the regular hunting types, but he was too far from the enemy’s side for them
to
tell. The emperor shot one of the ducks and his hunting dogs quickly swam to the
middle of the river to bring it to him. They moved away from him and began to shake
off the water from their fur. Unfortunately, Sir Baufallo and Poliana were there to
become the victims of that dog water.
Soaked now, they looked pathetic.
Lucius the First looked at them curiously, “Why do you guys look so wet?”
“Your highness, I understand that you are frustrated, but to hunt here…”
When the emperor feigned his ignorance, Sir Baufallo looked awkward. He begged
Lucius to remember the rule that he was not supposed to hunt.
And when Lucius the First handed him the duck, Sir Baufallo became angry. “Your
highness, I can hunt my own duck if I needed one!”
Sir Baufallo shot his own arrow, and just as he claimed, he got one easily. When
the
dead duck fell to the river, none of the emperor’s dogs went into the water. They
were
trained to bring back only those games that were killed by their master.
Sir Baufallo turned to Poliana and ordered, “Get that duck for me!”
She turned to the soldier next to her and ordered, “Bring that duck here.”

The soldier ordered his help, “Hey, get that duck.”

The help went into the water and brought back the animal. It was funny how things
worked in a military system but that couldn’t be helped.
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Lucius the First laughed loudly as he soon found himself holding two dead ducks. He
then announced happily, “We now have enough snacks for a drinking party.”
“Your highness, drinking too much isn’t healthy for you.”
“There are days when you just need to get drunk, Sir Baufallo. How about you guys
become my drinking buddies?”
Drinking at the riverside and across from their enemies was an uncomfortable idea,
but
Sir Baufallo nodded at his emperor’s words anyway. Lately, his emperor hasn’t been
feeling pleased, so if this could help him feel better… That was the least Sir
Baufallo
could do like a good subject.
Lucius the First ordered the ducks to be cooked, and his drinks were brought out
quickly.
Sir Baufallo followed his emperor and waved Poliana away. She turned around to
leave
when suddenly, Lucius the First shouted in confusion, “Sir Poliana? Why aren’t you
coming? Don’t you drink?”
“Pardon? Oh, no, your highness.”
Poliana was shocked. Was she to be included in this party? She thought that it was
just
Sir Baufallo who was invited. Awkwardly, she followed her emperor.
Chapter 28
Lucius the First’s red cape danced around him with every step. He was wearing a
pair
of regular military boots, and his hair was as golden and as shiny as ever.
As soon as he entered his personal tent, the servants gathered around him to help
him
out of his cape. It was a hot summer after all. Before entering the emperor’s tent,
the
servants also swarmed around Poliana. They quickly took away her sword and daggers;
they checked her entire body as well to make sure that she wasn’t concealing any
weapons, and they even checked the bottom of her shoes. It was for the protection
of
the emperor. The greatest honor a knight could receive was being allowed to be
armed around his or her sovereign. It showed that the emperor had a complete trust
over that knight.
The servants brought out a few chairs and a table. There were three chairs, but
Poliana
hesitated sitting on one. She came because she was ordered to, but she wasn’t too
happy about this situation.
The emperor then said to her, “You may take a seat.”
“Thank you, your highness.”
Her most beloved emperor has invited her to drink with him, but she was in fact
unhappy about it all. She remembered her superiors before who claimed that drinks
and tea tasted the best when served by women. During her time in her old army, she
was once called to entertain the higher-ranking officials by pouring them drinks
and
“look pretty” while doing so. In the end, she was kicked out because of her looks.
Some
men even became angry, saying she was no woman.
There were two types of men at those parties; those who thought that an ugly woman
was better than a pretty man, and the others who preferred a beautiful man over
Poliana. In the end, she was never called to these kinds of parties again.
‘What should I do…’
What was she going to do if Lucius the First demanded her of the same service?

Pouring her emperor’s drinks was not a problem at all, but to order her just
because she
was a woman… Poliana knew her disappointment in her emperor would be hard to
overcome.
Lucius the First also invited Sir Howe and Donau. When Donau entered, Poliana
noticed
that he was wrapped in bandages. He wore various ornaments in a poor attempt to
hide this fact. After the emperor saw Donau, he asked, “Did you get stomped by a
horse? Are any of your bones broken?”
Donau did look badly beaten, but it was clear that it wasn’t by a horse. If it was,
Donau
wouldn’t have been able to walk around like this. The emperor knew this, but he was
being sensitive and kind.
But Donau didn’t seem to realize this, he gritted his teeth in embarrassment as he
replied, “I haven’t broken anything, your highness. It is only a minor injury.”
“I see.”
Lucius the First smiled and patted Donau’s head, who smiled happily.
Just then, the servants brought the drinks and the food. The emperor mumbled,
“There
seem to be only four duck legs… But there are five of us.”
Everyone stood up quickly and announced that they didn’t want the legs. Lucius the
First waved them to sit down and replied, “I was just joking.”
He grabbed a bottle of wine and announced, “I know I invited you for a drinking
party,
but all I can offer you today is just a watered-down wine. We are going to have a
long
day tomorrow anyway, so I think this is probably a good idea. Getting drunk would
only
make it harder to wake up.”
He filled Sir Baufallo’s cup with half portions of water and wine. The emperor then
turned
towards Poliana, who flinched in shock.
“M, me too?!”
“Hmm? You are older than Sir Howe, isn’t that so? This means that you would be next
to
receive the drink. But of course, if you don’t like to drink, you are welcome to
refuse it.”

“No! Not at all, your highness! And yes, I am older than Sir Howe! By a whole
year!”
“Alright then.”
Poliana held the cup with both of her hands, looking nervous and honored at the
same
time. Lucius the First carefully poured the water and wine into her cup.
This was the first time Poliana had someone pour her a drink. Not to force her to
drink
but as an offer. Realizing the emperor didn’t invite her to pour drinks for them
made her
feel relieved.
After Sir Howe, it was Donau’s turn. The emperor made sure that Donau’s drink was
much more watered. He ignored Donau when he protested.
Everyone chatted pleasantly. Lucius the First talked easily with Sir Baufallo, who
used to
be the former emperor’s knight as well. Meanwhile, Poliana asked Sir Howe, who she
hasn’t seen in a long time, about how he was doing under Sir Rabi. Sir Howe said
that
his new position was an incredibly stressful one because of how picky Sir Rabi was.
Donau, on the other hand, was busy eating the ducks.
Lucius the First asked Sir Baufallo, “I’m sure you wanted to lead a more active
department than a war supply unit, Sir Bau. Are you ok with your current position?
I
know you took it because I made you to.”
“Not at all, your highness. I actually like my posting. It suits me very well,
especially since
I am getting pretty old. I believe it is time for the young men to get the chance
for
glory.”
“Please, don’t think you won’t be recognized just because you are in a quieter
unit. I
know it may not be as obvious, but I am well aware of how important a supply
department is.”
“I know that very well too, your highness.”
“And if you are unhappy about something I do, please don’t hesitate to let me
know.”
“How could I ever be unhappy with you, your highness? I am just honored that you
allowed both of my sons to serve you.”
Sir Baufallo looked at Sir Howe and continued, “I am only worried that my idiot
sons
might disappoint you, your highness.”
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“I guess I just feel very apologetic to your wife, Sir Baufallo… I took all of the
men in her
family into this war.”
While Sir Baufallo and the emperor discussed things about the war, Sir Howe began
to
chat with his younger brother while Poliana just drank quietly. The ducks were
cooked
very well, but because she was so nervous, she couldn’t taste anything.
Poliana was born to an average noble family. She wasn’t raised as a lady either, it
meant she wasn’t used to talking with such important people. She did meet with high
ranking officers from time to time, but not in a friendly setting like this.
Poliana kept drinking fast to ease her anxiety, and soon, the bottle was empty. The
servant immediately brought out another bottle. Donau, who has been busy with the
duck dish, reached out to grab the new bottle, just as Poliana was doing the same.
Their eyes suddenly met.
Since she had a higher rank, it was only right that Donau let her have the bottle
first, but
it was clear that he wasn’t going to. So, Poliana moved faster, she grabbed the
bottle
and poured Donau and herself drinks. This made Poliana look like a generous knight
who kindly poured a mere help a drink. Angrily, Donau emptied his cup in one gulp
and
glared at her.
‘That jerk!’
Donau’s obvious disrespectful behavior was shocking, considering that they were in
front of the emperor. He was lucky that Sir Baufallo and Lucius the First were busy
talking
among themselves. They didn’t seem to notice what was going on between Poliana
and Donau.
Just then, the emperor asked Sir Baufallo loudly, “so how is Sir Poliana doing?”
Chapter 29
‘GYAAA!!’
Poliana gasped and turned pale. It seemed that the chat between the men turned to
the topic of her performance. Sir Baufallo glanced at her quickly before reporting
to the
emperor, “She is good at her job.”
“And?”
“My oldest son was an unsuitable aide, so having someone capable like Sir Poliana
is a
pleasure. There was a brief minor problem with other soldiers, but it has been
resolved.
There seems to be another problem currently, but…”
Sir Baufallo looked at his youngest son who looked battered. Donau has been
insisting
that Poliana attacked him without a warning, but Sir Baufallo knew better. If and
when
Donau would become older and more experienced, he might be able to beat Poliana,
but for now, Sir Baufallo knew that it wasn’t going to happen. He hoped that his
son
would realize this soon and grow up.
Sir Baufallo secretly wondered. ‘I hope I will get to have a grandson out of Donau
but at
this rate, Sir Poliana is going to make a eunuch out of him.’
He decided that sometime soon, he should pull down Donau’s pants and make sure
that everything was still intact down there.
Sir Baufallo turned to the emperor again and continued, “I am confident that this
current problem will be resolved very soon as well. The only complaint I have
against Sir
Poliana, however, is that she tends to use violence to solve all of her problems. I
suspect
that it is due to how she was brought up. For now, it is ok, but if she wants to go
far in the
military, she better change. I think… I think she will be able to.”
Poliana’s face became pale as she listened. She clenched her fists.

She hated to admit it, but Sir Baufallo was right. As a low-ranking knight, she
could beat
her men to follow her orders, but if she were to be promoted, she could no longer
treat
her men like that. No good would come out of such behavior.
Poliana was well aware of her faults and her limit as a woman. She tried to make it
up
as best as she could but some things just couldn’t be fixed. The reason why she
acted
this way was because she never expected to get anywhere in the military. She didn’t
believe that she would ever be promoted to a higher position.
But right now, Sir Baufallo was talking about the possibilities she never imagined.
She was truly impressed at how Sir Baufallo seemed to have read her so accurately.
She
didn’t think that he was paying any attention to her, but it was clear that he has
been
watching and analyzing her. He knew her behavioral pattern as well as the reasons
behind it.
Ever since she was appointed as a knight in the Acreian military, she had been
worried
about how the emperor would think of her. She never considered how her direct
superior would see her.
It was an embarrassing realization, but for some reason, Poliana felt happy as
well. She
was happy that Sir Baufallo was interested in her, and that he saw her potential.
Lucius the First then asked Sir Baufallo, “Well, is she at least good at beating
men up?”
“She has great techniques.”
Poliana knew this as well but hearing that she had “great techniques” still made
her
pleased.
Sir Baufallo continued, “In conclusion, I believe that Sir Poliana should give up
being a
knight. She should leave the military entirely and work in an administrative
department
back home. Or perhaps, she could work as a scribe. That would be the best way she
could serve your highness. It would also be most beneficial to Sir Poliana. Not
many can
survive in war especially as they get older… Being a knight… It is a tough job for
anyone, especially a woman. Sir Poliana doesn’t have the physical attributes to
survive
this war. She may win against smaller and weaker men, but not against a proper
knight.
And again, she is a woman and she needs to be protected so she can get married and
bear children.”
His words made Poliana’s heart sink. She suddenly felt cold but unaware of her
shock,
Sir Baufallo continued smoothly, “She needs a good plan for herself because let’s
be
honest here. She is no beauty. With that face… it will be impossible to get any
nobleman to marry her. She needs to grow her hair and maybe put on a nice dress. My
wife knows many well-mannered ladies, and I am sure that one of them can teach Sir
Poliana how to become a proper lady. And if we consider all these things, I am
certain
that we should be able to get maybe a farmer to offer her a marriage. She may not
be
a looker, but she is still a noble, and that fact alone should make her attractive
to some
commoners.”

Just then, Sir Howe interrupted his father. “Gosh, Father! You should be more
worried
about my own marriage! I am your son after all.”
But Sir Baufallo replied bluntly, “I am not worried about your marriage. You will
be fine.
You will have no problem finding a wife.”
Poliana thought bitterly, ‘But he thinks I won’t. He thinks I won’t be able to get
a man
without all these things.’
But she didn’t want to get married. A long time ago, she decided that she would
never
marry so whenever someone mentioned this topic to her, Poliana couldn’t help but
feel
angry. However… The way Sir Baufallo talked seemed to suggest that he felt at least
a
little affection towards her.
Sir Baufallo mumbled, “I am saying this because she is kind of like my son… I mean
my
daughter.”
Poliana was used to being laughed at and criticized, but when Sir Baufallo made the
same suggestions with genuine concern, she didn’t know how to reply or react.
Lucius the First had a strange expression on his face. He then replied to Sir
Baufallo,
“Thank you for your opinion, Sir Bau. As a matter of fact, I agree with a lot of
the points
you made just now.”
Poliana lowered her face to hide her disappointment. The emperor continued,
“However, what really matters is how Sir Poliana feels about all this. Sir Poliana
swore to
me that she would serve me as a knight till death. I made her a knight, not as a
scribe or
an administrative official. So Sir Poliana, what is your opinion on this? What do
you
want?”
Poliana’s body jerked up in shock. With her voice trembling, she replied with
determination, “I will always remain as your highness’s knight. I will live as a
knight and I
will die as one too.”
Lucius the First looked at her proudly. Her answer came exactly as he had expected
and hoped from her. On top of that, the way Sir Baufallo seemed to care about
Poliana
made him feel even better. To gain such trust and affection from her superior… It
was a
good sign.
The emperor said to her, “I haven’t been paying much attention to you, or help you
in
any way, but it seems that you have been doing just fine.”

“Thank you, your highness!”

“I have no doubt that many, if not most, men objected to your position. In Acreia,
as
you know already, women cannot be given the rank of a knight. To have a FOREIGN
woman in the base… I can imagine how others would have treated you, Sir Poliana. In
my defense, I made a point of not paying attention to you so that it doesn’t incite
more
hatred from the soldiers. I hope you don’t feel abandoned or unhappy with my
decision.”
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“Not at all, your highness! I am thankful for everything you have done for me!”
“And how is your posting? Any complaints about being in the war supply division?”
“Not at all! Supply division is the most important department in any military.
Being even
a small part of it is a great honor! I am learning a lot!”
“Oh, because if you weren’t happy there, I was going to move you to whichever
division you wish to join.”
“…”
“It was a joke.”
“H, haha… Ha…”
Poliana forced an awkward laugh. This party was turning out to be a lot stranger
and
scarier than she expected.
Chapter 30
Poliana was not used to this kind of situation.
She worried that she might have offended Sir Baufallo, but when she quickly glanced
at
him, he seemed ok.
The emperor replied, “I do believe that you, Sir Poliana, is more suited in another
department. However, if I placed you in that position right away, no one would have
respected and followed you. Like Sir Bau just said, you need to stay where you are
for
now and learn to lead properly. Make your men obey you because they want to, not
because they fear you. Please do not disappoint me.”
“Your highness, I will do my best.”
“I like those you try their best because I do so myself. Hmm… did I sound like an
old man
just now? Anyway, a true effort is what will get you to places. I know that there
are
things you cannot achieve even with your best effort, but even then, you should not
give up. At least, that is what I think. You would get many chances in your
lifetime and if
you continue your effort, there will come a time when you will be properly
rewarded.
Even if you miss a chance now, you will get another one and another one, so never
give up.”
Poliana shivered because Lucius the First’s words truly resonated with her.
There are things you cannot achieve even with your best effort…
But another chance will always come by…
If you continue your effort, there will come a time when you will be rewarded…

Poliana believed that the biggest and the best chance she was given in her life was
meeting Lucius the First. Being praised by the emperor right now… She couldn’t have
asked for more.
The emperor continued, “I would love to see you accomplish such big achievements,
Sir Poliana, but I know that it may not be possible yet. If we fail again in
crossing the river
in the fall, then my men and I will be returning to Acreia. If you wish, you will,
of course,
be welcomed to stay in Aehas.”
“Your highness! I…”
“But remember, you refused the acting director position, so you can’t ask for it
now!”
Poliana could tell that the emperor was joking. Lucius the First continued,
“Listen, I
haven’t given up yet, and I never will. If we fail again, I will return and build a
proper
navy from Aehas and Kukuda’s ports. Who knows? Maybe it would be faster to go by
the sea rather than by land.”
“Your highness…”
The three knights and one help in the room became teary. They truly loved their
emperor who was incredibly charismatic. Poliana clearly saw the difference between
how she treated her men compared to how her emperor was with his subjects.
Of course, Lucius the First had the advantage of being born a royal. He was also
possibly the most beautiful man in the world, but these advantages didn’t guarantee
his men’s loyalty. It was his kindness, generosity, and intelligence that captured
their
hearts.
Lucius the First was their beloved sovereign.
Poliana clenched her teeth. She was given the honor of serving such a great
emperor,
and there was nothing she could do to help him fix this situation. Just because of
this
stupid river… A simple river was stopping her emperor.
She stood up from her chair and kneeled in front of him.
“Your highness, I know I am not worthy, but I would like to do everything I can to
help
you! I am willing to give up my life to make your dream come true! So please, I
have a
request I would like to beg of you.”
“You are certainly worthy, my knight. You are my sword, my knight, and my shadow.
The one who shares my dream. Sir Poliana, what do you want from me?”
“Please allow me a map of this area and a few days so I could explore.”
“Is there something you want to check?”
“There is a myth in this region that a man rode a kelpie across the river to get
medicine
for his sick son. I am not so naïve that I would believe a myth, but it is such a
widespread story that I believe that perhaps there is a truth to it. I have been
wondering if
that man rode a horse to cross the river. If this is the case, there must be a part
of the
river somewhere that is shallow enough for men to cross it easily. If you could
allow me
a few days, I will find out. I will give up my life to do this.”

A kelpie was a shape-changing aquatic spirit. Some believe that it was a spirit
while
others believe that it could be a monster. The legend had it that it resembled a
horse
and lived in the river.
Poliana believed that the myth could be just an exaggerated story of a man riding a
horse across the river. The emperor then replied, “There is no need for you to give
up
your life, Sir Poliana. I will be fine with you not finding anything either. I am
happy with
just you trying so hard. I will give you a map, and if you need it, I will also
allow you to
take one man to help you. Return before the end of this summer. If you do find
something, I will allow you to attend the strategic meeting.”
Poliana’s eyes moistened at her emperor’s generosity. Poliana bowed deeply and
Lucius the First laughed.
“Hahaha! I am very pleased!”
He has been barely drinking, but now, he finally emptied his glass and gestured
Donau
to pour another one. Poliana thought secretly, ‘I see that the emperor prefers a
pretty
boy than an ugly girl…’
The truth was, Lucius the First had Donau pour the drink because he was the lowest
ranking member in the tent, there was no way for her to know this. When Donau
poured
a drink respectfully, Lucius the First patted him affectionately.
The emperor asked Donau, “Is there anything you want from me too, Donau? I am in a
good mood, so I may consider it.”
“I would like to become your highness’s knight and fight for you.”
“Haha, you want to get a sword?”
“I would like to participate in the upcoming battle for your highness!”
“Haha, so you would prefer a bow, like your father and your older brother?”
“I would like to become a knight!”
“Hmm… You would like a spear instead? Alright.”
There was a silent agreement between Lucius the First and Sir Baufallo. All of the
men
from Sir Baufallo’s family ended up going into this conquest. If all three of them
became
knights, the family could lose all of its men. This was the reason why the emperor
has
been keeping Donau from becoming a knight.
Lucius the First purposely continued to pretend like he didn’t understand what
Donau
was asking, but the boy was persistent. Sir Howe covered his younger brother’s
mouth
tightly as the emperor glanced at Sir Baufallo. Until now, Sir Baufallo has been
adamant
that Donau remains as his help but today, he seemed contemplative. After a few
seconds, Sir Baufallo nodded carefully.

Lucius the First asked, “Are you sure, Sir Baufallo?”

“Yes, your highness. I’m ok with it.”
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“Hmm… Alright. Donau! I order you to follow and assist Sir Poliana on this mission.
As
soon as you return, I will make you a knight.”
“…!”
Donau tried to say something, but Sir Howe continued to cover Donau’s mouth and
smiled. He replied on Donau’s behalf, saying, “Your highness, my brother Donau says
that he is grateful for your generosity.”
Sir Howe grinned slyly and asked, “By the way, your highness… How about me?”
He was asking if the emperor could allow him a favor as well. Lucius the First
smiled
kindly and replied, “I believe you have already been given a gift very recently.”
“Haha, you are absolutely right, your highness.”
Indeed, Sir Howe was allowed to leave his father’s department.
With a satisfied smile, Lucius the First announced that the party was now over.
Chapter 31
After they left the emperor’s tent, Sir Howe splashed some cold water on Donau, who
then screamed, “What the!? What do you think you are doing?”
“You are drunk.”
“No, I’m not!”
The brothers argued and Poliana watched them quietly. Sir Baufallo came to her and
said to her calmly, “Umm, Sir Poliana, I hope you aren’t upset about what I said to
his
highness.”
“Not at all, Sir! Your review of me was the most generous one I have heard so far!”
“His emperor accepts you as a knight, but my opinion still hasn’t changed. A
knightess… I can not understand the concept behind it. Even if we return home in
the
fall, you will still be considered a spinster. And if we do succeed in crossing the
river and
continue moving south, then… It will be hopeless for you. It would be easy for a
40-yearold male knight to marry a 16-year-old girl, but it is a completely
different story for a
woman. Are you willing to live alone for the rest of your life?”
“I know you are worried about me. It is true that I didn’t become a knight by
choice. I
was forced into it, but becoming his highness’s knight… That was my choice. Even if
I
don’t get to marry and end up living by myself for the rest of my life, I will not
regret my
choice.”
“… You probably didn’t see me at that time, but I was there when you pledged your
loyalty to his highness.”
“Is that so?”
“At the time, I wondered why a girl, who could’ve been my own daughter, had to go
through something so horrific like that. When you swore your allegiance to the
emperor,
I will admit that I was impressed. The other knights will never admit it, but I am
certain
that they all felt the same way. They will continue to pretend that they hate you
and
that they don’t acknowledge you, but in the end, they will have no choice but to
accept you. That is why I am telling you this right now. As someone who has lived
longer
than you, especially as a knight, this is the best advice I can give you.”
Sir Baufallo’s eyes turned even more serious as he continued, “If you truly want to
remain a knight, make sure that you never get married. Once you become someone’s
wife, you will lose your knightess status and when that happens, all the knights
who
come to accept you will turn on you. They will hate you and will consider you their
enemy. You may think that you are sick of men because of how you have been
treated in your life, you may claim that you have no intention of ever getting
married,
you may even believe that you could never fall in love, but feelings aren’t
something
you can control. Falling in love… You can never be certain that it won’t happen.
Remember when his highness said there are things that can’t be controlled even if
you
try? One good example of it would be love. So if you are sure of living as a
knightess,
then make sure you live without love, that is the only way you will remain a knight
to his
highness.”
Poliana forgot to breathe as she listened to Sir Baufallo’s heartfelt advice. She
made
sure to remember every word. Opening her dry lips, Poliana replied, “I will never
forget
your words. Thank you.”
A woman was always to blame in the army. Even if she did well… Even if she did bad…
Even if she did nothing… Even if she did something…
A place where women weren’t allowed… Poliana was clearly unwelcome in this world.
Even when it seemed she was slowly becoming accepted, something new would
come up.
Her period… Her physical weakness… Her higher-pitched voice…
The men would say that all women are the same.
Why was she allowed a private tent? It was because she was a woman.
Why did she get to wash alone when men showered together? It was because she was
a woman.
A man could remain a knight even after he got married, but what about a woman?
What about Poliana?
All the legendary knightess in history and even the imaginary ones in the stories
had
similar endings. A female knight either died early with her beauty still intact, or
she
retired young and pretty and ended up marrying a fellow knight or another nobleman.
In some romance novels, the beautiful knightess even ended up marrying the prince
she saved.
But in all these cases, the results were the same.
A knightess would no longer be knight after her marriage.
But it was different for a man. Even after being married, a male knight would still
be
able to fight and achieve success.
Poliana has never denied being a woman. And others might be shocked to hear it, but
she never once wanted to become a man. This was especially the case because even
a man could be easily raped in a military. She has witnessed it many times.
Poliana considered her life to be average. Some may think she was dead unlucky
while
others might accuse her of lacking ambition.
But she was not… She WAS ambitious, and it wasn’t for revenge against her cruel
family,
which would’ve made sense.
Her ambition was to not disappoint her new and beloved emperor. To become a truly
great knight. She never gave up on marriage or love, because she never really even
thought about these things since she never had the time. She always vaguely thought
these were things to consider later in her life. But now… She had to make a
decision.
Marriage and love… Pregnancy and a baby.
To wait by the warm fire for her husband or to enter the bloody battles as a
knightess.
Being a knight was something she was initially forced into. She did what she had to
do
to survive, but she never truly had a goal or purpose in life.

Of course, everything changed when she met Lucius the First. The emperor told her
that
a person gets many chances in life, but Poliana didn’t believe it. Someone
privileged
like her emperor may get multiple chances, but someone like her…
This chance she was given was going to be her first and her last opportunity. Even
as a
young girl, Poliana had to work much harder than everyone else. She was smart
enough to know that she couldn’t have everything. For example, she knew that she
couldn’t be greedy about her looks. She was no beauty and that was that.
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Poliana remembered her stepsister’s beautiful hair. She always thought it was
pretty, but
she never envied it. Her fragile lace dress that reached her slim ankles, her girly
singsong
voice, her powdered face and neck, and her narrow waist as she walked carefully in
pretty but uncomfortable shoes, the sounds of piano and violin from the music room,
a
flowery perfume for her girly room, the sets of expensive rings on her slim fingers
and her
necklaces that adorned her; Poliana never envied her younger sister Liana for
having
all these things.
In her entire life, Poliana has never forgotten even for a moment that she was a
woman. It’s that society wouldn’t let her become one. She never tried to mimic men;
all
she did was whatever she could to survive in a place where women weren’t accepted.
She did her best to become accepted.
‘I don’t even know what love is… I don’t feel confident about loving anyone
either…’
Sir Batre was proud of keeping her virginity intact, but it was an unnecessary
gesture.
Her choice was made, and it was a simple one. For now, she would live for the
emperor
who truly acknowledged her as a knight. She couldn’t promise “forever,” because
life
could be very unexpected. Who knows what might happen in the future?
But even so, she knew the best she could hope for is perhaps a one-sided love.
On her part of course.
To know what love meant… Poliana wanted at least that. It would be so sad to die
without ever knowing what love feels like.
Chapter 32
As Lucius the First promised, Poliana received a map the next day.
Just looking at the map wasn’t enough for her to figure everything out. Poliana
decided
that she will first explore the towns nearby the river. She didn’t really need
anyone, so she
only took Donau with her. There weren’t many horses to spare anyway, so it made
sense
for just the two of them to go.
Because of Poliana’s absence, Sir Baufallo asked to borrow Sir Howe from Sir Rabi.
The soldier who was responsible for the horses claimed that he could only spare one
horse. Poliana then announced, “I guess we better ride it together then.” Donau
protested loudly, but she ignored him and got on the horse. They fought to be the
one
riding it on the front, and in the end, when Poliana threatened to have him walk,
Donau
gave up.
When two people rode a horse together, those who needed to be protected rode on
the front. For example, the ladies and children would ride on the front while a
knight
would be behind them.
The reason why both Poliana and Donau fought to ride on the front wasn’t that they
wanted to be protected. It was because they both thought the other didn’t deserve
to
be protected.
If a male knight needed to ride a horse with another man, the knight usually ended
up
riding the front, however. If Poliana was considered a lady, Donau would’ve offered
the
front seat to her without hesitation and take the reign while if Donau was younger,
Poliana
would’ve offered him the front seat.
But these weren’t the case. Poliana wasn’t a lady and Donau wasn’t a little boy.

They didn’t find out much in the first town. It seemed that the people have heard
of the
myth involving the kelpie, but no one knew when the story started and where it came
from. Poliana first read about this myth in a travel diary written by a nobleman
who
traveled this area about 60 years ago. In the diary, it said the following.

-The fisherman who was about to ride away in his boat mentioned, “Recently, so-and-
so
crossed this river by riding a kelpie.”
60 years… This wasn’t an overly long time ago. There was a possibility that it
really was a
kelpie but to be honest, Poliana didn’t believe in spirits. It was more likely that
perhaps
the fisherman was referring to a boat named “Kelpie.”
Despite the unlikeliness of finding anything useful, Poliana still wanted to
explore because
there was nothing else she could do for her emperor. She wanted to do something,
anything, for her Lucius the First. To accomplish something noteworthy and gain the
emperor’s trust… That was her dream.
Poliana didn’t deny that she was acting greedy, but it came from her loyalty to her
sovereign.
In the town, Poliana went to talk to the oldest living person to find out more
about this
myth. The old man did know of this story as well, and he explained that it was a
very
simple tale. There lived a fisherman in a fishing village near the Koemong River
who had
a son. This son was an only child and because of it, he was supposed to be exempted
from being drafted. However, there was a misunderstanding and the son was forcibly
taken to serve in the military.
The son was released and returned to him three years earlier than others from the
army,
but he came home with one of his legs amputated. Unfortunately, the injury became
infected, and a doctor was needed to help him.
It was faster to get a doctor from across the river, from Bebero, than to go the
Aehas. But
at the time when this son needed a doctor, Aehas and Kukda were at war as usual,
and
Bebero stopped any boats from crossing the river in fear of spies being sent.
The father had no choice but to cross the river using the kelpie he was raising at
home.
Poliana asked in confusion, “So a kelpie didn’t appear in front of this father, who
was
crying at the river in fear of losing his son? It was a kelpie that the father
already owned?”
“Yes, that’s right. It was the kelpie he was raising at home at the time.”

“So that ‘kelpie’ must’ve been a horse?”

“Most likely, and it wasn’t actually a fisherman. It was a shipowner. He was
actually a very
rich man.”
The old man further added that the father tried his best to go across by boat
secretly, but
it was not possible. So one day, he ran out on a horse and on the next, he came
back
with a doctor.
The misunderstanding was partly because the horse’s name was “kelpie,” but it was
also
from the kindness of the villagers. Fearing that the father may get punished for
crossing
the river without permission, they began to spread the rumor about this mythical
creature.
Basically, it was a white lie. A desperate father gets helped by a kelpie when he
crossed
that river to Bebero.
Poliana asked the old man, “Do you know who it was? That father?”
The old man looked away nervously. Poliana sighed and explained that she wasn’t
here
to punish anyone. It took a long time to convince the man, but in the end, she got
what
she needed. The old man told her that the family lived in a nearby village.
It was getting dark, so Poliana and Donau had to spend the night in the fishing
village.
Because it was so small, there wasn’t an inn in the town. There were only a few
small and
old houses and each house only had one room. There was no room to spare for any
guests, so the villagers offered to empty a house so that Poliana and Donau could
sleep.
Because of her appearance, the villagers thought she was a male knight. They didn’t
see
any problem with Poliana and Donau sleeping in the same room.
Poliana expected Donau to protest, complaining that he doesn’t want to spend the
night
with her in the same room so when he remained quiet, Poliana became confused. When
she asked, Donau answered, “Getting my own room means an entire house and more
people will have to be inconvenienced. His highness said that we should treat
everyone,
including those people from the lands we conquered, with respect and fairness.”
Poliana and Donau were taken to a small house where an old couple lived. The
unpleasant smell of dust, rotting food, and mold filled their noses. When they
entered the
house, Donau frowned.

Everyone had smells they were used to. For Donau, it was the smell of blood,
rotting meat,
and dirty military shoes.
There was only one bed in the room, and Poliana contemplated. No knight would give
up the bed to a help, but this only applied to one’s own personal servant. If it
was another
knight’s help, then it would depend on his/her age. And again, in this case, it was
a bit
tricky because Donau was neither a little boy nor a fully-grown man.
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Donau also felt awkward in this situation. As someone who was going to become a
knight
very soon, he needed to act accordingly. In a normal case, it only made sense for
him
to give up the bed to a lady.
But a lady… What if it was a lady who really wasn’t a lady? Who didn’t look like a
lady at
all? A lady who was a knight?
Since Donau did not accept her as a knight, it would make sense if he were to take
it.
The reason why he couldn’t accept her knighthood is her gender, it also meant that
he
should give up the bed to a woman.
Finally, Poliana said to him, “You can take the bed. I will let you have it.”
“No way, you take it!”
Donau blurted out, but she ignored him and placed her cape on the floor.
Relentlessly,
Donau did the same and laid down on the floor as well. It was a very small house so
when
the two of them got down on the floor, there was no extra space around or between
them.
Suddenly, without turning towards Poliana, Donau asked rudely, “You are a woman, so
why the hell did you become a knight?”
Chapter 33
“In Aehas, a nobleman cannot inherit his or her family name and wealth without
serving
in the military.”
“Then why didn’t you just ask for some land from his highness? Why did you follow
him
here?”
“I am his highness, Lucius the First’s knight. I don’t need to get permission from
someone
like you for anything.”
Poliana laid her head on her arms when suddenly, she thought of something. She said
to Donau, “I guess it won’t be long until I can treat you this way. Soon, you will
become
a knight and since your family is favored by the emperor, you will most likely
become
promoted to an important position quickly. Perhaps you will even become my
superior.”
All of Poliana’s colleagues were promoted faster than she did. Even those who were
much younger than her received quicker and higher promotions than her. When she
was given her position as a platoon leader, which was a minor promotion, the other
men protested angrily against it.
There never was any true friendship between herself and any other men, but some odd
times, some men showed comradery towards her. For example, when they were
surrounded by the Acreian men, her Aehas soldiers followed her. One thing Poliana
learned during her service was that no one was 100% good or bad. Bad men could
show goodness sometimes and vice versa.
She remembered Sir Batre. He was a dirty old man and a rapist, but she had to admit
that he was a talented strategist. In fact, he had never lost a battle he led
personally.
And then, there was Donau, who was a total jerk and a bastard. To her, he was an
as*hole, but to Sir Baufallo and his wife, he must be a treasured son, to Sir Howe,
a
beloved younger brother, and to the emperor, the youngest son of his trusted
knight.
To Poliana’s surprise, Donau stammered, “I, in the military, the amount of time you
served matters the most! E-even if I become your superior, I won’t be able to
mistreat
you!”
This was an unexpected answer from him. Poliana then wondered, ‘Hmm… where is this
coming from?’
Was Donau finally becoming more mature? Or was he losing his mind?
Donau suddenly added, “Don’t fall in love with his highness.”
Poliana sat up in surprise. What the hell was this boy talking about?
SMACK!
She punched him in the shoulder and when he stood up in pain, she kicked him in the
bum as well. She yelled, “What the hell are you talking about?”
“H-his highness is out of your reach. D-don’t even dream about falling for him! Do
you
have any idea what kind of an amazing man he is?”
“Of course, I know that.”
“And do you know how many women fall for him?”
KICK!
Poliana kicked him again. She punched his head as she answered, “Have you lost your
mind? Or do you think I have? Do you really think his highness would see me as a
woman?”
“No.”
“And do you truly believe that I would want him to?”
“You never know.”
“I am his highness’s knight. I will live and die as a knight. You have much more
than I do,
you have a well-to-do family that will give you a bright future so please, show me
some
kindness. You need to learn to be humble and generous for your own good.”
When Poliana glared at him, Donau didn’t say anything. She laid down on the floor
again and added, “Besides, his highness told me that I am so ugly that he would
rather
take a dirty prostitute to bed than me. Let’s be honest here. Our emperor has eyes,
just
like we all do.”
Poliana was no beauty, but she never thought she looked that bad. So when Lucius
the
First told him this, it was such a shock to her. If he was an ugly man, it wouldn’t
have hurt
her so badly, but her emperor was the most beautiful man in the world.

Lucius the First was an incredibly important man and therefore, he did not lay with
just
any woman. There were plenty of prostitutes out there, but there was no need for
him
to take them because countless noblewomen would just throw themselves at him for
the honor of it. Some kings preferred prostitutes, but Lucius First, who was
unmarried and
without an heir, made sure to stay far away from them. Or perhaps it was because he
was superstitious.
Donau readjusted his body to find a comfortable position and again, he said, “Just
remember not to fall in love with his highness.”
“…”
“Your life is bad enough that you don’t need that kind of trouble.”
“Idiot.”
“What?!”
“Just shut up.”
The next morning, Donau was still annoyed. He pouted and refused to say a word to
her. Watching him acting like a child, Poliana could now see the resemblance
between
Donau and Sir Baufallo.

The village the old man told Poliana about was a bit bigger. It was closer to the
river
and it also had a decent dock. Men sat around fixing their nets and fishing rods.
When
the Acreian soldiers first conquered the kingdom, the villagers became covered with
fear, but when they realized that they weren’t in any danger, the people relaxed
quickly. They, in fact, were happy to have the foreign soldiers who would sometimes
come to make a purchase.
When Poliana and Donau arrived, the villagers welcomed them happily. They claimed
that they preferred the Acreian soldiers over the Aehas military, who forced their
men
to serve in the army.
Poliana and Donau sat down at the local restaurant where both food and alcohol
were served. It was a good place to eat and also ask questions.
The restaurant owner announced, “Hello, sir knights! I should let you now that we
don’t
sell women here. If you are here for that, you should go across the street to that
house
with the wooden sign.”
Donau coughed as he blushed, but Poliana remained calm. It wasn’t a surprise that
some soldiers visited the nearby villages to find a company of prostitutes.
Poliana shook her head and asked, “Is there a boat owner in this town with only one
leg?”
“No, why?”
“It doesn’t have to be a boat owner. Any one-legged man around here?”
“No. There used to be one, but he died. And by the time he died, he was childless,
so
the other families took his boat. Wait! Do you have to pay taxes on something like
that?
Is that why you are here?”

The restaurant owner asked nervously. Poliana didn’t know the Acreian law very well
so
she turned towards Donau, wondering if he about it and to her surprise, he shook
his
head confidently.
“I am not here for the taxes. If that man had no offspring, then I would like to
talk to
whoever knew him well,” Poliana replied to the owner.
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The owner explained that unfortunately, the one-legged man died young. But at
least,
he died after his father passed away. The son never got married, and he left
everything
to those who worked for him. A handsome gravestone was placed on his grave.
Regrettably, no one really remembered much about his life and because he was a
commoner, there wasn’t any public record of him either. The only other relevant
person
in this myth was the doctor, but if he was still alive, he must’ve been in Bebero.
All the information that the villagers could tell to Poliana was useless.
“Apparently, the kelpie crossed the river in a blink of an eye!”
“They say that it was such a sight!”
Leaving them behind, Poliana explored the area near the river. She checked with her
map to make sure that everything was accurately recorded. And then, she
remembered the story.
The father needed to get the doctor right away for his dying son, which meant that
he
had to cross the river not too far away. An hour or two at most from his house.
The spot he crossed the river couldn’t have been too far from where she was
standing
but even though she carefully explored the area, she couldn’t find anything useful.
Chapter 34
Donau murmured, “This river is indeed huge.”
“It is the biggest in the northern region but apparently, there is an even bigger
one in
the southern part of the continent.”
“Dammit. If we can’t even cross this one, how are we going to cross THAT?”
“It is supposed to be a very calm river, easy to cross with a boat. There is even a
rumor
that people have swimming competitions in it,” Poliana explained, and Donau shook
his
head in disbelief.
They decided to do more digging back in the village. On their way, they asked the
same questions to everyone they saw, which were mostly farmers. They received the
same answers every time.
Poliana saw a few farmers weeding a piece of steep land, which she found odd since
there were plenty of flat lands nearby. She then asked, “That flat land over there,
is it
not our land? Why is it not being used for farming?”
“Oh, my good sir, that land is full of rocks.”
The farmer waved his hands. “The entire area over there is made up of rocks. It’s a
useless piece of land.”
The farmer pointed at the land all the way to the river. Poliana followed his hand
thoughtfully. Was there an answer here somewhere? She didn’t want to be
disappointed again, so she stopped herself from becoming hopeful. All that she
could
do was continue her search.
Poliana called out to Donau. When they began to go towards the river, the farmer
shouted, “Please don’t go into the river! There are many who drowned in that area!”
Hearing this, Poliana began to feel even more certain. She got onto the horse and
Donau followed from behind, grumbling along the way. Soon, they arrived at the
river.
The current was strong, but not so rough that it brought down rocks and twigs as it
did
before. The water was also clearer.
Poliana checked the shallow area by stabbing it with her dagger. She heard a thud,
pointing out that she had hit something hard.
It has got to be somewhere near here,” she murmured.
“Where the kelpie crossed? But if we tried to cross it right now on a horse, we
will both
die.”
Donau didn’t seem convinced. She then pointed him at the bottom of the river and
explained, “This area right here, the ground feels different. It’s basically a
giant piece of
rock, but do you see that area where the whirlpool is? The ground must be softer
there. I
will bet that those people who died here got drowned in that area. The current is
too
strong in that spot.”
“So it means we can’t cross it on a horse.”
Poliana nodded and replied, “Because it’s still summer.”
“So what are you proposing?”
“Before we begin making plans, we better make sure.”
She then began to undress, making Donau’s eyes widen in shock. He screamed and
covered his eyes like a blushing schoolgirl.
“What the hell! You are shameless, b*tch!”
“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, so what’s the matter?”
“When did I ever see you like that?!”
“Oh, weren’t you there when it happened?”
Poliana assumed that every man in their camp had seen her on the day she fought her
way out of captivity. She thought that everyone saw her naked that day.
Poliana took off her armor and her clothes, and she was left with only her
sleeveless top
and thin pants. Donau stared as she took her leather military boots off. He seemed
embarrassed at first, but now, his eyes never left her.
Poliana considered taking her top off as well, but she decided against it.
“So why are you suddenly taking your clothes off?” Donau asked.
“I obviously need to go in.”

“Do you even know how to swim?”

“You Acreians… You think everyone in the world is like you guys.”
Donau finally nodded and took her clothes. He saw that Poliana’s skin was covered
in
old scars and discolorations from her various injuries. Hearing about her 6-year
military
service could be ignored but seeing the proof of it on her skin was different. When
Poliana began to walk towards the river, Donau jumped in shock.
“You are going to go in just like that? Shouldn’t you tie yourself to something
just in
case?”
“Hmm…. You’re right. The current is pretty strong.”
They took out the rope they brought and tied it around Poliana’s waist. The other
end
was tied to a horse, not Donau, who could not swim at all.
As he tied the rope to the horse, Donau gritted his teeth. He swore to himself, ‘I
will
make sure I learn how to swim.’
He didn’t like Poliana at all, but to have a woman take her clothes off to swim
because
he couldn’t… It was such a shameful and embarrassing moment for him.
Ignorant of what Donau was thinking, Poliana placed her feet into the river. It
wasn’t
too cold, but the current was very strong. After checking one more time that the
rope
was tied well around her, she began to walk towards the middle of the river.
The water only reached her knees, but it already made it hard for her to walk. At
one
point, she almost fell, making her frown. As she got closer to the middle, it
became
harder and harder, and she almost fell a few times. Meanwhile, Donau made sure that
no Bebero soldiers were spotted on the other side. Thankfully, this wasn’t an area
that
was heavily populated on either side of the river.
When the water got deep enough, Poliana dove in to check the bottom of the river.
Afterward, she walked out safely with help from the horse.
She was panting heavily by the time she reached the land. Donau threw a dry towel
on
top of her. She wiped herself slowly. They only had one towel and it wasn’t enough,
but
she had to make do. As Donau watched her wipe her shaved head, he asked, “Why
do you cut your hair so short?”
“My hair grows too fast, and I hate washing my hair. When it’s short like this,
it’s so easy
to clean it. I just have to wash it when I wash my face.”
“My god, you are so lazy. Definitely not a woman.”
Poliana laughed at Donau’s exasperated tone. When she was done drying herself,
Donau came towards her and took the wet towel for her. She looked up at him in
confusion. Why was he being so helpful?
Donau, acting grown-up like then replied, “Sir Poliana, I apologize for acting
disrespectful towards you.”
“Hmm… You are being too nice… Could it be… that you were going to kill me by
cutting the rope when I was in the river, but I came out too fast? And now you feel
guilty?”
“Gosh! I am trying to apologize to you! I said I’m sorry! I was wrong, alright? I
admit it!!”
“Hmm… You don’t sound too apologetic or respectful right now.”

“… Sorry.”
Donau hung the wet towel on the nearby tree branch. Someday very soon, Poliana
knew that Donau would be able to beat her, and sometime after that, he would be
able to beat her without even trying. But to become a true knight, winning alone
wasn’t
enough.
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For the emperor and for the kingdom, Poliana was doing everything she could think
of
to help, and Donau was slowly realizing her true worth. After seeing her body, he
could
no longer disrespect her, at least not as a soldier.
When he saw her without any clothes, what he mostly felt was sadness, sympathy, and
respect. So many scars covered her body, and Donau could tell what kind of life she
must have led as a knight for the past 6 years. If it was him… Donau wasn’t sure if
he
could have survived those 6 years.
She was definitely not a woman. Donau thought this, but it wasn’t a criticism. He
announced to her, “His highness will become the true emperor of the entire world.”
“I agree.”
“That means he will be surrounded by many different kinds of people.”
“Of course.”
“So having an ass of a knightess probably won’t make any differences.”
It seemed that Donau has been thinking about this for a long time. He was growing
up
fast. Suddenly, Poliana realized that he was much taller than when she first met
him. He
was much smaller than her but now, he was about the same height as her. Soon, he
was going to be taller and he would go places, leaving her behind. Somehow, Poliana
felt angry, envious, and a little proud all at the same time.
Chapter 35
“So what is your plan, Sir Poliana?” Donau asked.
“I am certain that this is where the ‘kelpie’ crossed the river, but it can’t be
done now
because it’s still summer. We will have to wait till fall when the water level is
lower. We
will check it then.”
Poliana took out the map and marked where they were standing. She murmured, “This
might be it. We might be able to cross the river from this spot.”
“But only on a horse. The men won’t be able to cross it on foot, Sir Poliana.”
“I know, but his highness has more talented knights than me. I am sure one of them
will
be able to figure it out.”
“So for now, we have to wait till the water level becomes more acceptable, Sir
Poliana.”
“Yes, but it won’t be too long. By the way…”
Poliana sighed deeply before continuing, “Donau, there is no need for you to
suddenly
address me so formally. Just act normally, as you have done before.”
“…You are so ungrateful.”
Lucius the First read the message sent by Poliana and took out his own map. He
found
the area Poliana mentioned and marked it.
The emperor wondered how he could use this information. The spot Poliana mentioned
was about a one-hour horse ride from where the main Bebero military base was. Even
if
it was the right spot, it would not work if their enemy got ahold of what they’re
planning.
There was a good chance this might not work but still, Lucius the First thought
very highly
of Poliana’s initiative. He now wanted to move her to a different department as
soon as
she returns. He knew that some of his men would be against the idea, but Poliana
was
too good to be left in the supply division.
The winds have quieted down and the water level was much lower. Finally, when the
autumn arrived, Poliana and Donau entered the tent where the strategy meeting was
taking place.
Their boots were covered in dirt and mud, making everyone around them frown. Sir
Ainno was about to kick them out, but Lucius the First stopped him. He turned to
Poliana
and Donau, who looked like they were deathly tired.
The emperor said to them, “Hmm… I see that your journey was a difficult one.”
“We apologize, your highness, for not cleaning up first. But if we don’t report our
findings
now, we were afraid we might fall asleep and not wake up for days.”
Donau, Poliana, and even the horse looked like they were about to drop. Poliana
walked up to the table and pointed at the map. The map was already marked with the
area she mentioned in the message.
She reported to the knights that it was possible to cross the river. In fact, she
has done it
herself. There was one path in the river that had much shallower water level than
the
rest of the river. An armed knight on a horse could cross it without drowning. The
path
was surprisingly not slippery and as long as they avoided a few spots where the
ground
would drop suddenly, crossing the Koemong river was possible.
To make sure, Poliana and Donau tried crossing the river many times to the point
that
they had to borrow a horse from the villagers.
Lucius the First ordered them, “I will allow you to take a seat. You look like you
need a
break.”
Both Poliana and Donau collapsed onto their seats while Lucius the First returned
to the
topic on hand. Sir Bentier began to explain his plan, “This time, we should cross
it early in
the morning.”
The water level would be lower at that point and once they’ve crossed the first
half of
the river, their men could walk for the rest of the way since they would just be
treading
on sand. All they needed to accomplish now was to cross at least half of the river
without being noticed by their enemy and by that time, it would be too late for
Bebero.
Sir Bentier’s plan was simple. The men should carry the boat to the river, cross
halfway,
then walk the rest of it while pushing on the boat.
The emperor contemplated. This strategy was going to be very difficult for the
soldiers to
carry out. Would they be able to carry the boat halfway across the river and fight
their
enemy after? What if they get attacked? Would they be able to cross it, push their
boats and defend themselves at the same time?

Sir Bentier was known for being meticulous and careful, yet his plan sounded too
risky. It
was probably because there was no other way.
When Lucius the First voiced his concerns, all the knights answered, “Your
highness, your
men are stronger than you think! They can do this!”
What an over-confident bunch of people! The emperor knew he indeed had strong
soldiers, but he was still concerned. What if the Bebero army rained some fire
arrows on
them?
When he asked this question, Sir Bentier answered, “We covered our shields with
leather. We can discard any arrows that reach the ships onto the water. If all the
men
hold up their shields and move as one, we should be safe. Sir Rabi and I will be
there to
supervise.”
“Inno, you should go as well.”
“Your highness, please. I must stay by your side.”
“No, Inno. You must go as well. This battle is going to take everything we have, so
you
must go as well. If your presence can save even one more of our men’s lives…”
Lucius the First still seemed uncertain about Sir Bentier’s plan, which wasn’t much
compared to their previous ones. It wasn’t really a strategy but more of a
sacrifice. It
wasn’t that he considered this strategy before, but he discarded it because he knew
it
would cost too many lives.
And even if his men crossed it successfully, they will be stuck with Bebero’s
soldiers in
front of them and the river behind them. The emperor was concerned, but Sir Bentier
seemed very confident about it. He then explained to Lucius the First, “Your
highness,
our men had plenty of rest during the spring and the summer.”
But the truth was, the Acreian soldiers did not stay idle during this time. They
made
multiple attempts to cross the river, strengthened the dock and its base area, and
they’ve built a wooden fence as well. They even helped the locals in their hunts.
Suddenly, the tent was filled with men arguing. They each had different ideas and
plans
for this battle. Lucius the First allowed a moment of free speech and sharing of
ideas in
this tent and once he did, the knights continued to argue loudly among themselves.
It
was especially worse because the tent was filled with young men. Most of them were
good friends, so when they became excited, they argued informally even in front of
the
emperor.
Poliana, rubbing her tired eyes, stood up slowly. After getting permission to speak
from
the emperor, she made a suggestion as she pointed at the map. “Your highness, how
about if you send your brave knights through this way?”
Bebero did not build any defenses on the crossable river area found by her. This
meant
that if the knights on their horses crossed it and got inside of the Bebero’s
military base,
they could defeat their enemy quickly and efficiently without sacrificing their
infantry.

Poliana requested the two best Acreian knights for this job.
Sir Ainno and Sir Bentier.
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When their names were called by her, odd expressions appeared on their faces.
Lucius the First warned her, “It’s too dangerous. The horses cannot see very well
in the
dark. Besides, Sir Poliana, you are the only one who knows the way.”
Suddenly, Donau kneeled in front of the emperor and announced, “Your highness, I
know it as well. If you will allow me, I will accompany Sir Poliana and become
their
guide.”
“Perfect, then we have a plan. Rabi, you will lead the foot soldiers across the
river with
the ships while Bentier and Inno will take the knights via the path Sir Poliana
found. I will
supervise the archers myself.”
The emperor then gestured to Sir Baufallo, who sighed and handed him a sword.
Lucius
grabbed it and announced to Donau, “As I promised, you are now my knight, Donau.
Accept this sword and swear your loyalty to me and this kingdom.”
Donau, with his eyes tearing up, kneeled and did as he was bid. Sir Baufallo
clapped
although his face looked grim.
Donau was so tired that when he tried to stand up, he almost fell. Poliana helped
him
even though she herself felt like fainting. The knights in the tent glared at her
angrily.
The next day, Lucius the First visited the area Poliana discovered and after
examining it,
he announced, “We will build a bridge here.”
Chapter 36
Poliana became surrounded by the knights. The men looked furious, and their anger
was directed at her. Poliana opened her mouth to say something, but she ended up
deciding against it. She thought it would be better to wait for them to speak
first. She
knew what they were going to say, but she also knew that she had to hear them out.
She didn’t know everyone, but there were some familiar faces around her. Sir Ainno
and Sir Bentier were present, and she could guess that the other knights were also
of
high ranks. They didn’t have to say a word, but she knew exactly why they came to
her.
“What were you thinking?” Sir Ainno finally asked her.
“I am his highness’s knight.”
“That is not what I was asking, and you know it.”
The other knights chimed in angrily.
“Our emperor was too generous in accepting a woman as a knight, yet this ungrateful
girl thinks she knows best. You need to know your place, girl.”
“You don’t know what you are doing!”
“You should’ve just stayed quiet and work in the supply department like a good
little
girl. You are abusing his highness’s kindness! You think this will get him to
notice you?”
Poliana straightened up. She knew that this day would come and she has been
contemplating how to answer them. She was fine with being insulted herself. All she
wanted to avoid was doing or saying something that would shame her emperor.
It was the great Lucius the First who accepted her as his knight. She didn’t need
the
approval of others. She knew that she was never going to be liked by these men, and
she didn’t expect to be treated with respect by them either. A deep hatred like
this was
never going to improve. In fact, it was only going to get worse.
Poliana was used to being despised. She experienced it all her life, and she wasn’t
going to back down now.
“I am not sure what you are all referring to,” Poliana replied calmly.
“You are a traitor!”
“Deserter!”
“Cold b*tch!”
Poliana continued to feign her ignorance as she asked, “Pardon? I don’t
understand.”
“Are you pretending to be deaf?”

She was trying her best to avoid the confrontation, but it seemed that it couldn’t
be
helped. She had to face it head-on now.
Poliana then explained, “I honestly do not understand why you are insulting me
right
now. His highness is the greatest and most ambitious man I know, and he will soon
have
many different types of people, including more of people like me following him. I
am
well aware of how strong Acreian knights are, but there are only a limited number
of
you. Without more people from other kingdoms, like myself, his highness won’t be
able
to accomplish his dream. To Lucius the first, who is going to be the emperor of all
kingdoms, it wouldn’t matter where his knights were born. When more men from other
nations come to join this army, will you treat all of them this way? I ask you, my
knights,
why you are doing this? Do you feel this way about me because I am a woman or
because I am a traitor?”
Her old kingdom Aehas had no future. Its king was weak and obsessed with the war
while the noble families and high-ranking officials that filled the higher-ups were
corrupt.
Its military was useless and fragile.
In the past, Poliana knew that despite it all, Aehas was still her home. She was
one of
the nobles, soldiers, and knights of this kingdom. To most people, Poliana knew
that she
must look like a traitor, but she had no excuse for it.
But only Aehas men and women could call her a traitor. No Acreian had the right to
call her a name when she was the main reason why they won the battle against Aehas.
“I am a woman. I have never tried to hide the fact even from the beginning. To
Aehas,
it is true that I am considered a traitor, but to Acreia, I am a newly gained
knight, a new
loyal soldier. So I ask you, knights, once again. Do you doubt me because of my
gender
or because of my deeds?” She continued to talk to the knights firmly.
The men surrounding Poliana became speechless. She held up the sword she received
from Lucius the First and added, “I am his highness’s knight. If I considered
myself a
threat to him, I would willingly kill myself. But I ask you, do you doubt me
because I am a
foreigner? A woman? Or is it because I betrayed my own kingdom? But If all of these
things were a problem, his highness would have never accepted me. Because the
emperor believes in me, and as long as he does, I will never abandon my sovereign.”
Without checking the men’s reactions, Poliana moved to leave. To her surprise, the
knights moved aside for her. She expected them to become angrier and further insult
her, but no one did.

‘Are they going to pull out their dagger and stab me from behind?’
Poliana tensed as she moved when suddenly, one of the men offered her his hand
while wearing a gauntlet. With an odd unreadable expression, Sir Bentier asked to
shake her hand. When Poliana did, he shook her hand and said clearly, “I am Sir
Bentier
Ceize. I think we were introduced to each other before, but I am not sure if you
remember my name.”
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“Sir Poliana Winter from Aehas, Sir!”
When Poliana saluted him, Sir Bentier looked around the room and ordered the other
men, “You should all introduce yourselves to her. We should be acquainted before
going into this battle.”
“Sir Bentier!” Sir Ainno protested in shock. He seemed furious and to him and
everyone,
Sir Bentier explained, “I don’t trust a female foreigner who betrayed her own
kingdom.”
“Then why are you doing this?!”
“Because I DO trust the knightess, Sir Poliana, who was knighted by his highness
and
even received her last name from the emperor himself. Because I trust my emperor, I
believe that his kingdom will eventually become an empire and our leader will
become
the head of it. If I can believe that this could happen, how could I not believe
that a
woman can become a knight? I believe in the world my emperor dreams of.”
With that, Sir Bentier left the tent. When he did, the other men began to introduce
themselves to Poliana. It didn’t mean that they were ok with her yet, but they did
agree
that everyone should be introduced and acquainted before going into an important
battle.
The last knight remaining was Sir Ainno. He still was angry and refused to shake
her
hand, but he nodded at her instead.
When she was left alone, Poliana looked at her right hand, the hand that shook all
the
high-ranking knights of this kingdom. She had to admit that she felt afraid for a
moment,
but she now felt excited as the adrenaline coursed throughout her body. She has
never
been acknowledged like this before by so many men, and she felt shaken. Her body
trembled slightly.
Chapter 37
The first person Poliana killed was a man on death row. To prevent young new
soldiers
from going into shock in the middle of a battle after their first kill, they were
taught to kill
beforehand.
Poliana killed three people even before she began her official military service.
The old
knight brought her three men for her to practice on. He didn’t tell her the men’s
crimes,
he even covered their faces.
The old knight told her that death was the end. Whether if one were to die or to
kill
someone, it would always cause a life to end.
‘Don’t think. Just move and kill before you get killed.’
To be a Guinea pig and be killed by a noble lady with only basic training rather
than by
a skilled executioner… These men had met a gruesome fate, but they volunteered
because they were compensated. The money went to either the man’s family or the
man’s victim.
The old knight told Poliana, “A good swordsman can cut a man’s head off with one
clean swing. A good executioner can kill someone painlessly. You, Poliana, don’t
have
the strength of a man. You may be able to slice through the flesh, but not through
the
bone. This means that what you need to learn isn’t how to kill, but how to cause
maximum pain. Stab between the ribs and aim for the lung, be quick when you are
swinging your weapon, and the eyes are the easiest and the most vulnerable spot for
anyone, don’t forget that. A man could kill with bare fists, but not a woman. So
when
you attack, make sure to do it with everything you have and with all the strength
you
can muster. Become as evil as possible, act like you have lost your mind or like
you
have been possessed by the devil. When your enemies see you act this way, they will
not come after you.”
But removing the sword that was stuck between the ribs was difficult. When Poliana
first
tried it and was unable to remove it, the old knight kicked her and removed it for
her
with only one hand. He was old, but he was still much stronger than the young
Poliana.
The old knight told her to remember this fact.
Assume that everyone is stronger than you.

The battle then began.

Sir Ainno, on his horse, ran towards the head knight of Bebero army. He quickly
swung
his sword and severed his head away from his body, and the Acreian soldiers, who
were fighting, saw this and screamed excitedly. Sir Ainno placed the head of the
knight
on his spear and lifted it up high. He then yelled, “The head knight is dead!”
“WAAAAA!”
The Bebero men, now without their leader, dropped their weapons and surrendered
without a fight. Poliana took out her sword from a Bebero soldier as he collapsed
to the
ground. If Sir Ainno announced the death a second sooner, this man could’ve lived.
But she didn’t feel guilty. If she didn’t kill this man, it could have been her
that was on
the ground bleeding to death.
Poliana relaxed a little and looked around. She saw Sir Bentier and Sir Rabi
organizing
the men and making sure that the Bebero soldiers were being bound. Some Bebero
men successfully ran away while the others were caught. It was going to be a while
till
the medics and the archers arrive.
The injured were gathered, and the emergency treatments were done with whatever
medical supplies they could find from the enemy camp. Those Acreian soldiers who
were ok went to the river to clean themselves of mud and blood. As expected, one of
the knights yelled, “You idiots! Get over here quickly and dry yourselves before
you
freeze!”
The men quickly gathered some firewood and lit it up. Poliana was getting warm
standing near the fire when suddenly, she noticed Donau at the river vomiting.
‘Maybe I should have asked him if he killed a man before.’
She regretted not making sure, but she quickly shook her head. It wasn’t her job or
responsibility; it was his father, Sir Baufallo’s or his brother, Sir Howe’s.
Besides, she wasn’t even sure if Donau was vomiting from the shock of killing a
man. It
was possible that he was vomiting from his nerves or perhaps even from the smell of
blood. Assuming he was throwing up from the shock of killing a man was in fact very
inconsiderate of her. If Donau knew she suspected this, he would’ve felt angry and
embarrassed.
After all, he was a knight.
The Bebero flag was taken down and was replaced with the Acreian flag. Poliana felt
proud as she watched it.

‘We won!’
It was a complete victory. Lucius the First’s army successfully crossed the Koemong
River.
Donau, now Sir Donau, approached the fire where Poliana was sitting. When she saw
him, she moved a little so he could take a seat. Sir Donau took a sip of water and
wiped
his mouth. His wristband was soaked in blood and some of it got onto his face.
He murmured, “I have killed deer before, but…”
“That sounds yummy.”
“Are you serious? Are you really feeling hungry right now? After all this?”
“But aren’t you starving, Sir Donau?”
Just then, Poliana noticed Sir Baufallo making sure that the supplies from the
Bebero
army were taken out and organized. She didn’t even realize that he had arrived.
She was Sir Baufallo’s aide, which meant that no matter how tired she was, she
should
go over there and help her superior.
Poliana groaned as she tried to stand up. Sir Donau, who was already standing,
offered
her his hand to help. Looking at the boy knight’s blood-soaked hand, Poliana
grinned.
Donau could be annoying as heck but sometimes, she found him cute. He reminded
her of her stepsister Liana, who could also be very annoying while still being
adorable
sometimes.
Were all little brothers and sisters like this?
Impulsively, Poliana said to Donau, “You can think of me as an older sister. I
would be ok
with that.”

“Sister? What the hell are you talking about?! I don’t need a lazy bald sister!”
Sir Donau spat on the ground, but he still helped Poliana stand up. The other
knights
who were watching their interaction laughed and yelled at Donau, “Do it! Treat her
like
she was your older sister!”
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“That’s right! She is your sister now!”
“Sir Poliana, this is your lucky day! You just got yourself a brand new younger
brother!”
The way the other knights treated her was different now. They no longer acted
suspicious and doubtful towards her. After the battle, in which they all fought
together
as one, the men now saw her as one of them.
It finally dawned on her that she did it. She crossed the Koemong River.
And on top of that, she also crossed the gap that separated her from all the other
men.
Donau, the other knights, the entire Acreian army.
She was finally one of them. She was no longer someone on the other side.
She was finally an Acreian knight.
Chapter 38: Story 5: Initiation
Story 5: Initiation
Chapter 38
The Acreian army continued on strong.
The enemy military focused on defending its northern border, but it was clear that
the
Bebero officials were in a state of panic. When they had the Koemong River
protecting
their border, they felt comfortable.
But not anymore.
Bebero was defeated much more easily than Aehas and Kukda. Lucius the First
demanded its king to surrender and it was given immediately. Finally, Lucius the
First
became the ruler of the entire northern region.
Poliana still belonged to the supply division. She was responsible for organizing
the
supplies, keeping counts of everything, and ordering it. She was kept very busy;
she
barely had time to eat lunch every day.
Before crossing the river and conquering Bebero, it was easy to receive some
supplies
from Acreia. Whatever they needed more of could be brought from Aehas and Kukda
easily by land.
But from Bebero, it was more difficult because of the Koemong River. Transporting
the
supplies by ships was costly, both in manpower and time. This was going to get
worse as
they moved further down south, which meant that they needed to stock Bebero with
resources very well.
Luckily, Bebero was a wealthier kingdom than Aehas and Kukda. They had plenty of
food and supplies that were needed on a daily basis. But this plentifulness also
meant
that Poliana and Sir Baufallo were busier than ever. They needed to count and
record
everything.

Poliana felt nauseous from the nonstop work. She had to stack everything in an
organized manner and to get it done on time, she had to work through the night. Her
eyes were getting so tired that they became blurry. She didn’t even notice the
other
knights gathering around her.
The knights have been ignoring her all this time, but now, they were waiting for
her to
turn towards them. When one of them coughed to get her attention, she finally
looked
up and greeted tiredly, “Hello there.”
Her voice was faint and weak, but ignoring it, the knights suddenly grabbed her
arm.
This finally got her attention.
Poliana’s eyes widened as she screamed, “What do you think you are doing?!”
Before she could stop them, they began to drag her away.
She was being kidnapped.
The knights grabbed all of her limbs and began to walk. Poliana was about to fight
back when suddenly, she noticed Sir Donau being taken away nearby in the same
manner.
The knights took Poliana and Sir Donau to a random room in the Bebero castle.
Donau’s mouth was gagged, and when the cloth was removed and he was able to
speak, Sir Donau screamed, “Why are you doing this to us?” Suddenly, one of the
knights grabbed his hair and pulled his head back roughly. Before Donau could even
attempt to fight back, a gush of alcohol rushed into his mouth.
“Hahaha!”
“Hehehe! YES!”
A torrent of evil laughs filled the dim room. Sir Donau, now covered in alcohol,
shook his
body to get away from it. Most of the alcohol ended up in his nose rather than down
his
throat. His nose turned bright red.
Sir Donau coughed and yelled, “ARRGG! W-what are you d-doing?!”
Suddenly, the room became bright and Poliana saw that there were even more knights
present than she had expected. It appeared that most of them were waiting here for
her and Sir Donau. They were all smiling evilly, looking like immoral pirates.
What the knights wanted wasn’t money or Poliana and Donau’s lives. They wanted to
“welcome” the new knights into the group.
It’s their initiation ritual.
One of the knights chuckled and explained, “Welcome, hahaha! I suppose you guys
have never been initiated yet?”
“We are in the middle of a war! Don’t you see how inappropriate and wasteful this
is?!”
Donau argued.
“Hahaha, it can’t be helped. You must go through this.”
Donau continued to protest. These were his brother’s and his father’s friends,
colleagues
and acquaintances. He believed that he could convince them otherwise. Poliana
thought about saying something herself, but she decided against it. She knew it
wasn’t
going to change anything. If she remained quiet, perhaps they would focus more on
Donau.
The knights laughed at Sir Donau. With a knowing grin, one of them replied, “His
highness has given us permission already! He is fine with it!”
“Let’s get more alcohol and get them to chug it! Chug, chug!”
Donau couldn’t believe what he just heard. He then insisted, “You are lying! His
highness
would never allow something like this!”
Donau, still in disbelief, attempted to escape, but he was caught and brought back
quickly. As a bonus, he was kicked a few times to teach him a lesson.

Just then, someone familiar stepped forward.

“Hmm.”
To Poliana’s surprise, it was Sir Bentier! Donau saw him as well, and his eyes were
filled
with relief. Poliana felt the same way. They both thought that Sir Bentier was here
to stop
this shenanigan.
But Sir Bentier pointed at hopeful Donau and ordered, “Tie him up so he can’t
escape
again.”
‘Dammit!’
Poliana swore silently. Sir Bentier has been acting all high and mighty, but it
seemed
that he was in on this stupid ritual as well. She knew there was nothing she could
do to
stop this, so she gave up escaping altogether. If Sir Bentier was here, it must’ve
been
true that Lucius the First allowed this.
While Donau was being tied up, the knights brought a military boot filled with
alcohol to
Poliana. The boot looked disgustingly dirty and Poliana contemplated with a frown.
Knowing there was no other way, she began to drink from it and thought to herself,
‘Alcohol is basically a disinfectant so it’s going to be ok.’ She kept repeating
this
thought inside of her head as if to brainwash herself. Fighting intense nausea, she
continued to drink. The men around her cheered loudly.
“Chug, chug, chug!”
The hard liquor burned her nose, mouth, and throat. When she finished it like she
was
drinking water, her insides began to burn as well. She hasn’t had much sleep well,
so
with so much alcohol in her system, she couldn’t think clearly. Her body didn’t
feel like it
was her own.
The knights brought her a plate of some food. They clapped her shoulder familiarly
and
explained, “We should have done this for you when you first became an Acreian
knight, but it never happened. So we thought we should make it up to you and do it
now since we have to do it for Sir Donau too.”
“Thank you,” Poliana replied weakly.
One positive thing was that Donau was treated worse than her. He was only a
personal
help before recently becoming a knight, so the men must’ve felt more comfortable
bullying him than her. The worst of them was unsurprisingly Sir Howe, Donau’s older
brother. He brought a funnel from somewhere and continued to force Donau to drink.
Poliana was becoming worried. ‘This could kill him…’
She has witnessed many times in the past where soldiers died from alcohol
poisoning.
She was about to ask the men to stop when suddenly, Sir Rabi noticed her and
yelled,
“Get us another funnel!”
Poliana knew that she should keep her mouth shut. She probably was going to need
more help than Donau at this point. After all, Sir Howe was present and was never
going
to let his own brother die.
Sir Rabi filled another boot with liquor and handed it to her.
“Here you go, Sir Poliana! Special drink just for you!”
“Chug! Chug! Chug!”
The knights cheered loudly again, and weakly, Poliana emptied it.
“WAAA!”
She couldn’t tell what was in the drink, but whatever it was, it tasted horrible.
To stop
herself from vomiting, she began to eat the food placed in front of her.
When another bootful of alcohol was given to Donau, he screamed, “I can’t drink
anymore!”
“Then you must sing!”
“That’s right! Sing! Sing! Sing!”
Poliana suddenly remembered the time when Donau didn’t want his wine to be
watered. He must be missing that moment right now.
Sir Donau, looking dreadful, was forced to stand in front of everyone. To avoid
drinking,
he began to sing. Unfortunately, he was going through his puberty, and the voice
that
came out of him was ghastly. When he was done, he was punished with more drinks.
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Now, it was Poliana’s turn. The knights threatened her that if she didn’t sing, she
was
never going to leave this place. When she explained that she didn’t know any songs,
the men argued, “Liar! You are lying! Drink! Drink!”
“I really don’t know! The only song I know is the Aehas military song!”
“Hmmm…”
For Poliana, the knights began to sing the Acreian military songs. They sang the
marching song and the victory song. They were all horrible singers, but when they
were
done, Poliana clapped.
To her, Sir Rabi grinned and handed her another drink.
“Sir Poliana, I am afraid that these songs aren’t free. You must pay by drinking
this.”
“…”
She wondered if she would be able to survive this night.
Chapter 39
Acreian knights’ initiation ritual was brutal as expected. All military men were
known for
their roughness and callousness. It was especially worse in the Acreian army
because
most men were also hunters, who had their own separate rituals on top of
everything.
For example, new young hunters were ordered to bring back rabbits in the middle of
a
snowstorm or bring back a deer with only a small dagger.
Poliana and Sir Donau’s initiation was far from over even as the night deepened.
Acreia
was known for its strong drinks because of its cold weather. In the past, there
were a
few occasions when men died during the ritual, which took place outside. The men
froze to death after the drinks were poured on them over and over again. Later, the
emperor ordered that any initiation must take indoors to prevent this kind of
meaningless deaths.
Because they were safe for now, Lucius the First gave his permission for this
tradition to
take place. Another big reason for his permission was because the emperor was
curious.
Lucius the First was born a prince and became an heir and an emperor at a very
young
age. He has heard about these knight initiation rituals, but he has never seen one
before. If they were still in Acreia, they would have had more food and perhaps
even a
fool or a poet for entertainment.
But they were in the middle of a war, so they had to make do. Luckily, Lucius the
First
was very generous, and he allowed an unlimited amount of alcohol to be used from
the storage.
He also planned to visit the men and surprise them. On his way to the room, he saw
Sir
Donau busting out from it. Thankfully, Donau was able to avoid bumping into the
emperor, but he ran into Sir Ainno, who was walking right behind Lucius the First.
Sir Donau, who suddenly collapsed, began to vomit uncontrollably.
“Arrggh!”

With a disgusted look, Sir Ainno grabbed Donau and placed him in a corner. Lucius
the
First remembered Sir Ainno looking awkward when he was told that the emperor was
going to make a surprise appearance. Lucius thought to himself, ‘I guess it’s not
what I
expected…’
But he was already here, and he couldn’t go back. Sir Ainno, with a frown, kicked
the
door open and announced loudly, “The emperor has arrived!”
Everyone, who was now drunk, stood up quickly. Sir Ainno looked around and when he
saw that Poliana looked awake and normal, he was shocked. Lucius the First was
surprised as well. She had to be the one who drank the most in this room; they were
certain that the other knights wouldn’t have been kind to her just because she was
a
woman.
The emperor said to her, “Hmm… You look perfectly fine.”
“It’s because I know the secret to staying sober.”
Calmly, Poliana stuck her finger in her throat and vomited on the floor. She then
rinsed
her mouth with alcohol nearby and smiled at the emperor happily. She announced,
“This is how you remain sober, your highness!”
Suddenly, Lucius the First and Sir Ainno realized that they were mistaken.
Poliana’s eyes
weren’t focused at all; she was obviously intoxicated. She just looked better than
other
men because she was standing while most of the men were on the floor.
The emperor then replied, “Sir Poliana, if you continue this way, you are going to
die.”
Poliana, meanwhile, tried unsuccessfully to kneel for Lucius the First. Feeling
sympathetic, the emperor took away the bottle from her hand, which made her fall on
her side. There were bowls and buckets of vomit all over the floor, and naturally,
she fell
into one of them.

Her face, body, and hair became covered with disgusting pukes. For the first time
since
he met her, Lucius the First thought it was a good thing that Poliana cut her hair
so short.
This was no place for an emperor. Sir Ainno, still frowning, begged, “Your
highness, you
should return to your tent now.”
The emperor loved to drink and enjoyed drinking with his knights, but what he saw
tonight was too shocking for him to understand. He rubbed his face and looked up at
the ceiling.
How was he going to conquer the continent with men like this?
The next day, the knights used different methods to cure their hangovers. Some took
cold showers, while others sparred or exercised to “sweat” the poison out. A few
men
chose to remain in bed because they claimed that moving too much was going to
make them feel worse.
Those who felt ok were as cruel as ever. Sir Rabi and Sir Bentier came to the tents
of the
knights still in bed and kicked them.
“Get up, you lazy bastards!”
The knights grabbed their heads and looked around desperately for water. Thankfully
for Sir Donau, Poliana was quick in getting him up before being kicked out from his
bed.
She woke up earlier and was feeling better after a cold shower.
“My eyes won’t open…” Donau murmured.
Indeed, his eyes remained shut and he waved his arms around pathetically. Poliana
replied in annoyance, “Yes, I can see that you aren’t quite awake yet. Alright.”
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She took Donau and pushed him randomly into one of the knights’ tents. She tried
her
best, and now, he had to figure out what to do next on her own.
Sir Howe stood beside Sir Rabi and kicked the men still in bed, or crawling on the
floor,
including his own brother. As the weakened men tried to get dressed, some screamed
because they found vomit in their boots.
Poliana watched them with a smile. She wasn’t weak like those men. She was better.
She drank so much, more than most and yet, she was walking and talking fine. She
felt
so proud of herself for getting up early and not breaking her routine.
But her happiness disappeared quickly when she was spotted by Lucius the First. The
emperor, who rarely approached a woman, broke his own rule and walked towards
Poliana. He tapped her shoulder to get her attention and said to her, “Sir Poliana,
please don’t ever drink like that again. You will end up killing yourself that
way.”
“Y, your highness! I apologize!”
“Or if you must get drunk, just fall asleep or lose consciousness like a normal
person. I
can understand many different things, but what I saw last night… I cannot.”
Sir Ainno nodded, “I agree with his highness, Sir Poliana. It was horrible.”
Poliana was so sure that she has done very well last night but apparently, she was
very
much mistaken. With her face turning bright red, she ran out to the forest and
began to
beat up a poor tree out of frustration.
Chapter 40
In the northern region of the continent, there were four kingdoms; Acreia, Aehas,
Kukda, and Bebero.
Acreia was the biggest but most of its lands were too cold to be inhabitable.
Aehas and Kukda had corrupt royal and noble families with dwindling wealth due to
such a long-term war.
Bebero, feeling safe from the other northern kingdoms due to the Koemong River, had
a weak military presence.
Within only two years, Lucius the First was able to unite all three northern
kingdoms,
which has never been done before.
But… The people began to call him the “Loser of the North.”
The story of his beauty and triumph was romantic enough for girls to gossip
excitedly,
but many didn’t believe it. They, as a matter of fact, badmouthed him and called
him
an evil man who broke the peace of this continent.
They called him a tyrant.

Until Lucius the First, there has been an unspoken rule that battles should take
place
only during the winters. He was the one who broke this tradition and now, everyone
needed to live in fear all year round. People blamed him for it, calling him a
barbarian
from Acreia, which was known for being poor and lacking in culture due to its
severely
cold weather.
The kingdoms in the middle of the continent laughed at him. Their main source of
income was farming, while in Acreia, most men were hunters. These kingdoms were
well
prepared for the upcoming war. Their military and economic statuses were stable.
They
did not fear Lucius the First.
But Lucius the First and his knights laughed at them as well. They were confident
that this
war was going to end in their favor.
Poliana clenched her fists in determination. Those who insulted her emperor needed
to
be punished.
Acreia united the entire northern region of the continent. The only thing left for
them to
conquer was its middle and southern areas. To unite the entire continent… That was
the
emperor’s dream.
The four main kingdoms in the mid-continent were Kopi, Mongsheim, Oz, and Bikpa.
The
rest of the smaller countries were mostly colonies that previously belonged to
Kopi. In
theory, the main four kingdoms were in good standing with each other but in truth,
Bikpa was treated poorly by the others. Bikpa was located a little north of the
Msmel
Forest, which was in the middle of the continent.
Because no one dared to cross the Msmel Forest, Bikpa could have been a useful
kingdom that connected the northern nations to the rest of the continent. However,
because those kingdoms in the mid-continent thought little of the northerners,
there
were barely any communications or interactions between them.
Kopi, Mongsheim, and Oz did not think highly of Bikpa because it was much smaller.
They even considered Bikpa to be more of a northern kingdom. So when Bikpa asked
for military assistance from the other three kingdoms when Lucius the First
attacked it, it
was ignored. Bikpa had a relatively decent army, but compared to the “northerners,”
they were no match against them. When it was about to be conquered by Lucius the
First, Bikpa did the last thing they could do. They closed the castle gate and hid
behind
their walls.
Lucius the First expected this move, but how Bikpa carried it out was shameful.
“What cowards…”
As a ruler himself, Lucius the First felt embarrassed for the Bikpa’s king, Gali
the Third. Gali
the Third, along with the high-ranking nobles, abandoned their lands and people
when
they hid in the castle with their soldiers. During this process, they also made
sure to take
as much of the supplies as possible, leaving their own people starving to death and
unable to protect themselves.
It was such a selfish cowardly move.
It became so bad that the mayor of one of the Bikpa cities came to Lucius the First
with
tears in his eyes, begging for help. Many of the lords, who were honorable, did not
abandon their people. They were furious over how their own king treated his people,
and in the end, these men surrendered to Acreian military. In fact, they wished to
help
Lucius the First in defeating Gali the Third.

“Please save us. Our children are starving to death. We need help.”
It was an odd situation where those being attacked were begging for food from their
attacker. The people of Bikpa have heard of how Acreian soldiers did not plunder
the
conquered lands, unlike the other armies. They were desperate and hopeful at the
same time as they visited the Acreian military base.
The Acreian knights, including Poliana, didn’t know what to do.
“How dare you… why are you coming to us?!”
“Please kind sirs! Let us have some food! We are dying, please!”
“Our children are starving to death. We can’t even hunt because we’re too weak
because of starvation.”
“Dammit!”
Poliana watched the people beg for food, some even tried to steal some of their
supplies. The people of Bikpa were so desperate that they were no longer afraid of
them. Sir Baufallo was sympathetic, but the military supplies were for his own men.
They
did not have enough to share with others.
Sir Baufallo announced, “Do not give them anything! Not even a grain of rice!” He
felt
sorry for the people, but his job was to maintain the supplies for the Acreian
soldiers.
Following his order, the supply division soldiers guarded the goods like hawks.
Thankfully, Gali the Third didn’t get to empty the supplies of every city. Those
cities that
were missed by Gali the Third voluntarily surrendered to Lucius the First and
shared their
supplies with the rest. Bikpa’s king was destroying his own kingdom. If his people
starved,
they were not going to follow him, and without the people, there would be no
government or a king.
Lucius the First was disgusted.
“This is so terrible.”

He thought that all he would have to worry about is winning this war, but now, he
was
also concerned about their wellbeing. He was a conscientious emperor and he was
furious at Gali the Third.
“He is not fit to be a ruler!”
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Everyone agreed. Lucius the First gritted his teeth angrily. At first, he thought
Bikpa was
being bullied by nearby kingdoms for no good reason but now, he knew why. Gali the
Third was an unsuitable and incompetent king and he deserved to be punished.
A king could be greedy and selfish but even then, he had the responsibility to make
sure his people weren’t starving. To raid his own villages for food and weapons and
hide
in his castle… That was beyond acceptable.
The people of Bikpa were fed up with their own king. Many of the cities voluntarily
sent
their surrendering documents to Lucius the First. Without much of a fight, Acreia
was
able to gain many of their cities but even with these easy victories, Lucius the
First was
still very displeased.
Slowly but surely, the Acreian army got closer to the capital, Yapa. From afar,
Lucius the
First studied the Yapa castle and suddenly, he clapped in realization. He has been
wondering how Gali the Third has been storing all the supplies he stole from his
own
people. Did they have a separate storage?
And finally, Lucius the First figured it out. He has been expecting a small castle
since
Bikpa was not a big kingdom, but Yapa castle was huge. The castle had a total of
three
layers of walls and was backed onto a rocky mountain. The walls were made of the
rocks from this mountain and they were very high to the point that every one of
them
thought that they won’t be able to climb it with just a rope. The Acreian men were
impressed with the magnificence of the place.
But the sad truth was how it was built. To create such a huge building, it must’ve
cost an
incredible amount of money, time, and energy. It had to be easily the biggest
castle in
the entire continent, and it was certainly bigger than anything Lucius the First
had ever
witnessed.
A very long time ago in history, Bikpa was a formidable kingdom. Oz and Mongsheim
both used to belong to it, but as the corruption within the government and the
royal
family increased, various rebellions from different regions caused the kingdom to
be
divided.
The splendid Yapa castle was the only thing that remained of Bikpa’s glorious past.
Chapter 41
At the Acreian military strategy meeting…
The scouts were able to gather some information on the Yapa castle. They asked the
various Bikpa nobles and knights who have been inside the castle to get an idea of
how to attack it effectively.
What they knew so far were presented as followed.
First, the castle had its own separate water source. This meant that cutting off or
poisoning the nearby water wasn’t going to work. Secondly, it was very likely that
they
had more than enough food to last a long time, so waiting for them to starve was
out of
the question.
“This is going to be tricky,” Lucius the First murmured.
“And attacking them straight on was never going to work.”
“How about that rocky mountain behind the castle? Can we climb it and attack from
there perhaps?”
“We got a couple of good climbers to try, but it was not possible, your highness.”
When the castle was being built, the rocks from this mountain was used. The
architect
who designed it made sure to cut the rocks in a way that made the mountain
impossibly steep.

A siege was a game of patience. Normally, the attacker would cut off the supplies
into
the castle and wait for starvation to take place. Whoever gave in first was the
loser of
this battle.
And in this case, Gali the Third had a clear advantage. Since he had plenty of both
water and food, all he had to do was wait it out from the inside in comfort.
Lucius the First then asked, “What is your best guess with respect to his food
supply?”
“We can’t be completely certain, but based on our rough calculation, we believe
they
should be able to last at least 5 years…”
“That’s not good.”
Only a small number of noble families, high-ranked knights, and royal families hid
inside
the castle, which meant they could last a very long time even with a moderate
amount
of food.
In many siege cases, hunger and thirst would take place inside the castle rather
quickly.
The longer they waited, the more people ended up dying. There were some desperate
instances where cannibalism occurred.
The problem here was that Lucius the First believed that the Yapa castle could last
the
next 10 years. It was an impossible task for the Acreian army to attack it head-on,
and
Gali the Third knew it. This was obviously why he hid in this castle as quickly as
possible.
His loyal and cowardly cohorts were only happy to follow him.
From time to time, Lucius the First noticed messages being sent from the castle via
pigeons. At first, Lucius had them shot down, but after a while, he left them
alone. He
saw that the birds headed towards two directions; Oz and Mongsheim. Gali the Third
was obviously asking for help from these neighboring kingdoms.
Lucius the First asked his knights, “Any movements from Oz or Mongsheim?”
“No military movement, your highness. But we just heard that there have been some
activities in the Kopi army.”
Oz and Mongsheim were their closest kingdoms, which meant that they were the most
likely going to be attacked next and yet, they weren’t reacting at it in any way.
This
could only mean that there was some kind of an agreement between Kopi and Bikpa.
But why now? When Bikpa was first attacked, Kopi refused to help. So what made them
change their mind? Lucius the First contemplated.

“Hmm… This could be a trap. Perhaps Kopi is using this situation to their
advantage.
Using Bikpa as bait while they prepare their military.”
“Then how about we do something unexpected? Attack either Oz and Mongsheim?”
“But what if we move away from here and Bikpa comes after us from behind? We
could get surrounded by Bikpa on one side and another kingdom ahead of us. Or they
could even cut off our own supply from Bebero somehow. We can’t take that chance.”
“Gali the Third isn’t trusted anymore by his lords that remained outside of this
castle. I
doubt they will support him if he attacks us.”
“We can’t count on that. Those lords may still feel obligated to follow their king
even if
they don’t want to.”
If they didn’t, they wouldn’t have let Gali the Third take the supplies from them
in the
first place. Inside the tent, Lucius the First looked around the men and asked,
“Any
ideas? I don’t care if they are stupid or crazy. I want any and all suggestions
from you.”
No one answered their emperor. Lucius the First looked at each man. When his eyes
reached Poliana, she lowered her face in shame. She was lucky enough to help the
emperor in creative ways recently, but for this situation, she didn’t have anything
helpful
to offer. Lucius the First nodded understandingly at everyone and consoled them, “I
myself have no solution for this problem. It seems that all we can do is wait for
now.
What happened to the messenger we sent to Gali the Third?”
“He refused to even open the gate. We are certain that he is waiting for military
help
from somewhere.”
“Were you able to shoot down any messenger pigeon today?”
“Yes. You ate it for your breakfast, your highness.”
Lucius the First remembered the pigeon roast he had this morning. It was too chewy.
He
said quietly, “I prefer wild goose over pigeons.”
“Wild geese aren’t used as messengers, your highness.”

It was true that wild geese were bigger and tasted much better than the pigeons.
Lucius the First then ordered, “Send another message to Gali the Third. Tell him
that if he
surrenders now, he and his men will receive fair treatment from us.” When the
message
was written, Lucius the First pointed at Sir Rabi, who saluted him confidently.
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“Sir Rabi, you have a good strong voice, so please read us the terms of surrender
that
are to be sent to Gali the Third. I want to hear it to make sure it’s correct.”
“Yes, your highness!”
When Sir Rabi began to read loudly, those standing near him feared that they might
lose their hearing.
Poliana was recently moved to the infantry division under the leadership of Sir
Rabi. This
change happened right before they reached the Yapa castle. She has been assigned
with 100 men and one personal aide. Her reputation among their men wasn’t bad,
especially after her role in conquering Bebero, so those men under her supervision
seemed ok with having a female knight as their leader. Poliana also got along well
with
Sir Rabi.
Sir Bentier was the deputy commander but the soldiers seemed to prefer Sir Rabi.
Both
of them were from well-known families in Acreia. The difference, however, was that
Sir
Bentier was from a noble family while Sir Rabi was from a family with many
generations
of famous knights.
Except for his shocking loud voice, which became handy when he reprimanded
someone, Sir Rabi was a good superior. He was a born leader and an excellent
soldier,
perhaps it became that way because he grew up in the family of many knights. He was
also much better at understanding and empathizing with other soldiers compared to
Sir
Bentier, who clearly was a nobleman before he became a knight. Sir Rabi was also
undoubtedly brave and incredibly strong. He looked like a “pretty boy,” but he was
a
man’s man. Because of this, many soldiers considered him their role model.
Poliana missed Sir Baufallo, who was kind to her, but she also felt very fortunate
to have
Sir Rabi as her new superior.
Her first meeting with Sir Rabi, which took place at the Koemong River, made her
initially
believe that he was an impatient and violent man, but she quickly realized that she
was
mistaken. When Poliana was assigned to his division, Sir Rabi treated her with
respect.
He treated her like he would treat any of his men, which meant that he made her
work
incredibly hard. He swore at her just as he would to his other knights and yet, he
respected her personal space and time as well. Poliana could understand why he was
loved by his man.
Chapter 42
When the emperor’s order came to go visit the Bikpa king and deliver a message, Sir
Rabi began to get ready. He didn’t bring a personal help, but he asked some
lowerranking knights for help. He asked them to grab him his golden armor, which he
wore
only during special occasions. Sir Howe also offered to help get him ready.
In his full armor, Sir Rabi came out of his tent and yelled at the soldiers who
were
standing around outside, waiting to see him in his special gear.
“You lazy bums! Don’t you have more useful things to do than just standing
around?!”
The men ran away quickly and Poliana thought to herself, ‘Sir Rabi is truly a great
superior. A perfect knight.’
The knights who helped Sir Rabi came out of the tent as well. Before putting on his
helmet, Sir Rabi turned to them and asked, “If any of you want to follow me, you
may
do so.”
“We will get ready right away!”
Many of the knights, including Sir Howe, bowed excitedly and ran off. When Sir Rabi
spotted Poliana, he asked her, “Do you want to come too?”
“If you wish, I will follow you and provide you some protection.”
“That won’t be necessary.”

Sir Rabi finally put on his helmet. His armor was twice as thick as regular armor
and it
looked luxurious. He looked amazing.
A few of the soldiers, who didn’t run off when cheered for Sir Rabi. It wasn’t only
because he looked dashing, but they also greatly admired the man himself.
‘How beautiful.’
The knights’ knight, Sir Rabi Bika, Poliana could finally understand why so many
men
admired him and followed him around like lovesick puppies.
The fancy armor Sir Rabi wore wasn’t made to his taste. He only wore such flashy
gear
because he was the vanguard of this expedition. Because they couldn’t let the other
kingdoms know, they didn’t hold a public ceremony. Instead, a small private
ceremony
took place in the Nanaba castle before they left Acreia. This golden armor was worn
that day.
Its extravagant appearance didn’t take anything away from its strength. In fact, it
was
made with heavier metal and therefore was much stronger. Only a very robust man,
such as Sir Rabi, could wear such heavy armor.
Sir Rabi ordered Poliana, “Come back in your armor.”
His voice sounded muffled because of his helmet. Poliana then replied, “I do not
own a
golden armor, Sir.”
“What kind of an idiot doesn’t even bring an armor to a war? Wait… Forget what I
just
said.”
Suddenly, Sir Rabi nodded. There was premade armor available for purchase, but any
knight who came from a wealthy family always got a custom armor made for him.
Poliana was able to receive a sword from the emperor, but she never got a set of
armor
from anyone.
Even if she had the money to get a set of armor made, they were in the middle of a
war. She couldn’t stay in one place to wait for it to be made. On top of that, it
was rare
to find someone who could make an armor suited for a woman. A normal armor
provided protection, but it was also very heavy. Poliana, who lacked a man’s
strength
and stamina, would not benefit from a set of armor in a battle. It would slow her
down.
Besides, a golden armor was only worn for special occasions, such as duels or
tournaments.
But the lack of a proper full armor didn’t bother Poliana. All she needed was a
helmet,
a pair of military boots, and chainmail. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to
wield a
sword in full metal armor.
Just then, the other knights who wanted to follow Sir Rabi came running in their
own
armors. Sir Aeke and Sir Howe were among them. Sir Rabi checked their gears and
announced, “Follow me!”

“Yes, sir!”
Sir Aeke had the same rank as Poliana. His brothers’ names were Beke and Deke, and
when she learned this, Poliana asked at the time, “Then where is Ceke?” It later
turned
out that there was Ceke, a nickname for her sister named Cekel back in Acreia.
Poliana followed Sir Rabi as well. Sir Beke and Sir Deke, who didn’t have armors,
watched their older brother Sir Aeke enviously.
Sir Rabi left with the messenger and came back a few hours later. When he took off
his
helmet, Sir Rabi had a strange expression on his face. The messenger continued on
to
report back to Lucius the First. The other knights, curious about what had
happened,
gathered around Sir Rabi. They suspected something must’ve happened.
Sir Rabi scratched his head. He looked perplexed because he didn’t understand what
the other king meant. Sir Rabi suspected that this was a trap.
Loudly, so everyone could hear him, Sir Rabi announced, “He suggested a
tournament!”
When Lucius the First received the message, he felt the same way as Sir Rabi.
‘This is a trap.’
The knights who were in the tent as well had the same thoughts.
A trap.
Based on the events so far, it was likely Bikpa was going to win this battle. All
it had to
do was wait. So why would the king of Bikpa suggest a tournament? If he wanted a
tournament to decide the fate of his kingdom, he would have suggested it before
Lucius the First crossed the border.
“I don’t understand what he is trying to do,” the Acreian emperor murmured.
Why did the Bikpa King, who abandoned and even plundered his own people suggest
a tournament all of sudden? Lucius the First couldn’t understand it.

When he brooded, Sir Bentier replied, “Your highness, it only makes sense that an
intelligent man such as yourself cannot understand an idiot’s reasoning.”
“Hmm…”
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“Will you be accepting this offer?”
The Bikpa King’s offer was as followed:
If Bikpa lost the tournament, it would surrender immediately. If it won the
tourney, Acreia
needed to leave the kingdom right away. It also promised that if Acreia attacked Oz
or
Mongsheim as it left, Bikpa would not go after the Acreian army from behind.
Of course, no one believed this promise.
Bikpa would not suggest a tournament if it thought that they were going to lose.
The
truth was, the knights from the northern kingdoms weren’t familiar with
tournaments. The
northern regions consisted of many mountains rather than flatlands and therefore,
the
northern men were more used to bows and arrows rather than the spears or swords.
On top of that, the northern kingdoms did not have recognizable orders of knights
unlike the kingdoms in the middle and southern regions. The royal families of
northern
regions had knights for protection, but not an actual division that consisted of
knights. It
was the same case for Lucius the First. He had many knights in his army, but not a
definite knights’ group.
Was this why Bikpa suggested a tournament? Because of this advantage alone?
Lucius the First agonized over that idea.
Chapter 43
The place and rules for this tournament were to be decided by Bikpa. A messenger
from the Yapa castle arrived that afternoon. When he saw Lucius the First, he gaped
in
shock. The people of Bikpa believed that the stories of Lucius the First’s beauty
to be
false rumors, so the messenger did not expect to meet such a gorgeous man.
Lucius the First, as well as the other knights, read over the documents carefully.
The rules
themselves seemed ordinary. Unfortunately, the Acreian men weren’t familiar with
the
tournament rules, so they read over them and discussed them among themselves.
Lucius the First asked, “So each kingdom is to send 10 of its knights. The Bikpa
and
Acreian knights will fight one on one, and whoever falls off the horse is the loser
and the
winner goes on immediately to fight the next opponent. Are these rules typical of a
tournament?”
“Yes, your highness. They sound about the same as the ones we have read from the
books.”
“Alright. And… each knight is to bring his own weapon… Do we even have any
horseback lances?”
He didn’t think so. Why would they have tournament-related weapons when they
didn’t even hold any tournaments? And even if they did have them, why would they
bring them to war?
Lucius the First began to wonder if he needed to get them made somehow when
suddenly, Sir Ainno replied, “I brought one, your highness.”
“Inno? You did?”
Sir Ainno has been with the emperor since they were children. For him to have a
weapon the emperor was unaware of surprised Lucius the First. Sir Ainno explained,
“The
former emperor was very kind when he complimented my skills in spear fighting. He
ordered me to travel the middle and southern regions and become a famous
tournament knight when I got the chance.”

It was a common occurrence for those knights in the middle and southern areas of
the
continent to participate in these tournaments to make names for themselves.
However,
this was a very rare idea in Acreia.
“Then Inno, have you been in a tournament before?” Lucius the First asked.
“I entered a few times under a different name, but not since the former emperor
passed away.”
“Oh, I see.”
It finally made sense to Lucius the First. As soon as he became the emperor, Sir
Ainno
has never left his sight, so he must’ve participated in these contests before his
coronation. At the time, Lucius thought Sir Ainno went to further practice his
battle skills
in the mountains; he never imagined Sir Ainno traveled the continent to enter
tournaments.
The emperor replied, “I’m impressed with your preparedness, Inno.”
“It is my duty to serve you as best as I can, your highness.”
Sir Ainno bowed gratefully and considered himself lucky. If Gali the Third didn’t
suggest
this idiotic tournament idea, he may have been criticized for bringing such a
useless
and heavy weapon to this war.
Very lucky indeed.
But with Sir Ainno with his experience and weapon, it still didn’t fix the problem
at hand.
A single knight with a single weapon couldn’t win against ten opponents. Lucius the
First
didn’t want to step into what was obviously a trap. He especially didn’t want to
risk Sir
Ainno’s life. Sir Ainno was his treasured knight and most of all, his friend.
Even if he had to waste 10 years waiting for the Yapa Castle to crumble, Lucius
believes
that it would be worth it if it would mean Sir Ainno’s safety. To the emperor, Sir
Ainno
was worth the time.

Lucius the First began to announce, “I think that in the end, I will not be
accepting this
offer…”
“Your highness, this tournament is our chance. It could lead us to a quick win with
minimal loss of our men. Please, your highness, trust your knights. Please trust
me. You
know I can do this. I, Sir Ainno, have never lost a swordfight, I have never fallen
off a
horse, and I have never missed a mark with my bow.”
Sir Ainno was determined to enter this contest. He was also determined not to lose.
Never. No matter who Bikpa sent, Sir Ainno was confident that he was going to win.
He
was Acreia’s greatest knight after all.
When Sir Ainno appeared to be confident and determined, Lucius the First changed
his
mind.
When the emperor announced the tournament, the Acreian knights went wild. Some
thought it was a joke to spar in the middle of a serious war while the others
worried that
they didn’t have enough if any, tournament experience to win this.
Lucius the First picked 9 knights who were known for their horse riding and spear
skills.
Even though Sir Ainno was certain he could win against 10 enemy knights, the
emperor
knew better.
Thankfully, the weapons were provided by the lord of the nearby Bikpa village who
was
sick of his own cowardly king. He even offered his own knights to teach the Acreian
men how to use the horseback lances.
The Lord said to Lucius the First, “I would love to offer my knights to fight on
your behalf,
your highness, but I am afraid we won’t win against Gali the Third’s men.”
“I’m sure you have strong knights.”
“Yes, but certainly not stronger than the king’s knights.”
The Lord, who used to be a knight himself, shrugged and explained that Gali the
Third
loved the tournaments. This was why he spent more money on these contests than on
his own military. Tournaments in this kingdom occurred often and the rewards for
each
were grand. Bikpa was known for the greatest tournament rewards on the continent.

Bikpa was ignored as a kingdom, but its tournaments were celebrated by all the
other
nations. The greatest knights gathered in this place to show off their skills. The
best of the
knights was offered great wealth to become one of Gali the Third’s personal guards.
These champions may not have been useful in real battles, but they were the best in
one-on-one horseback lance combat. The Lord then explained, “Your knights may be
skilled fighters, but their combat experience won’t help in a tournament.”
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“I see, but you would be surprised.”
As the Acreian knights practiced with the Bikpa men, they realized that they made a
mistake of underestimating their enemies. They were also thankful for whatever tips
they
could get. Even the briefest practice could be a big help.
Riding a horse while holding and fighting with a lance was indeed very difficult.
The
horse needed to be ridden at its full speed and the knight had to face the opponent
who was coming at him at that same full speed. The horses who weren’t trained in
tournaments often stopped in the middle when they saw another horse coming at
them. The Acreian knights had difficulty aiming accurately with the lance, which
was
very long and heavy.
Sir Rabi became frustrated. When he began to fling around his heavy lance easily,
the
men standing around him ran, fearing that they might get hit. The Bikpa knights who
were watching Sir Rabi were clearly impressed. They asked Lucius the First, “Is he
a man
or a monster?”
“That is Sir Rabi and he is one of my high-ranking knights.”
Sir Ainno looked confident compared to the other Acreian knights, but he also
looked
grim at the fact that he had to leave his emperor to participate in this
tournament.
When the Bikpa Lord saw how Sir Ainno rode the horse easily while wielding his
lance
expertly, he asked the emperor, “Who is he? How can a man be that strong and fast?”
“He is one of my best.”
Poliana watched the scene proudly.
Chapter 44
A temporary podium was made for Lucius the First to stand and watch his knights’
practice. When he saw Poliana nearby, he called for her and asked, “Is it hard for
you
to watch the practice because you are so short?”
“I’m not that short, your highness.”
It was true that other audiences’ heads were blocking her view. Poliana was tall
for a
woman, but she was certainly smaller than most northern soldiers. Sir Donau, who
was
now much taller than Poliana, walked towards them. His older brother, Sir Howe, was
one of the knights selected for the tournament, and Donau was both proud and
envious of him.
9 knights, including Sir Ainno, were selected for the tournament. An additional
nine
more knights were chosen as spares. The knights in the main group included the
following men.
Sir Ainno, who was acknowledged as the best knight in Acreia.
Sir Bentier, who hesitated to participate since he was the deputy commander but
ended up entering the contest because of his skills in spear combat.
Sir Rabi, who had the strength of a wild boar.
Sir Howe, a talented fighter who was hated by his sparring partners for his
sneakiness.
Sir Beke, who had the most potential as a good fighter among the young knights.

Sir Aeke, who wasn’t as good of a fighter as his brother but still a very
dependable
knight.
Sir Mahogal was also a decent fighter, but he was excluded because he was the
second in command of the emperor’s personal protection division. Sir Ainno, the
head
of the protection team, was going to be absent, which meant that they could not
spare any more of the emperor’s personal guards.
Those selected felt extremely proud because it meant they were recognized as the
best in the Acreian army. Sir Deke looked at his brothers proudly just as Donau
did.
Lucius the First gestured Sirs Donau and Deke to come closer as well. The temporary
podium squeaked as they stepped on it.
The emperor said to them, “I am still very concerned.”
“Why, your highness?”
“The Bikpa Lord told me that the armors for tournaments are much thicker than our
Acreian gears. This means that our knights need to win without getting hit even
once.
Inno may be an amazing fighter, but he cannot win over 10 professional tournament
knights. 10 champions… I am not even certain about what order I need to send our
men to fight.”
If Sir Ainno was the first to fight, he would lose his strength as he fought more
and more
men. It could be a huge problem if Gali the Third placed the strongest of his men
towards the end of the tournament.
Lucius the First knew that he was more likely to lose than win. He accepted this
idea
partly because Sir Ainno was determined to participate. However, the biggest reason
was that it would still be meaningless if he lost.
The King of Bikpa was truly stupid. He requested the Acreian army to leave his land
if he
won the contest, but all Lucius had to do was leave temporarily before declaring
another war and return. Most lords of Bikpa no longer accepted Gali the Third as
their
sovereign since, after all, their king abandoned them. The only people loyal to
Gali the
Third were those who were inside the Yapa castle. The only land he truly owned now
was the castle itself.
Even if Lucius the First lost the tournament and left the Bikpa border, he knew
that at
least, a dozen Bikpa lords would ask him for help in their rebellion towards their
king. All
Lucius the First had to do was to accept their plea and attack them again.
All he had to lose was a little bit of time. With the Bikpa lords’ help, perhaps it
might
even become easier the second time they attack.
“We are in the middle of a war and yet, we are here to practice for a tournament. I
guess Gali the Third is a romantic. A romantic who lives in his own dream,” Lucius
the
First muttered.
It was shameful indeed.
Poliana listened to her emperor attentively. Secretly, she felt the same way as Sir
Donau
and Sir Deke; she was envious of the knights who got to participate in the
tournament
but of course, she understood perfectly why she should not and could not be part of
it.
She acknowledged that these men were amazingly brave and strong knights. Their
skills
were well known around the kingdoms.
Poliana herself made significant achievements recently as well but unfortunately,
she
was known to the world in a negative way.
The new Acreian knight Poliana Winter; her name was used to mock Lucius the First.
A female knight who was given this rank because she was Lucius the First’s favored
mistress.
A knightess who rides men better than horses.
It was a common strategy to ridicule the opposing armies during wars. False rumors
ran
rampant all around the continent.
But it didn’t faze Poliana. Whenever she was met with jokes and ridicules like
these, she
fought back with her foul mouth that could even make the biggest men blush.
Her colleagues and her soldiers were on her side. When they faced a rumor about
her,
these men fought back as well.
“Have you any idea how ugly our knightess is? If you did, you would not say such
things!”
“She is so ugly that no men would ever want her! Therefore, all the rumors of her
being a
who*e are ridiculous!”
“Her hideous face will keep her virginity safe forever!”
“Our knightess is no woman! She is a knight and nothing more!”
Her men encouraged Poliana to ignore these rumors. They were truly and genuinely on
her side, but Poliana didn’t know how to feel about their comments, which were said
with good intentions but clearly insults themselves.
But in the end, Poliana didn’t feel hurt because the men were only trying to defend
her
reputation. Still, there were still times when she found it hard not to kick the
other knights
when they said horrible things to her.
“Sir Poliana! Do not feel disappointed! I am sure you will be able to get married
someday!”
“We all know that you aren’t a cheap who*e, Sir Poliana! Please don’t feel hurt by
the
rumors!”
‘Bastards.’
Sometimes, Poliana couldn’t tell if these men were truly on her side.
But what worried her the most was the fact that her name was being used to mock
Lucius the First. The emperor hasn’t mentioned anything about it yet, and when
someone did bring up the subject, he angrily ignored it.
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Lucius the First was indeed a wise and kind emperor.
Poliana felt sorry for the people of Bikpa, ‘How awful it must be to have a stupid
king like
Gali the Third.’
But at least, these people now had hope. Lucius the First was going to conquer this
kingdom and take care of the poor people of Bikpa just as he did for Aehas, Kukda,
and Bebero.
And this was the truth. The people of these conquered kingdoms now revered Lucius
the First as a godsend. The tax rates were dropped, and everyone was treated
fairly.
The chance of internal rebellion was minimal inside these kingdoms.
The great emperor Lucius the First.
Poliana tried to never miss a word her leader said. Then suddenly, he said
something
that made her speechless.
“Hmm… Sir Poliana, now that Inno will be temporarily unavailable to protect me,
will
you take on the duty for a while?”
“Pardon?!”
Chapter 45
Poliana felt so embarrassed that she wanted to hide. Her emperor had a talent for
surprising her like this. Then, Lucius the First asked, “Sir Poliana, you should
take over Sir
Ainno’s duty and protect me until the end of this tournament.”
Did the emperor see her envy and jealousy towards the other knights? Was she that
easy to read? Did he think she was being petty?
Only the best of the best had the honor of becoming the emperor’s personal guard.
It
had to be a knight who came from a well-trusted family, who proved his combat
skills,
who had an acceptable appearance, and who had impeccable manners. The head
of the emperor’s personal guards even had the special privilege to disobey the
emperor’s order when necessary.
A foreigner such as Poliana certainly was not fit to take this esteemed position,
even
temporarily.
Yet here he was, Lucius the First, offering her this post.
‘I-is he joking?’
Poliana studied him carefully, but she couldn’t see any smile on his face. In fact,
the
emperor looked serious and she couldn’t disappoint him. Sir Mahogal, who was
standing behind the emperor, didn’t say a word. Poliana kneeled quickly in front of
him,
saying, “I am honored, your highness.”
“Thank you.”
But of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy.

“I am against it. This cannot happen.”

No one asked him, but when he found out, Sir Ainno disagreed loudly. Both Poliana
and
Lucius the First weren’t surprised at his reaction.
Most of the knights now respected Poliana and treated her well. Some seemed to feel
awkward around her, but they still accepted her as one of them.
In public, most men now called her Sir Poliana, including Sir Rabi. Informally,
some men
still called her names but then again, men called each other names all the time
anyway. Sir Rabi often called many of his soldiers “bastards” and “idiots.” It was
a
normal practice in any army; it was even considered as an affectionate gesture.
Sir Ainno was the only knight who refused to call Poliana by her rank. He, in fact,
rarely
called for her. If he had no choice but to address her, Sir Ainno called her “that
woman,” “b*tch,” or “the girl.” It was clear that he did not like her at all.
It was no wonder that he disliked her. First of all, Poliana’s existence in the
military itself
was unhelpful to Lucius the First’s reputation. Sir Ainno especially hated the
rumor that
Poliana was knighted because the emperor was smitten with her.
Sir Ainno stomped his feet in the presence of the emperor because he was so
furious.
Why couldn’t this woman be beautiful? If she was, this situation wouldn’t be as
embarrassing! The enemies would in fact envy them!
As the people began to hear about Poliana’s unsightly look, especially next to the
beautiful Lucius the First, another strange rumor started. It was that the Acreian
emperor
had a bizarre fetish for ugly women. Sir Ainno hated this misunderstanding. He has
known Lucius the First a very long time and he knew without a doubt that his
emperor
liked beautiful women!
On top of it all, Sir Ainno hated the fact that Poliana was a foreigner. Poliana
agreed
that this position was too big of honor for her, but she also could not deny her
emperor.
To appease Sir Ainno, Poliana said to him, “As his highness himself is an excellent
swordsman, I am sure I am not even needed. His highness is obviously a much better
warrior than I am. I am only standing in your position in name, Sir Ainno, so
please do
not worry.”
“How can you take this position to protect his highness when you yourself admit
that
you are weaker than the emperor?!”
Lucius the First interrupted the conversation with a smile as he said, “Sir Poliana
is right.
Even if Sir Poliana herself attacks me while I sleep, I will be able to fight her
off very
easily. So you don’t have to worry that Sir Poliana might betray us, Inno. Stop
opposing
this idea. It’s an order.”
“Your highness!”
Lucius the First then turned around and walked away. He went back to his room,
which
was provided in the castle located in the nearby village. When Sir Ainno tried to
follow
him, the emperor’s personal guards stopped him.
“Step aside!” Sir Ainno yelled angrily.

“We are sorry, Sir, but this is his highness’s order. We cannot let you follow
him.”
While Sir Ainno argued with the guards, Lucius the First opened the door slightly
again
and peaked in. He whispered to Poliana, “Why aren’t you following me, Sir Poliana?”
“Oh, I apologize!”
Sir Ainno saw this interaction and his face crumpled angrily. Feeling guilty
towards him
but having no other choice, Poliana left to follow the emperor.
Being alone in the room with Lucius the First and still be allowed to keep her
sword with
her, Poliana felt mystified. She still felt guilty towards Sir Ainno, but she
couldn’t help also
feeling immensely proud.
When Poliana stood around awkwardly near the door because she didn’t know what
to do, Lucius the First gave her permission to sit.
“Sir Poliana, please do not think too much about what I said to Inno. I didn’t mean
it as
an insult to your skills or your loyalty.”
“Not at all, your highness! If I can sacrifice my life for you, it would be my
honor!”
“All I was trying to do was to take away a little bit of the burden from Inno’s
shoulders,
but it seems I have caused him even more stress…”
It was true. Unintentionally, the emperor was making Sir Ainno become tenser. The
reason why Lucius the First chose Poliana among so many other more qualified
knights
was for a personal reason. He didn’t expect all of his knights to become friends,
but the
emperor still believed that Sir Ainno had to change his attitude towards Poliana.
To repair their relationship, something positive was needed to happen between Sir
Ainno and Poliana and for something to happen, they needed to spend more time with
each other. This was why Lucius the First assigned Poliana as his temporary guard,
but it
seemed that his plan backfired.
Poliana felt a little disappointed because it seemed that the emperor gave her this
duty
for Sir Ainno’s sake, not hers, but she quickly felt ashamed of herself because she
was
being too greedy. It only made sense that the emperor would care more about his
long-time loyal knight than a foreigner.
Her thoughts must have shown on her face because Lucius the First said to her
quietly, “I
hope you aren’t too disappointed.”
“Not at all, your highness!”

Poliana stood up clumsily, making the emperor laugh. He then replied, “Anyway, it
is
what it is. Please stay with this during this shift and protect me, Sir Poliana. I
believe in
you.”
“I will do my best, your highness!”
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“And starting tomorrow, you can learn the details of this position from the other
guards.”
Lucius the First waved at her to take a seat again. He told her to relax, but
Poliana
continued to sit with her back straight as a spear. The emperor had nothing to do
at the
moment, so he took the opportunity to ask Poliana about her personal life.
Details of how she came to become a knight…
About the old knight who taught her as a child…
And all the books that she read over the years…
Lucius the First was an avid reader. He loved to read and at any time he could
find, he
spent it on reading. Poliana read many books as well, but it was only about
battles. As
she talked to the emperor, Poliana realized that she had so much more to learn.
The emperor said to her, “I like people who strive to improve themselves, but I
also like
people who are lazy from time to time. I know that you, Sir Poliana, never waste a
second, but I think what you really need is to take a moment for yourself, to
breathe. It
will help you get better in the long run.”
Their conversation continued, and somehow, Poliana was able to get a sparring date
with the emperor. Any disappointment she felt melted away like snow under the sun.
Chapter 46
The next day, Sir Ainno, sweating heavily from his tournament practice, ordered her
angrily, “Follow me!” When she did, the other knights looked at her
sympathetically.
As they walked, Poliana saw how drenched he was. She said to him, “Sir Ainno, you
look like you need to take a rest.”
“I will not allow an idiot to stand by his highness, so I will give you a special
lesson to
prepare you better.”
“Sir, you just completed a round vigorous training. You really need to rest now.”
“You!”
Sir Ainno looked at Poliana up and down and suddenly, he hit her head hard.
It hurt, and she was no longer in a helpless position like before. After all, she
was a knight
and she belonged to Sir Rabi, not Sir Ainno. She had all the right to protest.
“Why did you just hit me?!”
“Do you really think you can be near his highness looking like that! Go wash
yourself!
You are filthy!”
“But I washed a week ago!”
Sir Ainno’s eyes wavered in shock, making Poliana wonder, ‘What’s so shocking?’
Poliana couldn’t understand his reaction. A servant was walking by and Sir Ainno
loudly
ordered him to fill up a tub.
“With cold water. Actually, fill it with hot water since it washes better! And get
her some
four strong women too!”
“Sir Ainno, what are you trying to do?”
“Do you at least brush your teeth, woman?”
Poliana knew very well how important teeth were for everyone. It was common for
soldiers to lose their teeth from injuries, which meant it was especially important
for
military men to take care of their teeth. Poliana herself lost a molar because of
Sir
Ainno, and ever since, she has been taking special care of her teeth.
She answered confidently, “I brush them with salt five times a day.”
“Thank god.”
Sir Ainno seemed relieved before glaring at her again. He ordered loudly to the
servants, “Get this girl cleaned right now!”
A bathtub was prepared outside. The servants and the maids were shocked because it
was to bathe a woman, not a man. A wife of a lord from the nearby village offered
her
own bathroom when she heard the news, but Sir Ainno stubbornly refused, claiming
that her bathroom would be dirtied beyond repair.
Shocked, the lord’s wife sent her own maids to help with the process. She also
insisted
that at the very least, the bathtub should be placed indoors. In the end, it was
placed
in a storage room and the windows were all covered for privacy.
A few lanterns were placed inside for light. Poliana grumbled loudly as she took
off her
clothes quickly, shocking the maids again.
A woman who knew no shame.
But Poliana was a knight and there was no place for shyness or embarrassment in
wars.
If necessary, she had to be ready to fight naked.
When she was fully naked, the maids were shocked again.
“Oh my god, she was really a woman?!”
“I thought that she was a man too…”

Half the maids seemed disappointed for some reason, while the other half seemed
surprised. There were so many different rumors about Poliana that the maids became
excited to find out the truth. They began to chat all at once.
“Oh my, you aren’t as ugly as some claimed!”
“Sir Knightess, you look so handsome!”
“Well, for me, I am disappointed because I was hoping you would be like his
highness.
You know, beautiful.”
The maids also whispered that the lord’s wife became upset when she saw Lucius the
First. She was considered the most beautiful lady in the region, but when she saw
how
beautiful the Acreian emperor was, she felt ashamed of herself. Poliana understood
perfectly how that must have felt, so she nodded emphatically.
All four tubs of water were needed to wash Poliana and it took most of the day for
the
maids to clean her. When there was no more hot water, the maids became
disappointed because there was still more washing that needed to be done. When
they suggested that they ask the kitchen to boil more water, Poliana announced
loudly,
“No more!”
Her skin stung and she couldn’t take it anymore. When the maids began to rub in oil
on
her body, Poliana jumped in shock. Her skin was just cleaned, so why were they
putting
on smelly stuff on her body?
“That hurts! Stop!” She complained.
“Stay still, Sir Poliana. I can’t believe how rough your skin is.”
“But the oil smells like flowers. What if the enemy dogs detect me while I am in
the
middle of a surprise attack?”
“It’s called perfume, Sir Poliana. Hold still.”
The maids ignored her protest and continued rubbing in oil on her hair and her
body.
Poliana hated that oily feeling. When she began to wipe herself off with a dry
towel, the
maids stopped her.
“We just gave you our lady’s personal stash of oils! Do you know how expensive it
is?!”
When she was told it was an expensive oil, Poliana decided to let it stay on her
skin. Her
clothes were taken away to be washed. When Poliana protested, saying her leather
armor shouldn’t be washed with water, the maids replied that a soldier took it so
he
must know what to do with it.
The maids offered her a lady’s robe, making Poliana frown. She feared that she
might
have no choice but to wear it, but she quickly realized that it didn’t fit her.
For a woman, Poliana was very tall. She was slim but very muscular. She had no fat
on
her body but her shoulders were broad and her arms and chests were well muscled.
Her body shape was definitely very different than the others. The robe didn’t fit
her at
all, and even if they brought a bigger one, it wouldn’t work. On top of that, the
dress
just did not suit Poliana. With her discolored skin and shaven head, she looked
creepy in
a skirt.
In the end, men’s clothes were brought in for her. It was a bit too big for her,
but it still fits
her better. In fact, she looked like a decent looking young man in it. Both Poliana
and
the maids couldn’t understand why she looked scary in a skirt, but almost handsome
in
pants.
Looking at the mirror, Poliana wondered, ‘I… I guess I WAS really dirty…?’

But it was normal for any soldier not to be able to bathe often. In fact, washing
once a
week was considered very clean.
For example, Poliana’s superior Sir Rabi hated water on his skin altogether. He
avoided
bathing himself at all costs.
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On her way back to her tent, she spotted Sir Rabi, who was sweating heavily as Sir
Ainno did. Sir Rabi was playing with the military dogs. Poliana greeted him and
said to
him, “Sir, you look tired. You should go take a rest.”
Sir Rabi looked up at her and replied, “Who are you?”
“…”
“I’m joking, Sir Poliana.”
“Was I… that filthy? I thought I was ok.”
“Not at all, Sir Pol. You are actually one of the cleanest soldiers I know. And you
brush
your teeth five times a day! I was just kidding because I have never seen you in
regular
clothes.”
The dogs licked Sir Rabi, making him laugh. As far as Poliana knew, the last time
Sir Rabi
washed was when it rained and even then, all he did was barely wet his body with
the
rain. She remembered Sir Baufallo shaking in disgust when he talked about how
filthy Sir
Rabi was.
Just then, Sir Howe walked by with Sir Donau, who then exclaimed, “Wow, Sir
Poliana.
You look so clean.”
Chapter 47
Sir Donau and Sir Howe used the rooms next to Poliana, so they met each other
often.
Like their father Sir Baufallo, the boys liked to keep themselves cleaner than most
men
on the base. They also never visited the prostitutes like everyone else for the
same
reason.
The brothers were curious about Poliana’s new duty. When she first complained about
how she was treated by Sir Ainno, the brothers nodded and replied, “That’s normal
for
those rude guards. They think they are better than everyone else.”
“That’s right. And the guards spend too much time on their appearances.”
Donau looked at his older brother and said to him, “But you do too, bro.”
“I’m different. Not like them at all, and what angers me the most is the fact that
all of
the guards are very strong. It’s not fair.”
“And they all come from good families.”
“That’s right. Their families are all wealthy nobles. It must be so nice to be
rich. How
about their uniform? It’s blue so if they get any blood on it, it looks noticeable.
It’s not
practical at all, but they refuse to change it. I heard that if it gets dirty, they
would just
buy themselves a new one.”
Both of them chattered excitedly and Poliana joined in, saying, “I washed a week
ago,
so doesn’t that mean I’m still clean? I can’t believe Sir Ainno called me ‘filthy!’
He
ordered the maids to ‘wash me,’ like I’m a dirty piece of cloth that needs to be
laundered.”
“That’s awful.”

“Totally!”
Even if the men belonged to the same army, there was a subtle tension between the
regular knights and the emperor’s guards. They considered each other colleagues and
they, of course, respected each other, but the knights were secretly jealous of the
guards.
The emperor’s personal guards consisted of good-looking young men from good
families. Because they protected the emperor, these guards had huge pride in their
positions and sometimes looked down on the other knights. During a war, the guards
and the knights were treated equally but during peaceful times, the guards had
higher
ranks.
And most of all, their blue uniforms looked amazing.
“I want to wear that uniform too,” Sir Donau muttered.
He was clearly envious. Sir Howe, feeling the same way, shook his head and said to
his
brother, “Forget it.”
“Why don’t you try out to become a guard?” Poliana asked.
“We are from a family of knights.”
It wasn’t impossible, but it was very unlikely that these brothers would be
accepted.
Poliana became a bit nervous. The position given to her was temporary, but it still
obviously meant a great deal. Lucius the First was giving her great honor, and she
knew
she had to do her best not to disappoint her emperor.
How a guard was expected to behave was vastly different than that of a knight.
Poliana never considered herself to be ignorant of good manners and etiquette. She
was known to be cold and stiff but as a soldier or a knight, her manners were
accepted
as decent.
But as the emperor’s personal guard, much more was expected from her. There were
separate protocols to follow when it came to being a royal guard.
Poliana found it especially difficult since she was used to being on the front, but
it had
to be done.
When Sir Ainno saw her in clean clothes and looking cleaner, he nodded.
Now, the next step was training.
Sir Ainno ordered one of the royal guards, “Before I come back, make sure you teach
her how to behave like a human.”
“You are being rude to me, Sir Ainno,” Poliana protested.
“I will treat you better once you learn your manners, woman.”
“I doubt that.”
Sir Rabi often called his men “bastards.” He would yell, “You bastards are too
lazy! Run,
idiots, run! Run until you can hear your balls sing!” He addressed her as “Sir
Poliana” in a
formal setting, but he also called her the same names during work.

When Poliana retorted that she didn’t have any balls, Sir Rabi answered her, “Then
run
until your nonexistent balls sing.” She didn’t know how to respond to him.
The royal guards worked with 8-hour shifts. The guard that was ordered to teach
Poliana
was taking his break time to help her, so Poliana did her best to learn as quickly
as
possible.
The first lesson was as followed.
A royal guard represents the emperor, therefore, one must always be clean, look
acceptable, and have faultless manners.
“This means you need to speak like a gentleman,” the guard explained to her.
Indeed, the guard spoke softly and never swore, but what about Sir Ainno?
“What about Sir Ainno?” Poliana asked.
“Our leader doesn’t speak much.”
Poliana had no choice but to agree. Sir Ainno firmly believed that action spoke
louder
than words. He would punch or kick someone before swearing at them.
Although she did not learn these new etiquettes, Poliana knew why it was necessary.
A
royal guard, who remained by the emperor’s side all the time, could and should not
act
like a callous soldier. At least, Poliana knew that this was only a temporary
position. She
wasn’t someone who would be allowed to remain by her emperor’s side this closely.
Poliana never learned these royal etiquettes because it wasn’t necessary. The old
knight never taught her about this. So speaking softly with pretty words made her
feel
uncomfortable. Thankfully, the guard explained to her that the Acreian etiquettes
were
least strict in the entire continent.
It was a good thing that the Acreian emperor was conquering and uniting their
lands.
When it was time for the next shift, the guard handed her an outfit. It wasn’t the
blue
uniform because she didn’t officially belong to the royal guards. The cloth she was
wearing currently was the same one from yesterday, the one she got after her bath.
It
was still clean, and it wasn’t crumpled either. So why was the guard getting her to
change?
When Poliana studied the clothes, the guard explained, “As I said before, a royal
guard
must always look clean and neat.”
“Alright.”
“I will root for you, Sir Poliana. I am sure Sir Ainno will someday call you by
your proper
rank and name.”
The guard smiled kindly. Just like all the other royal guards, he was tall and
handsome.
Even his voice was a nice baritone, and Poliana had no doubt that he was much
stronger than her. She blushed at his smile. It wasn’t that she wanted him, she
just felt a
little shy.
When she entered the emperor’s room, she immediately began to use what she just
learned. She bowed properly and her posture was straight. She was a natural.
Lucius the First watched her quietly and grinned. Poliana assumed that she had done
a
decent job.
“I heard that Inno treated you like a dirty piece of laundry yesterday,” the
emperor
said.

“I apologize, your highness, for being so dirty yesterday.”

“No worries. Besides, Sir Poliana, you weren’t that dirty. I thought you were one
of the
cleaner knights in the base.”
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‘I knew it!’
Her suspicion was confirmed. It wasn’t that she was unusually dirty; Sir Ainno just
had an
unusually high standard. He was being too clean.
Lucius the First shrugged his shoulders and continued, “The royal guards work a
little
differently than the regular knights. Inno… I hope you don’t take Inno’s words and
behaviors personally. Inno thinks that because he is better than everyone, everyone
else needs to work harder to satisfy his standards. Inno works very hard, just like
you and
I, Sir Poliana, but he is a bit different than us. Inno is full of talents and
whatever he
doesn’t have, he will do everything he can to achieve it…”
The emperor narrowed his eyes and watched the window. Sir Ainno was in the middle
of his practice again. Unlike the other knights, who could barely wield their
lances, Sir
Ainno never missed his target. The speed at which he rode his horse was much
faster.
As Sir Ainno won the practice games over and over again, the audience cheered
loudly.
The perfect Sir Ainno…
After quietly watching for a while, Lucius the First pointed at him and muttered,
“He is so
annoying.”
Poliana nodded in agreement.
Chapter 48
Being Lucius the First’s guard was an easy job physically, however, it was mentally
exhausting. Feeling her neck and shoulders turning stiff, Poliana stretched them.
She
was on her short break, and soon, it was going to be time for her lesson again.
Today’s topic was how to act when an enemy approached the emperor. The first thing
to learn was how to tell if someone had harmful intentions towards them. Poliana
then
asked, “And how do I learn how to read people?”
“It’s mostly based on experiences. There are some rare people who are born with the
sense as well.”
“It sounds very hard.”
“Yes. It’s the hardest thing to learn. You just never know who might attack his
highness. It
could be anyone, even those favored by the emperor.”
Poliana wasn’t afraid of hard physical work, but to learn how to observe and read
people… That was a whole different skill, and she knew that she didn’t have it. She
never learned it or practiced it because she didn’t need to in the past.
She knew that trying to learn it right now would be impossible. The guard knew it
as well,
so he said to her, “If in doubt, you just have to act like our boss.”
Sir Ainno! Of course!
“Action before words!”

Poliana nodded, her fists clenched in agreement, and the guard praised her, “That’s
exactly it! All you have to do is beat the person up first! Even if it turns out
that you were
wrong about that person, all you have to say is that you did it to protect the
emperor!
No one will be able to blame you.”
All the royal guards were rather violent, most likely because they were led by Sir
Ainno.
After all, it was he who caused Poliana to lose a molar. He also broke her nose,
which
healed crookedly. Sometimes when she drank a glass of cold water, all her teeth
felt
sensitive. She would still miss it every time she would chew on a piece of meat.
The guard was an excellent teacher. Sir Ainno, who was on his break, was watching
nearby. He nodded in satisfaction and added, “You can also beat up lazy and rude
people.”
“Huh?”
“Anyone you don’t like, you can just beat them up. It doesn’t matter what their
ages or
ranks are. Well, I guess you shouldn’t hit children and elderlies since they might
die. And
once you do this a few times, people will learn not to do anything stupid in front
of you.”
Sir Ainno also added that she already had the moves down.
“You just have to do what you do best.”
Poliana’s specialty was muscle and joint assault. She didn’t have enough strength
to
break bones, but she was trained to do maximum damages on men much bigger than
her. She couldn’t kill anyone with her bare hands, but she could cause enough pain
that felt worse than death.
Sir Ainno pointed at her crotch with a knowing look and Poliana understood
immediately what he meant. The “lesson” she taught Donau was respected by
everyone on the base. Anyone who showed even the slightest disrespect to the
emperor deserved the same treatment.
On this subject, Sir Ainno and Poliana agreed completely. According to Sir Aiino,
the
only person who was allowed to be cheeky around the emperor was Duke Luzo.
Poliana had the permission to beat anyone and everyone else she thought that had an
unacceptable behavior.
Poliana liked that a lot.
When she was with Lucius the First in his room with her sword still in her
scabbard,
Poliana felt an overwhelming pride. Sometimes, when she thought that the emperor
wasn’t watching her, she would place her hand over the hilt of her sword and glare
at
the door as if she was getting ready for an intruder.

Lucius the First found Poliana, who acted like a little girl receiving a gift,
adorable. The
reason why he assigned the royal guard duty to her was to unburden his friend Sir
Ainno, so when Poliana seemed extremely happy and honored, Lucius felt happy and
a little apologetic at the same time.
But overall, he liked to see how happy she was about this position.
As she spent more time with the emperor, Poliana learned a lot about Lucius the
First.
The biggest surprise was his personality. She always thought he was a serious and
thoughtful king, but now, she realized that there were different sides to him she
never
saw before.
He was a young man who had a huge ambition of uniting the continent. He was a hard
worker and an extremely handsome man.
The emperor was well aware of how beautiful he was, and he also knew how to use it
to his advantage. He was very sensitive about his looks, much more so than Poliana
ever was about hers. Every morning, Lucius the First asked Poliana which outfit
looked
best on him. To her, all of them looked great on her emperor, so she found it very
difficult to answer his question.
“Of these two outfits, which one do you think works best for me, Sir Poliana?”
“You would look beautiful even if you wear a dirty towel, your highness.”
“That’s not the answer I was looking for.”
Just like the other young men his age, the emperor would get annoyed easily.
Lucius the First was gorgeous and he knew that his men were proud of his beauty.
Oddly, his soldiers were delighted with his look, and the emperor was only too
happy to
oblige his men by making sure that he always looked presentable.
And it wasn’t just for his soldiers. Lucius the First personally believed in
staying on top of
the latest fashion. He considered it an embarrassment to wear unfashionable
clothes.

When Lucius the First realized Poliana was going to be no help when it came to
style, he
began to ask other guards instead. When they answered skillfully and to the
emperor’s
satisfaction, Poliana made sure to listen carefully so she could learn about it.
As Lucius the First’s guard, she was able to meet many different people. She became
acquainted with not just other guards and knights, but the emperor’s scribes and
servants too.
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Technically, the emperor’s personal servants had higher ranks than Poliana. They
all
seemed so sophisticated and well-learned that Poliana found it hard to interact
with
them. So instead, she became closer to the scribes.
During their breaks, Poliana and the Scribe Momo chatted together. Momo
complained loudly, “No matter how diligently we, the scribes, record his highness’s
beauty, it won’t be enough. No one will believe it, not to the true extent anyway!
The
people of the future who would read our work would think that we’re just
exaggerating!
It makes me feel so sad that our future generations won’t know how gorgeous our
emperor is!”
Now that she thought about it, Poliana felt the same way. Her emperor was the most
stunning man in the world, but his beauty would most likely be forgotten in the
future.
When she mentioned her fear to the other knights, they all agreed to with her. Sir
Rabi,
who had children, finally said to her, “This is why having children is very
important. The
people in the future will be able to tell by our descendants’ looks, right? Do you
have
any idea how adorable my daughters are?”
Apparently, Sir Rabi had two cute daughters and a handsome son. He claimed that
they were all amazing loud-voiced kids.
Poliana studied Sirs Aeke, Beke, and Deke. Because they were brothers, there was a
clear resemblance between them. Sirs Howe and Donau must’ve resembled their
mother because they didn’t look like Sir Baufallo, but they still had distinct
similarities
with their father.
Suddenly, Poliana thought of her own family.
The family she hasn’t thought about for a long time.
Chapter 49
Poliana’s mother died right after giving birth to her. She had seen her mother’s
face
only on a portrait. Painters were often very kind to their paintings by making sure
whoever they were painting looked their best, so the fact that Poliana’s mother
wasn’t
a beauty even on a painting suggested that she was most likely an unattractive
woman. Poliana could see a clear resemblance between her and her mother.
Mysteriously, Poliana’s father became unable to sire any more children. Her
stepmother
wasn’t related to her, so she didn’t count. Her stepsister Liana was a beauty, but
they
weren’t alike at all. They didn’t share any habits or patterns as most siblings
have.
Because she didn’t spend much time with them, Poliana didn’t see them as her
family.
It was especially truer now since she was no longer an Aehasian.
The old knight was more like her family. They, in fact, shared more similarities,
but the old
knight was dead. Poliana had no family now.
But the important thing now was this; the emperor’s wife, the future empress, had
to be
an amazing beauty. Poliana felt certain of it. It had to be a woman who wouldn’t be
outshined when she stood next to Lucius the First.
Lucius the First would have been considered the most eligible bachelor even if he
was
an ugly man. After all, he untied the northern kingdoms. He was an emperor like no
other and therefore, he needed a woman who was kind, generous, beautiful, and who
was healthy enough to bear many magnificent children.
Perhaps it would be a princess from a good kingdom.
This was how all Lucius the First’s knights felt, but the emperor felt it little
differently. It
would be nice to marry a pretty woman, but her appearance wasn’t a priority for
him.
As long as she didn’t look like a monster, he would be fine with it.
What he considered more important was a woman’s wisdom, personality, and of
course, her ability to bear children.
He was going to be the ruler of the entire continent. This meant that he could have
all
the beautiful mistresses he wanted, so what he wanted from his empress wasn’t how
attractive she was.
Because Lucius the First didn’t share his view with the knights, none of them knew
what
their emperor truly wanted. They weren’t close enough to the emperor for him to
share
his personal thoughts at them. The only knight close enough to him was Sir Ainno,
and
he didn’t have to be told about it because he knew his emperor very well.
Poliana imagined what kind of empress she would want to serve. She wanted someone
that could be compared to Lucius the First’s beauty, but no matter how hard she
tried,
the only beautiful face Poliana could think of was her emperor’s. She had never
seen a
woman who was more or even as beautiful as him.
Poliana tried to imagine the more beautiful versions of the ladies she had seen in
her
life, and finally, she came up with a decent face. She felt so happy just imagining
the
beautiful wedding and the future princesses and princes as she smiled widely.
‘It’s going to be so nice.’
Poliana knew it was silly to imagine these things, but she couldn’t help it. She
wondered
how beautiful Lucius the First’s daughter would be. He would be the most beautiful
prince on the continent with the greatest emperor as her father and a kind beauty
as
her mother.
This princess would be the most loved lady in the continent. She could have a
beautiful
face, a fragile and feminine body, a songbird of a voice, and kind eyes. Someone
who
all the knights would pledge their loyalty to.
A perfect lady.

Lucius the First suddenly noticed that his guard Poliana was smiling creepily,
making him
flinch in shock. She looked like she was having an inappropriate and dirty thought,
which was very unlike her.
“Sir Poliana, what are you thinking about?” The emperor asked.
“I was imagining how beautiful your highness’s princess would be.”
It was a common occurrence for Lucius the First to hear his subjects ramble about
his
future children when he wasn’t even married yet. He nodded calmly and seriously.
His future daughter…. If she resembled him, then…
“Yes. If she resembled me, my future daughter would be the most beautiful girl on
the
continent. It makes sense since I am the most handsome man in the world and I can
tell
you, Sir Poliana, that it is very nice to be beautiful. It makes many people
happy,” Lucius
the First jokingly replied to her.
“Indeed, your highness, you are so very beautiful!”
Poliana replied emphatically, surprising the emperor. He was only joking, but it
seemed
that this knight took it very seriously. It was an unfortunately common occurrence
for
him. Because he was the emperor, his subjects often took his jokes very seriously.

Sir Ainno once told Lucius the First that it wasn’t because he was the emperor, but
it was
because his jokes were no good. The emperor didn’t believe his friend, thinking
that
Inno was just jealous of his sense of humor.
Lucius the First then explained to Poliana, “I was just kidding.”
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“But your highness, it can’t be a joke because you are truly very beautiful!”
“… you can be so strange, Sir Poliana.”
“Your jokes too, your highness.”
Since she was temporarily appointed as a guard, Poliana has been spending a third
of
her day with the emperor every day. Slowly, she was getting used to the emperor’s
odd
jokes. She learned that Lucius the First had a strange sense of humor, which
sometimes
made his subjects very uncomfortable. The emperor didn’t mean to make anyone feel
awkward; he was only trying to be friendly, but those who didn’t understand him
found
it difficult to deal with his odd jokes.
Because Poliana didn’t want to look weak, she decided to joke back brazenly, and
curiously, Lucius the First seemed to like this very much.
‘I can’t understand him at all… But it must be because he is a genius.’
She knew it. She has known it from the beginning. Lucius the First was brilliant.
A mastermind in every sense.
Chapter 50
Elegance couldn’t easily be learned, but Poliana was confident in nailing down good
posture.
When she finally got her manners up to standard, Sir Ainno began to nitpick about
her
appearance and hygiene, which was unreasonable for her. For example, she would
show up with her face and hair washed, but Sir Ainno would swear at her that her
hair
looked dirty. Her last bath was only a few days ago, but he insisted that she
needed to
take another hot bath again. Poliana couldn’t help her frustration.
But in the end, she had no choice but to follow his orders. Sir Ainno said that it
was the
rule for the royal guards to follow the same hygiene standard as that of a
nobleman.
One day, Donau suggested to Poliana, “Now, all you have to do is to let your hair
grow.
If you do, people will no longer mistake you as a man.”
Poliana hasn’t had long hair since she was a little girl, and she didn’t want to
start now.
When she scratched her hair hesitantly, Donau begged her, “Please, Poliana, let
your
hair grow. I am so sick of people confusing you for a man. Sometimes, I even feel
like I
should call you ‘Bro.'”
“You can if you want to.”
“That’s not the point, Sis!”
Donau now sometimes called Poliana “Sis.” He was sick of having a brother. Now that
he finally had someone that could be like his big sister, he felt like didn’t need
another
brother. Donau knew the pain of having a big brother, and he secretly felt sorry
for Sir
Deke, who had the misfortune of having two.
Donau pointed at Poliana’s hair, which was shorter than most men on the base.

“It’s so short! Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

It was true that in summers and winters, short hair could be unpleasant, but she
kept it
very short for one reason; it was easier to wash it and keep it clean. Even though
her
newly adopted brother begged her, Poliana refused to change her mind. Her
reasoning was simple; if another outbreak of lice or bedbugs occurred, everyone was
going to be ordered to shave their hair anyway. What would be the point of her
growing her hair long and going through the frustration of taking care of it?
On top of that, if she did get longer hair, she knew that the other men would
criticize
her for it. She knew that they would either laugh at her, thinking that she wants
to look
feminine, or insist that she takes proper care of it, like washing it and brushing
it regularly
until it shined.
It was odd how men had an obsession with women’s hair, a great example would be
her stepsister, Liana, who had long shiny hair. She called it golden, but Poliana
knew it
was at best a light brown one. Everyone in the household talked about her hair all
the
time. Any men that visited their house also always mentioned how beautiful she kept
her hair.
Men didn’t care about their own hair. They didn’t care if men shaved their heads or
if
they let it grow long, so why was it that everyone was fixated with a woman’s hair?
Poliana knew that she wouldn’t be able to take proper care of it, so she was
determined to keep it extra short. She lived with it for the past 10 years. It
served her
very well and even if she began now to let her hair grow, she knew that she
wouldn’t
last very long and would end up cutting it short again.
Because her head was practically shaved, the shape of her head was very obvious. It
was very round, and one day, Lucius the First found a slightly depressed area on
it. It
didn’t look like she was born with it; it looked like it was formed from an
accident or an
assault.
“Sir Poliana, what is that on your head?”
“This dent is from being hit by a hammer when I was in the Aehas’ army. I was lucky
to
be wearing my helmet at the time. If I wasn’t, I would’ve died.”
Lucius the First found it interesting so he touched it. With Poliana’s very short
hair, almost
a stubble, touching the dented area felt oddly satisfying. The emperor seemed to
have
found it amusing because he kept touching it over and over again. Poliana stayed
still
and let him have his fun. This happened some times when people wanted to touch the
area and as long as the intent wasn’t inappropriate, Poliana was ok with it. She
knew
that her emperor found it amusing, nothing more.
When Lucius the First finally had his fill, he pulled back his hand and replied, “I
guess you
were indeed very lucky to survive it.”
“And I didn’t get a bald spot either.”
Poliana supposed that if she did get a bald spot, she might have grown her hair
long to
hide it. The emperor then added, “I was wondering why you were so strict about
wearing your helmet, and now I understand. It was because of that incident.”
Until Poliana was assigned as his guard, they never had the chance to get to know
each other. But with this new position, they were learning so much. Lucius the
First liked
what he learned of Poliana as a person. Poliana, on the other hand, was already
very
loyal to him to begin with, and her feelings for him didn’t change.
Lucius the First nodded as he studied her short hair.
“Now that I see it up close, I can see that you have blond hair, Sir Poliana.”
“It’s actually light brown.”
“Not golden?”
“My younger sister has light brown hair, so yes. And as it gets longer, it will
probably
darken.”
Poliana knew that she, or anyone else in the world, wouldn’t claim to be blonde in
front
of her emperor, who had hair that looked like it was spun from gold. Lucius the
First
seemed interested in her family, so he asked the question that was most commonly
asked if one were to realize his/her friend had a sister. “Is your younger sister
pretty?”
“Yes. She is pretty.” Poliana was used to this question, so she answered quickly.
She worried that the emperor might not believe her, so she added a little of an
explanation, saying, “She is small, so she looks fragile and feminine. Her hair is
very long
and shiny, and she is very proud of it. We weren’t close, and in fact, I didn’t
like her very
much, but even then, I found her pretty.”
Poliana could have ended there, but she couldn’t help herself as she continued,
“But of
course, your highness is much more beautiful!”

She held up her fists and proclaimed this so vigorously that Lucius the First
didn’t know
how to respond. He remained speechless and stared at her quietly.
As the tournament date approached, Sir Ainno couldn’t spend much time on
criticizing
Poliana anymore. Any extra time he had was spent on teaching and training the other
knights.
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The other royal guards were happy that their leader was no longer around them to
reprimand and disprove them. All the guards were excellent knights, but Sir Ainno,
who
was the best of them all, never seemed satisfied with them.
Because the guards felt more relaxed, they treated Poliana with kindness. It was
never
a bad thing to be surrounded by handsome and nice young men, so Poliana felt
pleased with her position.
Soon, she learned that the royal guards were envious of the other regular knights.
It
shocked her since she knew that the regular knights like Sirs Donau and Howe were
envious of them.
The royal guards explained to her, “We know it is a great honor to protect his
highness
up close, but we want to be in battles. Because his highness rarely leads the men
in the
front lines, we are always left behind with him. When we see the knights return
with
injuries, we feel a sense of great guilt and responsibility.”
The royal guards were selected from the best of the families. Only the good-
looking,
well-mannered, and skilled young men were chosen for this duty. But despite the
fact
that they had it all, it seemed that the guards felt inadequate.
Serving the emperor up-close was a great honor. It could help them and their
families
advance politically but whenever they would face the knights covered in blood while
coming back from their previous battles, they would feel horrible about themselves.
The guards felt that they could be a significant help if they could enter the
fight.
‘Well, I guess everyone has worries about something or another,’ Poliana thought to
herself.
Chapter 51
Poliana did a quick stretch and grabbed her sword. After hearing the worries of the
royal guards, who were strong and fit young men, she felt like she needed to work
harder to not embarrass them. She was only a weak Acreian knightess, and Poliana
knew that she had to work harder than everyone.
She knew she didn’t have to become physically strong, she knew that she couldn’t
become as strong as the men around her. She had no talent in terms of swordplay or
any other combat skills. She was much smaller than them, and it was very hard for
her
to gain muscles. Her stamina and reflex were mediocre at best.
The only thing that she could do was do her best.
Her body needed to be trained to react. It needed to pull out the sword as soon as
her
brain recognized an attack. And to do so, she needed to practice as much as
possible.
Poliana trained during her breaks every day. She did some basic training by herself
and
when she gets a chance, she asked other knights to spar with her. Sir Donau was her
go-to, they sparred with each other so often that Donau now knew all of her moves
and tricks.
At first, Poliana won most of the time, but it changed quickly. Lately, Sir Donau
won 8
out of his 10 fights with her but despite it, Poliana didn’t feel discouraged. Sir
Donau also
never underestimated her.
Even though she lost most of the time, none of the knights ever refused her or
laughed
at her when she asked them for a spar. This made her truly happy.
When Poliana saw Donau on the practice field, she immediately asked him for a
practice fight, and he accepted her challenge. They decided to follow their usual
rule,
which was to fight with the practice swords, which weren’t sharp.
Poliana suddenly said to Donau, “Let’s avoid attacking each other’s faces.”

“Really? Why? That’s a surprise coming from you, Sis.”

Poliana always preferred the open spar, which meant that the opponents could use
whatever moves on whichever areas of the body he or she wanted. So, when she
asked him to avoid hitting their faces this time, Sir Donau was confused.
“Royal guards apparently can’t have scars or injuries on the faces,” Poliana
answered
as she remembered what Sir Ainno firmly told her.
“Oh, that makes sense.”
Sir Donau nodded in agreement. He had never seen a royal guard that had any
deformities on their faces. Poliana unfortunately already had scars on her face,
which
means normally, she would’ve been disqualified immediately. She also had an uneven
skin tone and sunburns, which didn’t help. Her almost-shaved head made it even
worse.
After an hour of sparring, Poliana was completely drenched with her own sweat. She
used all the tricks she knew, including using her hidden dagger, but she was no
match
to Sir Donau anymore. Donau told her that he could now tell what she was going to
do
next just by looking at her eyes.
In the end, Sir Donau’s sword reached Poliana’s neck and she had no choice but to
surrender. Lucius the First, who was watching them from afar, clapped and
approached them.
“Good work, Donau.”
“I am honored, your highness.”
“Your skills are improving every day and it makes me very happy, Sir Donau.”
“Your highness, please tell me honestly, who is better in terms of our skill with
the sword,
myself or my older brother, Sir Howe?”

“Your brother, of course. At your age, Sir Howe was able to fight against two
knights at
a time.”
Lucius the First was not shy about telling the truth when it came to things like
this. Donau,
who had an inferiority complex against his older brother, was obviously
disappointed.
His shoulders slumped and that’s when Poliana touched his shoulder kindly.
Just as Sir Baufallo was talented at administrative work, Sir Donau was better at
the
same department than swordplay. However, Donau’s dream has always been
becoming a knight. This was why he volunteered to follow his father into this war
as his
personal help.
Donau believed that someday, he will be recognized as a great knight. As Lucius the
First’s knight, he knew it was possible. The two knights, Poliana and Donau, looked
at
their emperor with utmost trust in their eyes.
Their belief in him was both joy and a burden to Lucius the First. Just as all the
other
knights trying their best not to disappoint their emperor, the emperor also did his
best
not to let his men down. This was why Lucius the First had the strongest and most
trustworthy army in the continent.
After telling Donau some encouraging words, the emperor walked away. Watching his
back, Poliana thought happily how lucky she was to serve such an amazing man. Her
young emperor was the most regal leader she has ever seen in her life. Ambitious,
responsible, meticulous, and hard-working.
It was truly the greatest honor to serve an emperor like Lucius the First.
Poliana’s life
changed completely after she met him. For the first time in her life, she gained a
purpose for her life. Lucius the First wanted to reach the end of the continent,
and if she
could die helping him, she would the happiest person in the world.
Poliana gritted her teeth suddenly and turned around towards Sir Donau. There, she
asked him, “I would like another round with you.”
“I was going to ask you the same thing, Sis.”
Without a warning, Poliana raised her sword and attacked him. Sir Donau blocked her
move expertly and swung at her himself. He considered Poliana his sister now, and
without hesitation, Donau continued to swing at her with all of his strength.
Sir Ainno made sure that all of the knights selected for the tournament worked with
minimal breaks. He had no sympathy for them as they complained. Some knights, who
were talented, seemed to get the hang of the game while the others still appeared
to
be lost.

Time passed on quickly and finally, it was the day before the tournament. They had
no
more time to practice.
All of their training paid off to some extent. All the knights could ride their
horses and
hold their lances without falling now but to Sir Ainno, none of them were good
enough
to enter the game. He was disappointed, but the Bikpa knights who helped them
praised that the result was much better than they had expected.
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Sir Rabi, who ended up being trained by Sir Ainno, who was younger than him,
shuddered in annoyance and anger. He had no choice since Sir Ainno was the only
one in the Acreian army that had any experience with regard to this kind of
competition.
“That bastard, Ainno! I’m feeling sorry for the stupid royal guards who had to
serve him
as their leader,” Sir Rabi grumbled.
“I agree, Sir! I thought I was going to die from Sir Ainno’s training,” Sir Howe
agreed with
Sir Rabi loudly, but he was one of the three that benefited the most from Sir
Ainno’s
instruction.
Sirs Rabi, Howe, and Bentier, they were now the best knights that they could offer.
Sir Bentier, the deputy commander, glared at Sir Ainno and contemplated, ‘He is too
good to be left behind during the battles…’
In the past, Sir Bentier had pleaded with his emperor a few times that it would be
a
huge waste to assign a great knight like Sir Ainno as a royal guard. Lucius the
First had a
good common sense. He realized his own importance and therefore just like any other
royalties, he rarely went near the frontlines. This meant that Sir Ainno, as his
personal
guard, was also left behind in the safety of their base. Lucius the First respected
Sir
Bentier’s opinion and was willing to consider it, but because Sir Ainno was adamant
about remaining as a royal guard, there was nothing that could be done to change
this situation.
But even so, Sir Bentier still couldn’t give up on it yet.
‘I should ask his highness again.’
Chapter 52
“It would be great for you to win, and it would be equally fine for you to lose.
Just
consider this as a fun game, nothing more,” Lucius the First encouraged the knights
who
went through Sir Ainno’s brutal training.
“You are being too kind and easy on us, your highness. Your Ainno, the best knight
of
Acreia, swear to you that I will win this tournament and bring you the champion’s
wreath,” Sir Ainno replied with determination.
Everyone on the spot imagined how their emperor would look like with the flower
wreath on his head, they all were certain that it would suit him very well.
Watching his
knights smiling proudly, Lucius the First sighed. Usually, the champion’s wreath
was given
to a woman such as the knight’s lady, the lord’s wife or daughter, or the knight’s
sister.
Poliana was smiling as well as she imagined how beautiful Lucius the First would
look
with the wreath when suddenly, she thought of something. She whispered to the guard
standing next to her, “At this rate, a romantic scandal involving his highness and
Sir
Ainno is going to erupt.”
“Not now, thanks to you, Sir Poliana. If it wasn’t for you taking over this duty,
the scandal
would’ve occurred. Of course, Sir Ainno doesn’t seem to realize this.”
To her relief, Poliana’s presence wasn’t all negative to Lucius the First’s
reputation. As
the only knightess, she was the center of many ugly rumors and because of it,
people’s
focus had shifted towards her from her emperor. In addition, her presence so close
to
Lucius the First meant that the enemies no longer could joke about the Acreian
emperor being gay. This was especially a popular rumor because of Lucius the
First’s
beauty and before Poliana became his guard, Sir Ainno was rumored to be the
emperor’s bedmate.
‘Hmm, I guess that makes sense.’
Poliana was pleased with this news. The thought of harming her emperor has been
eating her up inside. There were moments when she felt so depressed that she found
it
hard to get out of her bed but now that she knew that she was being useful to his
highness, Poliana felt joyful.
“It’s all my fault, Inno. I thought it would be unfair to a woman to marry you when
it is
possible that you might not survive this war. That was why I didn’t have you get
married
before taking you with me here. But now, I realized that I made a mistake. I should
have
made you marry before coming!” Lucius the First said to Sir Ainno with a frown.

The emperor looked distressed, but Sir Ainno replied loudly, “Even if I was
married, I
would have given the flower wreath to you, your highness! You will always be the
recipient of all of my flowers!”
Sir Ainno really meant it.
The tournament was decided to take place on a flatland nearby the Yapa castle. All
the necessary costs were taken care of by Gali the Third. The preparation of the
field
was also completed by the people of Bikpa. To make sure that Gali the Third wasn’t
putting any traps in the area, the Bikpa lords who were on Lucius the first’s side
advised
him to send his own men and monitor everything.
The Acreian emperor sent Sir Baufallo and whenever he got a chance, Sir Baufallo
visited the site.
On the day before the tournament, the knights who were entering the tournament
waited nervously. Because they didn’t have wives or fiancés at all or here with
them,
the men walked around the village begging for handkerchiefs from any woman that
they could find. Sir Howe ended up with the greatest number of handkerchiefs and
even Sir Donau, who didn’t need one, got a few as well.
There were even maids who handed some handkerchiefs to Sir Donau and asked him
to give them to the knightess. These handkerchiefs were more beautifully
embroidered
than those of Sir Howe’s.
When Donau handed them to Poliana, she asked him, “I understand you got some
since you were walking around with your brother, but why am I getting these?”
Poliana was confused, but she took them anyway. Soft linen cloths such as these
could
be useful and most importantly, they were free.
“Many of them said you should cover your bald head when you aren’t wearing your
helmet,” Donau replied.
It seemed that there were many women who felt concerned about Poliana’s short hair.
Following the women’s advice, Poliana tried the handkerchief on her head and asked
Donau, “Like this?”
“You look like a farmer.” Sir Donau sneered at her.
“…then how should I wear it?”
When Poliana asked frustratingly, Sir Donau took the handkerchief and made a ribbon
around her head, which was the trend nowadays. It felt odd and somehow, it made
her look creepy and funny at the same time. Poliana looked at herself in the mirror
and
frowned sadly. “What the hell!”
“This is the least you can do to let people know of your gender… ARRHG! Why did you
just hit me?”
Poliana kicked Donau’s butt as he suggested that if she grew her hair long, this
ribbon
would look so much better on her.
Because Sir Ainno didn’t go around the village like the other knights, he didn’t
get any
handkerchief. He was a good-looking man, but his reputation as a scary violent
knight
prevented the maids from approaching him. They were really afraid of him.

Sir Ainno didn’t care about superstitions, but Lucius the First did. “I can see
that you
aren’t very popular, Inno. You need at least one handkerchief, so why don’t you go
ask
a servant and get him to get you one from a maid?”
“But I thought if I don’t get one myself, it won’t work.”
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“Hmm… By the way, Sir Poliana, why is that you got so many of them when you aren’t
even participating in the tournament?”
Poliana grinned and showed Lucius the First her handkerchiefs. “I know! But it
still feels
great to get them from the ladies.”
The emperor put up his finger and asked her, “Could you spare one to Inno?”
“Unfortunately, your highness, even your order cannot compel me to give up these
handkerchiefs. They are gifts from the ladies, and I am honor-bound to keep them
for
myself.”
Poliana would have done anything for him, but this was a completely different
matter.
The handkerchiefs were genuine and precious gifts from the ladies of different
stations.
To give them away was considered to be incredibly rude, and Poliana refused to
commit such a crime.
She would’ve given one if her emperor insisted, but she wondered if it would be
effective. After all, the superstition that involved the knights getting the
handkerchief for
himself. For the handkerchief to mean something, it had to be given by a lady who
prayed for his victory and safe return.
Asking the Bikpa lord’s wife or daughter was out of the question. If a wrong rumor
started, Sir Ainno could end up needing to marry the daughter or get in trouble for
the
suspicion of coveting the lord’s wife. The best person to ask was a random maid or
female servant who wouldn’t put too much meaning behind it.
But there was no time now, Lucius the First was becoming desperate.
Chapter 53
“Inno doesn’t even have a fiancé, and it is all because he was too busy serving
me,”
Lucius the First begged Poliana.
‘More like Sir Ainno was an as*hole that that is why no woman wanted to marry him,’
Poliana thought secretly.
Being busy and getting engaged were two separate things. Most of the time,
noblemen and women’s marriages were arranged by their parents. Sir Ainno wasn’t
just
any knight or lowly noble; he was the first-born son of Marquis Seki. It was
obvious that
he wasn’t engaged because Sir Ainno didn’t want to be.
Sir Ainno had a rather unpleasant reputation. The men hated him for being too
perfect
and overconfident, and the women didn’t like him either. It made sense just based
on
how he treated the women around him.
Perhaps he would make an acceptable husband due to his station, but he was
definitely not a knight that the maids would want to give their handkerchiefs to.
But the emperor explained earnestly to Poliana that Sir Ainno just didn’t know how
to
treat women. Lucius the First insisted that Sir Ainno was a man of few words and
this was
why the women mistook him as rude.
Poliana finally nodded and hesitantly handed Sir Ainno one of her handkerchiefs. “I
am
just lending one to you. I’m not actually giving it to you, ok?”
“Fine.”
“You need to promise me that you will return it to me.”

“Fine.”
“I am only doing this because of his highness. I don’t actually want to do this.”
“Just give it to me!” Sir Ainno grabbed the handkerchief from Poliana and stuffed
it
inside of his shirt. He grumbled loudly, but it seemed that he was superstitious as
well
after all.
Most, if not all, northern men did, including the emperor.
Suddenly, Sir Ainno’s eyes moved the Poliana’s head. She knew why he was staring
because it has been happening all day. Half the people she met today told her she
looked good with the handkerchief on her head, while the other half told her to
take it
off.
Lucius the First, Sir Howe, and Sir Rabi thought it suited her. Sirs Baufallo and
Aeke
thought that she looked ridiculous.
“Did you finally realize your gender?” Sir Ainno asked her coldly.
“Sir Ainno, I have known that I was a woman all my life. Even without the
handkerchief,
even with the armor on and with me holding my sword, the fact that I am a woman
won’t ever change.”
This was the truth. Poliana had never considered herself anything other than a
woman.
She had lived as a woman, and she will die as one. No matter what she wore, no
matter what she did for a living, Poliana Winter was and would always be a woman.
She could be fighting in the war, or she could be home sewing. She might not have
beautiful hair like her stepsister, and she might have a special knack for kicking
men’s
balls, but despite it all, Poliana Winter as a woman. No one could deny it, no one
had
the right to deny it.
“Sir Ainno, you also saw me naked too, didn’t you? I have always been a woman,”
Poliana added.
Even if she received a severe internal injury and was no longer able to bear
children.
Even if her breasts were cut during a battle.
No matter what, her gender would never change.
She was forever a woman.
Until death.

Sir Ainno seemed awkward and confused at the same time. There were people in this
world who considered certain types of people “different.” For example, children,
eunuchs, and women like Poliana.
‘Did Sir Ainno think that way?’
Just then, he nodded in agreement and replied, “True. Even the ugliest women are
still
women, I guess.”
‘Bastard.’
Sir Ainno saw Poliana’s face and ran away quickly, afraid she might take her
handkerchief away from him.
The tournament field was very clean and neat. It didn’t have the luxurious or
extravagant structures, but it still had proper seats and the podium for the
champion.
Because this game was a special occasion, two VIP seats were provided; one for each
emperor. Lucius the First sat in this seat and watched Gali the Third, who was
sitting
across the field from him. The Bikpa king was a middle-aged man wearing a golden
crown. He looked ordinary.
But the Acreian knights were used to the most beautiful emperor, which meant that
they were harsh in their judgment. Wearing expensive crown and clothes didn’t
change the fact that Lucius the First was far more gorgeous.
“Our emperor is definitely the most magnificent man in the world.”
“Gali the Third looks even uglier than the king of Bebero.”
Poliana didn’t know what the emperor of Aehas looked like. She heard that he was a
fat old man with a huge belly. His children, according to the rumor, were cute, but
then
again, all children were cute.
Poliana knew enough not to judge someone by their appearance but so far, most of
the people she met seemed to have personalities that matched their appearances. For
example, Poliana saw that the royal members of Bebero and their looks matched their
lack of charisma.
The king of Bikpa, Gali the Third, also looked too ordinary. Perhaps he looked
especially
worse because he was compared to Lucius the First but still, the expensive cloth
that he
wore looked gaudy and ugly.
Of course, if the Acreian emperor wore the same cloth, his knights would have
praised
him for it.
But the girl sitting next to Gali the Third was pretty. Was it his wife or his
daughter? She
looked to be in her late teens. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes shined like the
stars.
Her long smooth hair was braided with a silk string.

It had to be Gali the Third’s daughter since she looked so much younger than him.
If she
was his wife, then the Bikpa King would probably be worse than what had everyone
expected. The princess was staring at Lucius the First with widened eyes, and this
made
Poliana feel proud.
The moderator first announced the names of each kingdom’s leader. The two men
waved at the audience and the knights.
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They then called out the knights who were participating in the tournament. When
their
names were called, each man entered the field, holding the flag that had their
family
crest embroidered on it. Sir Ainno’s flag was bright red and was the most
noticeable of
them all. To be allowed to have such a deep color meant that his family, Seki,
must’ve
been very powerful in Acreia.
Before this day, Lucius the First had the knights gather to decide the order of
their
participation. The rule of this tournament was simple; the winner was to continue
fighting until he was defeated. This meant that it could be 1:10, 2:10, or 10:10.
Lucius the First was obviously concerned about his knights getting injured. All of
the
Bikpa knights were champions with great skills. If the Acreian knights, who were
inexperienced in this game, fell off the horse and got stabbed, they could be
severely
injured or even killed.
It was a game, but a very dangerous one. After all, the knights were to hold long
sharp
lancets and ride towards each other on horses.
Sir Ainno wanted to be the first one to enter the tournament. He was determined,
but
Lucius the First didn’t think that it was a smart idea. What if they send out their
strongest
knight towards the end of the tournament?
So Lucius the First contemplated carefully before making the decision based on the
experiences and advice of the knights.
And finally, the very first Acreian knight to be sent out, in the end, was decided.
Sir Rabi.
Chapter 54
This was what may have happened. This was what Lucius the First wanted on how the
tournament would play out.
The first knight to fight, Sir Rabi, won by shocking the opposing knight with his
signature
roar but unfortunately, he fell off the horse when he tried to avoid being hit by
his
opponent’s lance.
The next man to enter could be Sir Bentier. He should be able to win three matches,
but
his games would be too boring because Sir Bentier would be overly careful and
strategic. Tournaments were known to be exciting but for some reason, he expected
Sir
Bentier’s performance to be boring. He would act too carefully, and the Bikpa
audience would boo him. In the end, Sir Bentier would become distracted by all that
booing, and he would lose his fourth game.
Next would be Sir Howe, who would defeat two knights by being his usual sneaky
self.
This way, Lucius the First expected his knights to use their unique talents to win
the
tournament, but….
It never happened this way.
Sir Ainno refused to change his mind. “Your highness, I will go first! I must!”
Lucius the First tried to change his mind many times, but Sir Ainno was too
stubborn. In
the end, the emperor became angry. “Fine, Inno. I no longer care if you get too
tired
and fall off the horse! You are going to get injured, so don’t blame me when it
happens!”
And to everyone’s shock, Sir Ainno was incredible. For some reason, although his
horse
was just like any other, it seemed that Sir Ainno was riding at least three times
faster than
anyone else. Sir Ainno never got injured; he won game after game quickly and
efficiently. Gali the Third’s face slowly crumpled as his knights lost.

And finally, Sir Ainno defeated his 10th and last opponent. He immediately raised
his
lance high and roared, “Absolute victory! This is my gift to his highness, Lucius
the First!”
Everyone on the Acreian side cheered loudly while those on Gali the Third’s side
gaped
in shock. Gali the Third stood up quickly, then suddenly, he fainted. Thankfully,
his
personal guards caught him in time, so he didn’t get hurt.
10 seconds later, Gali the Third regained his consciousness. He pointed his finger
at Sir
Ainno angrily and screamed, “W-where d-did t-this mo-monster c-come from?!”
The Acreians won the tournament without a doubt. It wasn’t just a simple victory.
It was
a huge win.
1:10.
It didn’t really matter to Acreia and especially to Lucius the First whether they
won or
not, but it was still very nice to win. As the trumpet rang loudly, announcing the
end of
the tournament, the Acreian men cheered boisterously.
Sir Ainno held his trophy proudly. The next step was for an important Bikpa lady to
gift
the champion a flower wreath. Today, it was given by their princess.

Her eyes shined brightly and expectantly. The wreath, after being received by the
champion, was always re-gifted to the same lady. It was the tradition and was
considered as a good manner. The princess was certain that she would be getting the
wreath back.
The Bikpa princess was a naïve young girl. She didn’t truly understand the meaning
of
this situation. By losing this tournament and with the Bikpa King losing his
position as the
sovereign of this kingdom, it meant that she would no longer be a princess, but it
seemed that she didn’t realize her dire situation. To her, getting back the wreath
from
the champion right now was much more important.
Sir Ainno lowered his head slightly as he stood in front of the princess. When he
received
the wreath and stood up straight, the princess, in turn, lowered her face slightly,
fully
expecting Sir Ainno to place the wreath on her head. Even the Acreians believed
that
this was going to happen despite what Sir Ainno said earlier.
But Sir Ainno suddenly began to run toward his emperor. Lucius the First, who has
been
grumbling the entire time Sir Ainno was fighting, smiled widely when he saw his
knight
running towards him. Sir Ainno kneeled in front of him and handed the flower wreath
to
his emperor.
The Bikpa princess and the people stared in obvious astonishment and outrage.
“Good job, my friend. My knight, I am so proud of you! You are indeed the best
knight
in Acreia!” Lucius the First said to his knight and friend kindly.

“I am flattered, your highness. All I did was whatever was necessary to honor your
reputation.”
Lucius the First was happy about winning the tournament, but he wasn’t too keen on
receiving the wreath. He forced a smile on his face as he took it. Although his
lips were
smiling, his eyes were clearly saying to Sir Ainno that he didn’t want the wreath.
‘I don’t
want this flowery thing, you jerk!’
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Sir Ainno knew his friend enough to know what Lucius the First was thinking but
without
hesitating, Sir Ainno looked right back at his emperor with a clear message. ‘Just
take it
anyway, you as*hole!’
Lucius the First wondered if he should give the wreath to the poor princess but
thought
against it. Giving away the champion’s wreath was unheard of, and it could be
mistakenly seen as his interest towards the princess. Lucius the First did not want
something like that to happen. The princess of Bikpa seemed kind enough, but he
definitely didn’t want her as his wife.
In the end, the Acreian emperor took apart the wreath into separate flowers. He
then
ordered the men to give them away to the maids and the ladies who were kind
enough give them their handkerchiefs. A few flowers were also given to the Bikpa
lord’s
wife, who helped the Acreians greatly.
When Lucius the First still had one more flower left, he turned towards his loyal
knightess
standing behind him. He gently placed the flower on the handkerchief that was still
adorning her head, explaining, “This is my payment for you lending your
handkerchief
to Sir Ainno.”
Poliana truly wanted to enjoy the emperor’s gift. She knew that he meant well.
Receiving a piece of champion’s wreath was an honor indeed.
But Poliana couldn’t enjoy the gift at all. She wasn’t sure how it was seen in
Acreia, but
in Aehas, only a crazy spinster wore flowers in her head.
Just then, Sir Howe, who was standing nearby, began to laugh at her. He said to
her,
“Have you lost your mind, Sir Paul?! You have a flower in your head!”
Poliana sighed deeply. It seemed that the Acreians thought the same way as the
Aehasians.
Chapter 55
Gali the Third walked towards the center of the field with a rigid face. He was
being
helped by his servant, and he looked like he was still in severe shock. It was
understandable, after all, he just watched 10 of his best knights, who were all
renown
champions, fell off their horse like leaves falling off a tree. Each match was won
so
easily by Sir Ainno that the entire Bikpa audience was still left gaping.
Sir Ainno, on the other hand, seemed indifferent. He seemed to have expected this
to
happen. Today’s tournament was going to be remembered as a legendary game, but
the other Acreian knights didn’t look too happy. Those who were supposed to
participate in the tournament especially looked unhappy and in fact, they looked
downright angry.
They were all thinking the same thing. If Sir Ainno was going to win the whole
thing,
what was the point of training and practicing so hard?! It seemed that Sir Ainno
knew
this was going to be the outcome, so why was he so harsh on them?
“What can we do as a payback to him?”
It was almost impossible to get back at Sir Ainno. He was the best at everything;
he
came from the best family and he was the most skilled fighter of them all. Lucius
the First
was the only one who could do something to Sir Ainno, but he couldn’t do much to
him
as well.
Sir Bentier regretted not refusing hard enough to participate in this tournament.
He did
refuse a few times, but he should have been more adamant. He should have said that
his duty as the deputy commander prevented him from entering the match.
But it was too late, the only thing Sir Bentier could do now was to swear to
himself not to
do anything like this in the future.
The king of Bikpa signed the document of surrender. When the witnesses signed it as
well, Lucius the First grabbed it with a satisfied smile. Gali the Third looked
like he was
going to faint again. He looked very pale.
Gali the Third stumbled towards Lucius the First and kneeled in front of him to
swear his
loyalty. As the king of Bikpa, he made his last request, saying, “After every
tournament,
a banquet is held in the honor of the champion. Please let me wear my crown until
the
end of the feast tonight.”

“I will allow it.”

‘Did he really think he was going to win?’
Lucius the First graciously agreed to the request. The fact that he planned the
banquet
must have meant that Gali the Third was certain he was going to win this
tournament.
To promise handing over a kingdom over a game was a ridiculous idea to begin with.
It
was even sadder to think that the Bikpa champions had no chance against Sir Ainno.
Sir Ainno was too good, he was too fast too. The matches were almost boring because
it was won too easily. All the knights hated him for being too good.
The doors of the Yapa castle finally opened per Gali the Third’s order. Lucius the
First
entered excitedly. When he did, the other Acreians tried to get in as well, but the
Bikpa
soldiers stopped them. Because Lucius the First allowed the Bikpa King his status
until the
end of the feast, the Acreian emperor was considered a guest still and therefore
was
honor-bound to enter the castle with minimal soldiers. It was thought to be rude to
take
many armed men into another sovereign’s castle.
The interior of the Yapa castle was just as magnificent as its outside. It was both
practical and beautiful at the same time. Many great art pieces decorated the
rooms.
The castle was so big that there were plenty of private rooms for Lucius the First
and all
of his knights. Gali the Third offered to personally escort Lucius the First to his
chamber.
The Acreian knights were to be taken to their separate quarters by the Bikpa
servants.
When Sir Ainno hurriedly followed Lucius the First, Gali the Third said to him,
“The great
champion of the day will be provided with a separate chamber. Please follow the
servant to your own room and rest.”
But Sir Ainno refused, “I am high highness’s personal guard, so I will not leave
his side.
Besides, I am not tired, so there is no need for me to rest.”
Lucius the First turned to Sir Ainno and ordered, “Inno, Sir Poliana will be with
me, so it’s
ok. You can go ahead and rest.”
“Your highness!”

“Go.”
“I won’t! I refuse!”
As the head of the royal guards, Sir Ainno had the right to refuse the emperor’s
direct
order when it involved the safety of his ruler. When Sir Ainno continued to refuse,
Lucius
the First frowned unhappily. Finally, Sir Rabi walked towards Sir Ainno and grabbed
him.
“Let me go!” Sir Ainno roared.
“Let’s go to our rooms.”
“ARGHH!”
Even the best knight of Acreia couldn’t win against the herculean strength of Sir
Rabi. In
the end, Sir Ainno had no choice but to walk away from his emperor and follow the
servant. The other knights left to their rooms as well.
As he followed Gali the Third, Lucius the First enjoyed the castle’s interior. He
complimented generously, but Gali the Third’s face crumpled into an unhappy frown.
This was going to be the last day he was allowed to stay in his own castle so
obviously,
Gali the Third was furious. He tried his best to put a fake smile, but he was
failing
miserably.
Feeling uncomfortable, Gali the Third quickly changed the subject.

“I am sure you don’t have many outfits with you since you are in the middle of a
war, so
I prepared a few things for you, your highness.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
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Lucius the First had a big interest in fashion, so he did bring numerous garments
and
attires when he left to conquer the world. He knew that there will be public
occasions
where he would receive documents of surrender or meet with important nobles and
royalties for negotiations, and he wanted to look decent during these events.
But his best and most luxurious clothes were still in Acreia. They were either too
heavy or
too valuable, so he couldn’t bring all of them with him. Gali the Third’s offer was
both
considerate and appropriate. And of course, everything in the castle, including the
outfits Gali the Third was “lending” to him were all going to be Lucius the First’s
anyway
by tomorrow. The Acreian emperor felt pleased with the thought. Gali the Third was
acting politely, but this didn’t mean Lucius the First had to treat him with
generosity.
After all, this was a war. The document of surrender Bikpa signed was filled with
general
matters and details like these.
“You are indeed very beautiful. I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but it
appears
that they were underreported,” Gali the Third complimented Lucius the First.
Gali the Third then turned and looked around. It seemed that he was looking for
someone. When Lucius the First asked, Gali the Third answered, “And where is the
beautiful knightess who is rumored to be your mistress?”
Poliana was standing right behind her emperor. When Lucius the First smiled and
pointed at her, Gali the Third showed an obvious displeasure. His daughter, the
Bikpa
Princess, was so disappointed that she said out loud, “But… she isn’t a beautiful
seductress like the rumors.”
She said it so loudly that everyone heard it. Lucius the First didn’t reply because
he
wanted to be forgiving, and Gali the Third also didn’t reprimand his daughter. In
fact,
he looked at Poliana with a confused expression. He looked worse than when Sir
Ainno
won the tournament.
Poliana briefly considered kicking the Bikpa King’s balls but refrained herself.
She had to
admit that if people were expecting a seductress, they would indeed be shocked to
see her. At least, Poliana was wearing a handkerchief that was covering most of her
head. If the princess saw her almost-shaven head, Poliana suspected that she might
faint.
It was even worse because after they saw Lucius the First and how beautiful he was,
they must’ve been expecting a great beauty. Poliana was so used to being treated
this
way that she didn’t feel angry.
Chapter 56
Gali the Third said to Poliana awkwardly, “I have prepared a dress and some jewelry
as
well for you, so… go ahead and make yourself presentable.” His words were generous,
but clearly, the Bikpa King did not think she deserved his fineries.
“I am an Acreian knight and therefore do not need to be adorned,” Poliana refused
politely.
“But you must follow our tradition and show your respect to this important
occasion,”
Gali the Third replied angrily. Poliana thought that he looked a little more like a
king
when he showed his anger, but she knew her duty. Poliana offered him a compromise
that she would just wear some clean shirt and pants just like what the other
knights
would do.
But it seemed that this made Gali the Third even angrier. “You are in Bikpa and
therefore, you need to follow Bikpa traditions! As my guest, you need to wear and
eat
what I have prepared for you and also, no guests were ever allowed to bring their
weapons to our feasts!”
“I thank you for your generosity and will wear what you have prepared for me, but I
cannot be unarmed,” Poliana replied politely once again.
What Gali the Third said was true; guests weren’t allowed to wear arms to royal
events
in any kingdoms, but Poliana had no intention of following this rule now. Bikpa was
going to officially belong to Acreia tomorrow, so she was not obligated to humor
this
idiotic king.
‘Fine, I will wear the outfit that will no doubt make me look like a clown, but I
won’t give
up my sword.’
She had no problem wearing a dress and jewelry that she knew would not suit her.
She
had never dolled up before, so perhaps it would be a good experience, but the most
important fact here was that she was Lucius the First’s personal guard.
This was only a temporary post for her, but she knew what an honor it was to be the
emperor’s guard. She had to do her best, and that meant being unarmed was out of
the question.

When Poliana refused, the other guards nodded in agreement. To be unarmed in this
situation was ridiculous. Gali the Third may have signed the surrendering document,
which should guarantee Lucius the First’s safety, but none of the guards were
willing to
bet their emperor’s life on a piece of paper.
Gali the Third trembled in anger. “Are you all trying to mock me…! I am still the
king of
Bikpa!” When he roared, Lucius the First finally tried to convince his knights. He
explained that the necessary document was signed, which meant that the Acreians
must show respect to Bikpa’s culture. Yes, the Acreian knights might feel
uncomfortable
attending the feast unarmed, but this was the tradition in every kingdom. Since
this
banquet was the last event Gali the Third was holding as the king, Lucius the First
thought that it was prudent to respect his wishes. The document of surrender was
signed in public with witnesses, and nothing was going to change this fact.
Lucius the First said to his knights, “Thanks to Sir Ainno, we were able to conquer
this
kingdom without shedding blood. I think it would be ok for all of you to relax a
little.”
The knights had no choice but to nod since their emperor ordered it.
The male knights followed a servant together to their rooms while Poliana looked
around awkwardly. The Bikpa maids and servants approached her awkwardly, but they
seemed uncertain of what to do next. After a brief silence, Poliana finally asked
them,
“Where should I go?”
“We apologize… We are just a bit confused and surprised at you…”
‘I guess these girls don’t know how to lie at all.’
Poliana suspected these women to be the princess’s personal maids. They seemed to
be shocked at her appearance and they didn’t hide that fact. Poliana followed them
to a room and with their help, she took a hot bath. She secretly was relieved
because
she already took a bath only a few days ago. She wasn’t too dirty and therefore
could
avoid further embarrassment.
When Poliana took off the handkerchief from her head, the maids gasped in horror.
They were used to noble ladies and princesses, and so it was obvious they have
never
seen large scars. Poliana seriously thought to make them leave the room so she
could
wash but she kept herself quiet instead. She was a bit nervous because her clothes
and
sword were taken away.
“Where are my clothes and things?” Poliana asked.
“We’ve placed them in the closet over there.”
“Oh, thank you.”
All the outfits prepared for her were dresses. At least, there were various sizes
and she
could find one that fits her muscular body.

But when she saw herself in the mirror, she felt nauseous. With her almost-shaven
head,
Poliana looked like a mad woman.
“Please get me men’s clothes,” Poliana asked the maids.
“Sir, please do not refuse our king’s generosity.”
“But don’t you think looking like this would be considered even more offensive?”
“We can get you a wig, which will make it better,” the maids begged her, some even
pretended to cry.
‘Looking sad and distressed won’t work on me, girls. If I was a guy, I might fall
for it, but
I’m not,’ Poliana thought to herself.
When the begging didn’t work, the maids changed their tactic. They said to Poliana
that they had no choice to doll her up because they were ordered to do so. Poliana
understood this since she was in the military. An order had to be obeyed.
So in the end, Poliana decided to let the maids do whatever they wanted to.
The next step was putting on her makeup. A thick powder was used to hide Poliana’s
scars and discolored skin. When the maids saw her crooked nose, they couldn’t help
but ask, “What happened?”
“It didn’t heal properly when it broke. Next time it breaks again, I am going to
make
sure to straighten it.” It was a joke, but the maids just stared at her
sympathetically.
Poliana was disappointed and wondered if Lucius the First’s bad sense of humor was
rubbing off on her.
Her eyebrows and other her facial hair were plucked. Her lips were colored with
rouge.
It smelled sweet, so Poliana tried licking it, but she immediately regretted it. It
tasted
awful. Rouge was made with honey, but it was mixed with a red powder that was
bitter.
The maids asked Poliana if she was married. Before they met her, the maids thought
that Poliana was Lucius the First’s mistress but when they finally saw her face,
they
realized their mistake. When Poliana answered that she was unmarried, the maids
tried
to style the wig in a girly style. An unmarried woman usually had her long hair
down.
Poliana refused, feeling uncomfortable with the fake hair all around her upper
body.
She asked it to be put up in a neat updo style.
The makeup was enough to make her look normal, but her body shape was another
problem. Ladies strived to have a slim, almost fragile, body. The fashion nowadays
involved a robe-style long dress that hung to the curves gracefully or a narrow
dress
that showed off a woman’s slimness but when Poliana wore these dresses, they only
accentuated her muscles.
The maids were distressed, but Poliana was proud. She compared herself to the girls
and saw that her hard work has paid off. Her muscles were definitely much bigger.
The maids claimed that Poliana would look ok with makeup and a wig. Poliana knew
this wasn’t going to be true, and she was proven right. She looked ridiculous.
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‘I am going to be the clown of this banquet I guess.’
Poliana glared at herself in the mirror and the maids asked her to stop. They
sprayed her
with perfume and tried to put the flower on her head. It was the same flower that
Lucius
the First gave to her after the tournament.
Poliana stopped them and asked, “Please put it on my dress instead.”
She was in her mid 20’s. Flower wreaths, necklaces, and rings were for young girls,
not a
spinster like herself.
The next step was the jewels. The fineries offered to her were very extravagant.
Was Gali
the Third trying to show off his wealth? Or was he trying to seduce Lucius the
First’s
mistress?
The stones were big with bright colors. Poliana knew they were expensive and of
high
quality, and she felt like she wasn’t worthy of them. When she looked at them with
a
frown, the maids ordered her again, “Stop frowning or glaring. Your makeup is going
to
get ruined.”
Finally, Poliana insisted on wearing the smallest necklace. The maids were very
tired by
now, so they didn’t argue with her. Poliana didn’t want to get her ears pierced and
none of the rings fit her thick fingers. The only ring that did fit her had to be
worn around
her pinky.
When she looked at the mirror, the final product showed an ugly mean-looking woman.
Chapter 57
Poliana put on her silk shoes and tried walking. The shoes were too soft and light
that
she felt strange walking in them, unlike the heavy military boots that she used to
wear
all the time. The very fancy feminine footwear made her feel like she was going to
slip
and fall.
When Poliana walked like she was wearing a wet diaper, the maids pleaded with her,
“Please don’t walk like that. You look too strange.”
“Umm… I need some time to get used to them, but I feel embarrassed practicing in
front of you. Could you guys all go out and leave me alone for a while? I want to
practice by myself.”
“Alright. If you need anything, please call for us.”
When the maids left the room, Poliana sighed deeply. She opened the closet and just
as the maids claimed, her personal items were there, folded into a neat bundle. Her
sword was taken away, but at least, her clothes were safe. Poliana felt a little
relieved.
When Poliana came out of the room, she was still walking strangely. The maids
covered
their faces in frustration, but Poliana ignored them and walked into the banquet.
The
other Acreian knights were already there enjoying the feast. A piece of exciting
music
was playing, and Poliana could smell food and drinks. She inhaled deeply with a
wide
grin.
‘Yes! Food!’
It was strange how great any food tasted when it was made by someone else. Poliana
wasn’t even hungry, but she felt excited. As soon as she walked in, Poliana looked
around and check who was there. The Bikpa champions didn’t arrive yet. At the high
seats, the Bikpa King and his daughter were present. In the room were a dance floor
as
well as extra seats along the walls.
Around Gali the Third was Bikpa nobles while across from them, on the opposite
side,
the Acreian knights were laughing and eating. The musicians were in the corner and
the servants and the maids were running around busily. Bikpa guards were placed
strategically, but all they were doing was looking straight ahead. A good guard
needed to be alert and pay attention to his surroundings.

Poliana thought in disappointment, ‘Well, at least it’s better than them being
distracted,
I guess.’
Poliana then checked the position of her emperor, Lucius the First.
The distance between her emperor and the door…
The people sitting around her emperor…
The high seats were always placed farthest away from the doors. Lucius the First
was
sitting in the center and next to him was Gali the Third. The Bikpa Princess was
sitting
next to her father, but her eyes were firmly set on the Acreian emperor.
Her stare was so obvious that Lucius the First was having a hard time pretending
his
ignorance. It would have benefited Gali the Third greatly if her daughter married
Lucius,
so he ignored her daughter’s rude behavior.
Not all of the Acreian knights were sitting down. Some became bored and were
standing around a fool who was performing. These knights glanced at her as she
approached them but they quickly turned away, not recognizing who they were.
Poliana greeted them, “How are you all enjoying this night?”
“Sir Poliana?”
“Where? Huh? What?!”
The knights gaped in shock. One tried to compliment her awkwardly, “S, sir Poliana…
Umm… You… look good. It… suits you.”
Another knight was more honest. “I am disappointed. I thought that if you really
tried,
you would look much better.”
When they all looked at her with obvious dissatisfaction, Poliana told them what
Lucius
the First often said to his men when they talked nonsense. “You guys all need to
stop
reading those romance novels.”
The knights nodded embarrassedly.
Poliana moved towards her emperor to give him a proper greeting. When some of the
knights noticed that she walked awkwardly, they walked towards her to help her.
Most
of them were the royal guards, who she has been working with for the past while.
The royal guards were certainly more versed in gentlemanly manners than the regular
knights. They moved quickly to offer their escort. When the one who got to her the
fastest offered his arm, Poliana almost took it without thinking.
These gorgeous good-mannered men!
“Sir Poliana, you can lean on me if you need it. You probably aren’t used to the
dress
and the shoes.”
“It’s ok. I’m fine. Please leave me alone.”
“Sir Poliana… Could it be that you feel shy?”
“Shut up! I want to show my new look and walk to his highness so I can make him
laugh.”
“Sir Poliana, his highness would never laugh at you.”
“I was just joking.”
“… it appears his highness’s awful sense of humor has rubbed off on you.”
“Dammit! Are you serious?! It can’t be!” Poliana gasped in annoyance.

Before Poliana reached Lucius the First, she passed by Sir Donau, who was drinking
juice
instead of alcohol. Next to him was Sir Deke, who was in his first banquet and was
already drunk. Sir Donau grabbed onto Sir Deke, who kept walking into a wall. He
spotted Poliana and greeted him, “Sis! You look good! It suits you.”
Sir Deke also greeted her, “Huh? Sir Poliana? I almost didn’t recognize you because
of
your wig.”
“I think it’s because you are drunk, Sir Deke.”
Donau let go of Sir Deke, who walked right into a wall. Thankfully, this woke Sir
Deke up.
He pulled himself up and sat down next to Poliana and Sir Donau.
Donau handed Deke a glass of juice and offered Poliana his hand. Poliana looked up
at Donau and at his hand. She was confused.
“What do you want, Sir Donau?”
“May I have this dance?”
A young boy she met only a little while ago was now a 19-year-old young man.
A young man who knew how to ask a lady for a dance.
Poliana grinned, but her answer was firm. “Nope. I don’t dance.”
“What? You are so cruel.”
“It’s still a no.”
Sir Donau didn’t look disappointed; he knew his adopted sister very well by now. If
Poliana was this adamant against dancing, there had to be a good reason behind it.
At least from her point of view.
Donau offered, “If you don’t know how to dance, I can teach you.”
“No, it’s not that. I know how to dance from both a man’s and a woman’s position.”
Dancing was a basic skill that any knights and noble members learned as children.
It
has been a long time she last danced, but Poliana remembered its basic steps well.
Poliana rarely forgot any new movements that she learned. In the past, she was
never
complimented that she was a good dancer, but she was adequate enough that she
could dance without bumping into anyone.
Donau then asked, “Then why won’t you dance?”
“Why do you insist on dancing?”
“Because I doubt I will ever get to see you in a dress again.”
“Hmm… Good answer, but it’s still a no.”
While they talked, they walked and finally reached near Lucius the First. When the
emperor spotted Poliana, he smiled in excitement. He wasn’t laughing at her,
instead,
he was happy because he finally found an excuse to get away from the Bikpa Princess
who was still staring at him with an obvious desire.
Lucius the First said to Poliana, “My loyal knightess! Sir Poliana, you look
amazing. It suits
you very well.”
“Thank you, your highness.”

Poliana turned towards Gali the Third and thanked him as well.
“Thank you for lending me this dress and jewelry.”
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Rudely, Gali the Third looked away in disgust. Ignoring him, Lucius the First asked
Poliana, “You look great. Now, Sir Poliana, how do I look?”
Finally. It was showtime. Poliana has been learning from the other royal guard
about
how to answer when the emperor asked such a question. In the past, she would have
given a simple answer, such as, “You are so beautiful, your highness!”
She wouldn’t have been wrong to do so, and it would have been her honest answer,
but this was not what Lucius the First wanted. He wanted much more.
After taking a deep breath, Poliana replied, “The red velvet cloak looks amazing
against your golden hair and makes your skin glow brightly, your highness. Is that
necklace one of the jewelry that Gali the Third lent you? The stone had the same
shade
as your eyes, and it looks gorgeous! Of course, your eyes are much more beautiful!”
‘I hope I did ok…’
Poliana looked around, hoping to get an approval of her guard friends. A guard
named Sir Mahogal, who was dancing with a Bikpa lady nearby, heard it and put his
thumbs up for Poliana.
She smiled happily. Lucius the First seemed satisfied as he replied, “Your wig
suits your
skin tone, Sir Poliana. I wonder if I will ever get to see you like this again.
Now, give me
your hand.”
The Acreian emperor grinned at her as he offered his hand.
Chapter 58
Lucius the First loved to play. He loved the parties. He loved to drink, eat, and
play
games.
And most of all, the Acreian emperor loved to dance. He wasn’t obsessed or addicted
to it, but he found it pleasant to put his arms around a lady and dance around to
beautiful music.
But if he stood up to dance right now, he had to dance with the Bikpa Princess out
of
politeness. And if he did this… Lucius the First was certain that he would be
bullied into
marriage before this night was over. It made sense for the princess to be
ambitious; she
wasn’t just an average lady but a royal member of a kingdom. A small kingdom, but
still, she had the right bloodline to aim high.
Lucius the First also had a big dream and he wasn’t ready to get married yet.
Besides, the Bikpa Princess was not his type. She had bright curious eyes and
innocent
laughs, which were all well and good, but she was not the one.
But if he chose to dance with another woman of lower birth, and every woman in the
room of lower ranks than her, it was going to be considered rude and even insulting
to
the princess. And of course, there was the risk of whoever he dances with visiting
him
stark naked tonight.
‘Hmm… not that I don’t like naked women visiting my chamber…’
If it happened in any other kingdoms as an offering or gift, he would have accepted
the gesture. In fact, similar things have happened to him during this war, and
Lucius the
First never refused it even once. But here in Bikpa’s castle… He didn’t feel like
it. He felt
uncomfortable.
He was contemplating what to do when he spotted Poliana approaching him in a
dress. Lucius the First smiled in relief; if he danced with his own knight who was
there to
protect him, the princess could not claim to be insulted, and he could dance all
night!

‘Yes! Let’s dance!’

Lucius the First smiled brightly and was about to stand up when suddenly, Poliana
said
to him, “I don’t dance.”
“Sir Poliana?”
“Sis!”
“I apologize, your highness, but I do not want to dance.”
Poliana said her words with firmness and walked away awkwardly from her emperor.
She grabbed a chair and sat behind Lucius the First.
Curious, Lucius whispered to Sir Donau, “Umm… Is Sir Poliana going through her
period
right now?”
“As far as I know, she has been very irregular so it has been many years since she
had
her last monthly bleed…”
‘Oh.’
Suddenly, Lucius thought he figured it out. He knew that a woman, who has been in
active battles for the past 10 years, would have health problems, such as irregular
periods. After all, wars involved stressful and unpredictable situations. A soldier
also was
often malnourished and suffered from lack of sleep and good hygiene. In truth, it
was
probably better to not have periods.
It was certainly much cleaner and easier on the body.
So perhaps, Poliana was surprised by an unexpected period today. This definitely
explained her rigid face and strange walks.
After the emperor mentioned the word “period,” Sir Donau’s head was filled with
strange thoughts. He realized that what if she really began her period? The young
man’s face reddened in embarrassment.
Lucius the First sent Sir Donau to take care of Poliana. He thought
sympathetically, ‘I
hope her period becomes regular, so she doesn’t become barren. If she is unable to
have children… how sad.’
The emperor studied Poliana’s face carefully, trying to figure out how she was
feeling.
Poliana, in turn, had her eyes on her emperor and refused to look away, but the way
she stared at him was different than how the Bikpa Princess looked at Lucius the
First.
Poliana was his personal guard, and in her eyes, Lucius the First could see her
clear
determination to protect him despite her obvious physical discomfort. Lucius the
First
was truly impressed and grateful.
He decided that he needed to promote his loyal knightess. Considering how long she
has been a soldier, it was well overdue. The other knights in his army also seemed
to
accept her as their own, so he didn’t expect anyone protesting.

Well… except for Sir Ainno.

‘By the way, when is Inno coming?’
It was normal for the champion of the day to appear the last to his own banquet in
Bikpa. Lucius the First found it an odd tradition because, in Acreia, everyone
appeared
on time to every event no matter the rank or station.
‘Hmm…’
They were waiting for him for a long time. It was strange, because Lucius did not
think it
would take this long for Sir Ainno to get ready. After another few minutes, he
finally
turned to Gali the Third and asked, “When are my champion and my knights coming to
this feast?”
“Never. They will never arrive.”
When Gali the Third began to laugh evilly, the door to the room closed firmly. The
Bikpa
guards and knights took out their swords and their spears menacingly.
“GYAA!!”
The princess of Bikpa screamed in shock and her maids surrounded her for her
protection. Gali the Third sneered and his men looked at the Acreians angrily. The
Bikpa
nobles were also grinning expectantly, suggesting they were all on this plot.
The few Acreian knights that were present hastily reached for their swords, but
they
were unarmed. The knights froze in their position. Lucius the First, however,
remained
calm. He looked around, coldly calculating the situation. From the look of it, the
princess was the only Bikpan who didn’t know of this scheme. It made sense. He
wouldn’t have expected someone like Gali the Third to confide or trust his own
daughter. Or perhaps, the Bikpa king wanted to maintain the possibility of his
daughter
seducing Lucius.
Either way, the feast was over and Lucius the First was unhappy.
‘I didn’t even get to dance once.’
Lucius the First glared at the Bikpa king. From the beginning, he detested this
weak
selfish man who abused his own people. And this tournament? He came up with this
stupid idea and when he lost, he plotted against him.
This man was no king.
What surprised Lucius the First the most was the fact that Gali the Third already
signed
the document of surrender. The Acreian emperor then roared, “What is the meaning of
this?!”
“You have just been captured,” Gali the Third replied.

“You have already surrendered to me. You signed the document. Do you not
remember?”
“That piece of paper? I will just rip it into pieces!”
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“You know as well as I do that it is not just a piece of paper.”
A document signed by royal members were considered a binding contract according
to the continental law. Such a contract could be made only by the royal members or
high-ranking nobles. An average joe could not create one even if he or she could
read.
If one party broke the contract, the punishment was clear and severe; they would
lose
their family’s wealth and title for three generations.
Gali the Third sneered. “I can just destroy the document and kill the witnesses! Or
I can
force you to sign another document that states that you surrender to me. You stupid
bastard! You have made a huge mistake coming after me!”
“You are the one who has lost his mind. I trusted you because I believed you could
not
be this stupid, and I guess I was wrong.”
“Just how long do you think you can remain confident like that?”
When Gali the Third stood up, his guards and knights began to surround the
Acreians.
Lucius the First became furious as he yelled, “To attack the very people you
invited!
How dare you! You are unforgivable.”
Lucius the First looked around the room with his eyes blazing. He looked like the
true
emperor with his charisma and strength. Lucius then continued, “Drop your weapons!
This man standing here is no longer your king. Are you all willing to remain loyal
to a
man who is deceitful? Who is willing to break his words?”
Some of the Bikpa men seemed hesitant at Lucius’s confident words. The Acreian
emperor continued boldly, “This man gave away his own kingdom! He didn’t protect
his
own people! His idea of winning this war was to open a tournament! He stole from
all of
you and your families! Do you really think he is worthy of your loyalty? Bikpa is
no longer
an independent kingdom. Even if you kill me tonight, you will all still be punished
by the
other kingdoms. The other kings won’t let this man get away with it. They will also
punish
all of you for breaking the sacred contract! You and your family will be enslaved
or
executed! Listen to me carefully. Your king has abandoned you, so drop your
weapons!”
Chapter 59
“Shut up!’ Gali the Third screamed and swung at Lucius the First, who evaded it
easily
and contemplated. Should he grab Gali the Third or the princess as his captive?
Which
would be a more advantageous hostage?
Before he could make his decision, a dagger flew by him and hit Gali the Third’s
hand.
The Bikpa King screamed in pain.
“GYAAA!”
“Your highness! Please move aside!”
Poliana ripped her dress and took out her last dagger and threw it at the Bikpa
knight
that came after her. The dagger bounced off from his metal armor, but Sir Donau
picked it up quickly and handed it to Sir Deke before wresting with the Bikpa
knight with
his bare hands. Donau kicked the man’s crotch, which was Poliana’s favorite move,
and the knight fell to the ground weakly.
Sir Donau then stole the sword from the fallen enemy. Sir Deke also was able to
kill a
guard with the dagger and grab the dead man’s spear.
Lucius the First watched as he quickly organized his thoughts. Things were
happening so
fast and the room was beyond hectic. Men were screaming while oddly, Lucius the
First
had a faint smile on his face.
Lucius walked towards the Bikpa King, who was still screaming and pulled the dagger
from his hand. The emperor decided that rather than take a hostage himself, he
would
trust his knights.
Lucius the First swiftly moved behind Poliana, who by now had her dress shredded to
pieces and had her silk shoes off. There were only a few Acreian knights in the
room, but
they were quick, skilled, and determined. They were ready to die for their emperor
and
realizing this, the Bikpa soldiers attacked them with all they had.

“ARRGG!”
When one of the enemies ran after her, Poliana threw her wig at his face. He seemed
confused when it hit him and taking this chance, she ran towards him and kicked his
crotch. When the enemy fell to the ground, Sir Donau quickly moved in and beheaded
him. The unknown man’s head rolled away from them.
The ground by now was covered in blood. Poliana walked with her bare feet and the
feeling of a stick and slippery liquid made her frown.
Sir Donau informed his emperor, “Your highness, the door has been locked from the
outside.”
“Just in case something happens, I told the rest of our soldiers, who remained
outside
the castle, to look out for a signal. Use your spear to let our men know at the
window.”
Sir Deke grabbed a piece of Poliana’s dress and tied it to his spear. After
lighting it, he
ran to the window and waved at the Acreian army outside. Meanwhile, some of the
other Acreian knights were able to grab some weapons from the Bikpa soldiers. They
surrounded their emperor for protection. Poliana flipped a large table to create a
protective wall and informed Lucius the First, “Your highness, please hide behind
this.”
“But Sir Poliana, you have no weapon and you aren’t a skilled fighter, don’t you
think I
should be the one out there fighting?”
“You are absolutely right, sir, but your highness, I am your sword and your knight.
This is
my duty as your servant.”
“Sir Poliana is right!”
“Please your highness, let us handle this! Let us protect you!”
“Please your highness, please trust us!”
“Long live Lucius the First!”
“Honor to our kingdom, Acreia!”

Before the Bikpa archer could shoot an arrow at them, Poliana and the others threw
plates and foods at them. One of the smart Acreian knights lighted the tablecloth
and
threw it at their enemies too.
When the Bikpa men scrambled, those Acreian soldiers with weapons ran towards
them. There were non-military men and women in the room as well, such as Bikpa
nobles, musicians, servants, and entertainers, but there was no time for the
soldiers to
distinguish them.
The battle was fought dirty and frantically. Despite the fact that this was a
surprise
attack, the fight was a close one. The Acreian soldiers weren’t armed well, but
their
determination and courage were unmatched. An enemy attacked Sir Donau from
behind by kicking his crotch but unlike the Bikpa men who fell to the ground after
such
an attack, Donau remained standing. He swung his sword and killed the Bikpa man
quickly.
‘Dammit… It hurts so bad.’
No matter how hard he trained, he could never get used to being kicked in the
crotch.
But at least Sir Donau was used to the pain now thanks(?) to the extensive training
from
Poliana.
Those Acreian soldiers who weren’t able to secure proper weapons fought with
whatever they could find. Broken plates, forks, knives, and chairs… These items
didn’t
cause too much damage to the enemy men, but they were enough to distract them. It
also worked very well for the non-military Bikpa men.
The room was filled with chaos. Screams and loud noises were heard everywhere and
from the burnt tablecloth, the smoke made it hard for everyone to breathe. Some
women even fainted from the smell of blood.
Gali the Third, whose hand was bleeding, screamed angrily while being surrounded by
his men, but no one paid attention to him.
It seemed like an eternity when a loud commotion was heard outside of the banquet
room. Suddenly, the door burst open into pieces and the Acreian tournament
champions appeared. They were also wearing normal clothes, but they were holding
weapons. It appeared that they killed and stole the enemies’ weapons on their way
here.
“Your highness!” Sir Ainno screamed.
“Inno!”
When Sir Ainno determined where Lucius the first was located, he raised his right
hand.
He was wearing an expensive outfit given to him by Gali the third and he was
holding a
fireplace poker that was covered in blood.
Sir Rabi, one who destroyed the door with an ax and his monstrous strength, quickly
ran
into the room to behead an enemy easily.

When the best knights of Acreia appeared, the men’s morale soared. Many of them
didn’t like Sir Ainno, but they had to admit that he was a mean fighter.
Not all of the Acreian champions came to the banquet. Some of them, including Sir
Bentier, went outside of the castle to open the wall to let the rest of the Acreian
men,
who were waiting outside.
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When the loud roaring could be heard outside the window, the Bikpa soldiers and
knights lost their will to fight. To Gali the Third’s shock, they dropped their
weapons and
kneeled. The other Bikpa nobles did the same.
But to those who surrendered, Lucius the First murmured quietly, “It is too late
for you to
surrender yourselves.”
The Acreian emperor had no intention of showing mercy tonight. Every Bikpa men here
deserved what was coming for them.
It was over with a blink of an eye. Those Bikpa soldiers who were outside and were
unaware of what was happening inside the banquet saw their flag being brought
down. They stared at it in shock and gloom.
The Acreian men roamed the castle to bring out every Bikpa men and women. They
locked them up in one place under the orders of Sir Bentier. Afterward, he reported
to
Lucius the First.
“Your highness, we got everyone in the castle. We separated the Bikpa healers from
the
rest so they could take care of the injured.”
“Good job. I will let you handle the men outside, Bentier.”
“Yes, your highness.”
Chapter 60
The worst damage done to the Acreian men occurred in the banquet room. A few
knights died while several were severely injured. The corpses and the injured were
taken
outside.
On the bloodied floor, the royal members and the nobles of Bikpa kingdom waited on
their knees. They were bound by ropes. Some cried and begged for mercy. The
princess
was unable to recover from her shock. She vomited and lost consciousness while her
maids surrounded her and sobbed. Many of the noble ladies were in a similar state.
“I assume you know your crime,” Lucius the First asked the king.
“Crime? What crime? You! You are the one who committed a crime here! You little
twit!
You have created unjustifiable chaos on this entire continent! You broke the rule
of
going to war only during the winters! We were all safe and living in peace during
the
three seasons but now, because of you, everyone needs to live in fear all year
round!
All because of you! You have ruined the world!”
Sir Ainno moved to kick the king, but Lucius the First stopped him. He replied,
“Sickness,
death, natural disasters… The fear of them has always been with us all year round.
This
supposed rule of wars only during the winters… It is not an actual continental law
and
besides, someone would have broken it even if I didn’t.”
Gali the Third smirked. “You are an idiot! A coward! A tyrant!”
“Under my rule, my people won’t live in fear. The horrible lives they live right
now under
someone like you… It will never happen again because I will unite the entire
continent.
There will only be one true kingdom.”
When Lucius the First held up his dagger, Sir Ainno grabbed Gali the Third’s head.
The
Bikpa King’s eyes widened as Lucius shoved the dagger into his mouth. The ugly
sound
of the metal hitting his teeth was heard. Lucius said to Gali the Third, “You are
the first
liar I have seen since I began this conquest. There is a war myth that states if
the first
liar’s mouth is sliced open, the conqueror won’t have to go through meeting another
liar again.”
There were also rumors in various kingdoms that Poliana was a witch. People
believed
this because they thought she seduced Lucius the First, but what they didn’t know
was
that the Acreian emperor was the one with all the magic.

Lucius the First smiled innocently and he moved his hand. Gali the Third screamed
as his
mouth was sliced open sideways. This wasn’t the end of his torture. Poliana walked
up
to the cowardly king, who was now on the floor writhing in pain and kicked his
crotch
with everything she had. Gali the Third foamed in the mouth.
Lucius the First ordered loudly, “Hang this liar upside down from the castle wall.”
He then turned towards the rest of the Bikpa nobles. “Unfortunately for you, I am
not a
forgiving ruler. Everyone here is to be stripped naked and hung upside down as well
on
the wall. That includes children, women, and elderlies too and as for the
princess…”
He threw the dagger, the same one he used to slice her father’s mouth, in front of
the
princess, who stepped back in fear.
“I can see that you didn’t know anything about this plot, Princess, so I will be
kinder to
you. I will give you the chance to kill yourself. You have one day. If you aren’t
dead by
tomorrow, I will hang you beside your father.”
“P-p-p-p-please… l-l-l-let me…. L-l-live…”
The princess hyperventilated. Her whole body was shaking visibly.
“And if I let you live? Are you ok living as a slave for the rest of your life? Or
live as a
prostitute? Would you like me to find you a position as our military who*e?”
“…”
The princess continued to sob loudly. When the soldiers came to drag her maids
aways,
they screamed, “GYAAA! Please let us live! Somebody save us! Please, your highness!
Please! Princess! Please save us!”
When all of the Bikpan were dragged away, it was only the princess who was on the
floor. The soldiers unbound her arms and she crawled towards the dagger. The
princess
hugged it tightly and sobbed. She looked pathetic, but coldly, Lucius the First
turned
away and walked out.
When he left the banquet room, the clean air felt shocking compared to the smell of
blood that he had basked in. Lucius the First tried to remain cold; he had to focus
on his
own men who were injured from this plot rather than feel sympathy towards the
daughter of a liar.
Then, he noticed that Poliana wasn’t behind him. She had never left his sight since
the
banquet, and he wondered why she wasn’t coming out. Just then, he heard the
princess’ cry stop after a short but sharp gasp.
Lucius the First felt relieved. “Hmm… I am not a kind person, but I guess my knight
is.”
Contrary to her emperor’s belief, Poliana was not a kind woman.
She looked down at the princess, who was trembling with the dagger in her hands. It
seemed that she didn’t even know how to hold a weapon properly.
Poliana lowered herself and helped the princess hold it the right way. The tearful
eyes
turned to her in shock.
“P-p-p-p…”

“It is impossible to kill oneself without causing pain, even for men, but I assume
you want
it to be as quick as possible, right?”
“P-p-p-p…”
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Poliana ignored the princess begging for her life. Instead, she placed her hand on
the
princess’ ribs. Unfortunately for the princess, the dagger was too short and would
never
reach her heart if it did go in correctly. Poliana then explained, “You can try
stabbing
your neck, but if you are unlucky, you might just end up with a hole and not die.
So
here, between your ribs, is your best bet. It might take longer, but you will
definitely die.”
The princess swallowed hard. She was still crying and was about to beg for her life
again
when the screams of her people coming from outside began. The massacre has begun.
The princess clenched her teeth. She was still crying, but she seemed to have made
her
mind. Slowly, she brought the dagger to her ribs. As it began to enter her skin,
she
closed her eyes. At that moment, Poliana helped her.
Poliana was not kind. If she was, she wouldn’t have forced the princess to kill
herself.
Instead, she would’ve killed her for her. It would have been easier, quicker, and
painless.
But Poliana was generous enough to help at least. She knew that without her
assistance, the princess would end up just cutting herself and suffer unnecessarily
so
firmly, she pushed the dagger for the princess.
That was as far as she was willing to help.
A swordsman was a murderer. A knight was a swordsman. This meant that a knight was
a murderer. It was a knight’s job to kill in order to protect someone or kill
because of an
order from the one he or she served.
This was her life and she had no regrets about it.
Chapter 61
Was it because she killed a defenseless girl?
Poliana felt strange, but she shook her head to forget about what happened. She
retrieved her daggers. ‘I’m so glad I kept them with me.’
Her sword was taken away but thankfully, she was able to hide her dagger between
her neatly folded clothes. If the maids folded her clothes for her, they would have
found the weapons, but Poliana made sure that she did it herself. The maids grabbed
her well-folded clothes and placed them in a closet as they were. They would have
noticed how heavy it was, but they probably thought it was just that because of her
leather armor.
Poliana felt too anxious without any weapons, so she strapped one dagger each on
her inner thighs. She was worried that if she placed them on the outer thighs, they
would show because her dress was very tight. But having the daggers between her
legs
meant that she had to walk awkwardly to make sure they didn’t clink against each
other.
She felt relieved and perhaps a little peeved, that no one thought it was strange
that
she walked so oddly.
‘I mean, even if I have never worn a dress before, why would people think I
wouldn’t be
able to walk normally in it?’
Did everyone think Poliana was that awkward?
Bastards…
‘But…’

It was nice to be treated like a lady. Her colleagues seemed to treat her with
respect,
and she secretly loved it. She kept her face blank when the guards offered to
escort her
but on the inside, she was happy.
And when Donau and Lucius the First asked her to dance…
In truth, she wanted to dance, but she was afraid that the daggers between her legs
would make metallic noises while she did. She couldn’t have her weapons be
discovered.
Thanks to the daggers, she was able to protect her beloved emperor. Even without
them, she knew the Acreians would have won anyway, but she was certain it helped.
Her daggers provided an advantage that the enemies didn’t expect.
It was perfect.
When Poliana finally left the banquet hall, she flinched. She thought everyone left
by
now, but they were all waiting outside the hall. All the knights and even the
emperor
were watching her.
Poliana wondered, ‘Will I be punished for helping the princess commit suicide?’
But the men didn’t look angry. The emperor and the champions looked unscathed, but
the rest of the men didn’t look ok. They were covered in blood, food, alcohol,
vomit,
innards, and dust. Didn’t they want to wash up as soon as possible? Why were they
waiting for her?
Poliana knew she looked the worst. There was no mirror for her to confirm it, but
she was
certain that she must look frightening.
Her makeup was probably smeared. She could smell the blood and sweat on herself.
Her dress was ripped into shreds and she lost her shoes. She was no longer wearing
her
wig and her short hair was covered in blood.
Poliana knew she must look like an ugly monster, but the monstrous’s emperor still
remained clean and beautiful. There were some blood splatters on his clothes, but
because they were red, it wasn’t very noticeable.
After a brief hesitation, Poliana walked towards her emperor, who greeted her
calmly.
“Where did you keep your daggers?”
“Between my thighs, your highness.”
“Good thinking, you’re very well prepared.”
“Because it is my duty, your highness.”
The emperor smiled quietly. The other knights then said to her, “So that was why
you
walked so strangely.”
“Oh, we thought it was because the floor was slippery.”
“So is that why you refused to dance with his highness?”
“Yes. I was worried that the daggers would make strange metallic noises.”
She didn’t mean to be rude to her emperor. She hoped that Sir Ainno, who was still
glaring at her, would understand her situation.
Suddenly, Sir Ainno said to her, “Your outfit suits you.”
‘Jerk.’

She knew that she looked ridiculous right now. Sir Ainno could be a mean son-of-
ab*tch. Poliana considered throwing the daggers at him, but she decided against it.
She
knew that she couldn’t win against him.
‘He is such an assh*le. People like that live really long too. How unfair.’
Like the other knights, Poliana had many different injuries as well. Sir Donau was
already
gone to see a healer. She wasn’t a doctor, but she could see he had broken at least
a
few bones.
Suddenly, Poliana realized that her time as the emperor’s guard was almost over.
The
tournament had ended and Sir Ainno was now available. She felt disappointed but at
least, she was able to keep the emperor safe. She felt relieved and proud of
herself.
If Lucius the First got even the smallest cut… She didn’t even want to think about
it.
Poliana suspected that a few of her bones must be fractured. When she stood
awkwardly, making sure her feet touched the floor as little as possible, the
emperor
asked her, “Are your feet injured?”
“I’m fine, your highness!”
‘Oh my god! How dare I show his highness my weakness? I have made a huge
mistake!’
Before she could explain, Lucius the First lifted her up to carry her. Poliana
flailed
awkwardly, narrowly missing the emperor’s face.
“I’m fine, your highness!”
“Stop screaming, Sir Poliana. My ears hurt.”
“I’m perfectly fine, your highness. Truly! Please let me down!”
“This is for refusing to dance with me tonight.” Lucius the First smiled at her
kindly.
‘What a generous emperor he is!’
Poliana felt encouraged. The way the emperor was holding her was painful because of
her broken ribs. After a brief hesitation, Poliana asked, “Then… Could you carry me
on
your back, your highness? Like a piggyback… This position feels very
uncomfortable.”
“…”
When the emperor remained silent for a long time, Poliana realized that she was
being
insolent. She apologized immediately. “I take it back, your highness! I am so
sorry.”
“No, not at all. I am just surprised by you, Sir Poliana.”
Lucius the First gently let her down on the floor. Poliana considered running away,
but
her emperor quickly offered her his back. She didn’t know what to do. She really
didn’t
want to be carried by the emperor. She considered escaping this situation, but Sir
Ainno
was behind her and blocking the way. Sir Deke was being no help at all.
Poliana contemplated and suddenly, she thought of a good idea.
“I… I cannot be carried on your back because my dress is destroyed. My backside
will
get exposed for everyone to see, your highness!”

This was true. Her dress was badly ripped. Lucius the First turned around and
before he
could say anything, Poliana felt something on her shoulder. When she turned around,
she saw that Sir Ainno was putting his own cloak around her.
‘This man is useless!’
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Before she could protest, Poliana found herself on the back of Lucius the First. To
her
shock, Sir Ainno remained quiet. The rest of the men were smiling proudly, looking
very
pleased.
Poliana tried to make sure the least amount of her body touched Lucius the First’s
back.
She continued to gape, having a difficult time believing that she was actually on
her
emperor’s back.
An emperor who carried his own subject… What a great ruler he was.
‘His highness is so amazing.’
Before they reached the makeshift infirmary, Poliana suddenly thought of a
question.
She knew she was being rude, but she was curious. She wanted to know his answer.
“Your highness, I have a question I would like to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“You believe in not killing a virgin for fear of being cursed, yet today, you
didn’t hesitate
to kill the princess, who must be a virgin lady. Why did you do it?”
Chapter 62
The Bikpa Princess was a royalty, which meant that her bloodline was good enough
for
Lucius the First to bed. He could have easily ordered her death after he spent the
night
with her.
The emperor remained quiet. Poliana, still on his back, could feel his body
tensing. After
a long silence, Lucius the First asked, “You still remember that, huh?”
The emperor’s voice, which always sounded confident, wavered a little.
“How could I forget, your highness?”
“I see…”
He sighed quietly. He could fool Sir Ainno, but he certainly couldn’t fool Poliana.
“Listen, Sir Poliana. What I did to you when we first met… That was my fault. It
was a
mistake. I was blinded by my desire for a perfect war. I was foolish enough to
believe
that I could make no mistake. I was wrong.”
‘Oh…’ Poliana understood his words.
Her emperor always looked confident and self-assured, but he was only a man after
all.
He was a young man of 20 years when he first sat out to conquer the world. And now,
a
few years later… He was a fully grown man. He had matured, he was different now.

“And are you no longer blinded, your highness.”

“Hmm…”
Lucius the First stopped himself from sighing again. Poliana could understand what
her
emperor must be going through. She agreed that what happened when they first met
was his fault. It was only right that he apologized, but then… He was the emperor.
If
they continued this conversation, perhaps Lucius the First really would apologize
to
her….?
The emperor reminded himself never to make such a mistake again in the future. He
said to Poliana. “It was you, Sir Poliana, who taught me that a living woman’s
determination was much stronger than a dead woman’s curse.”
At the time when they first met, no one could have expected this.
The emperor carrying Poliana on his back…
When they arrived at the temporary infirmary, everyone tried to stand up to greet
their
emperor properly. Lucius the First raised his hand for them to remain as they were
and
gently placed Poliana on an empty bed.
Poliana took out a handkerchief, which was inside Sir Ainno’s cloak, and began to
clean her dirty feet. There were only a few healers so the patients did whatever
they
could by themselves. Poliana knew her ribs would heal on their own in time and her
feet, once disinfected, would feel better soon.
Lucius the First walked around the room, making small encouraging conversations
with
the injured soldiers. When he was done, he returned to Poliana.
The emperor noticed how Poliana’s head was covered in sticky dry blood. The truth
was
that she needed a good bath more than a healer for her injuries. Lucius the First
quickly
ordered a bath for her and touched her hair gently. Then, he asked, “Have you ever
thought about growing your hair? Would you consider it?”
“Pardon?”
“Well, I can’t have my personal guard bald.” The emperor smiled and continued, “Sir
Poliana Winter, I officially assign you to be the commander of my personal
protection
department.”

Who could have ever imagined that a skinny ugly foreign knightess could become the
Acreian emperor’s personal guard? Feeling her eyes welling up, Poliana rubbed her
face hard. When she saw her hands covered in makeup and blood, she gasped.
Looking up at the emperor again and with her voice trembling in determination, she
said, “Thank you, your highness! I will do my best!”
“Excellent! I believe in you, Sir Pol.”
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After Lucius the First left, Poliana laid down on the bed and covered her face with
her
hands. Lucius the First called his close acquaintances by a shortened name. For
example, he called Sir Ainno, Inno, while he called Sir Baufallo, Bau. Only those
he had
known for a long time and he trusted had the honor of being called in this friendly
manner.
Poliana weren’t been able to admit it until now, but she realized that she had been
envious of these two men. Poliana wanted to be close to Lucius the First too. She
wanted to become a knight her emperor could trust.
Her emperor was an amazing man. Lucius the First was able to give a purpose for her
life. He even gave her a dream, and he made her realize that she was in fact a
greedy
person.
Poliana always thought she didn’t care, but she had been wrong about herself. She
was greedy for her emperor’s recognition and trust, and she was ambitious to become
the one who would help him achieve his dream.
‘It will happen. I just know it.’
Poliana truly believed it. She had no doubt that if she followed her emperor, she
would
get to see the world, she would get to conquer it alongside Lucius the First.
The emperor had an enormous dream. Poliana would follow him anywhere and dream
the same dream.
For the rest of her life, Sir Poliana Winter would live as the shadow of the
greatest
emperor, Lucius the First.
Chapter 63
Poliana Winter was now an official member of Lucius the First’s personal protection
team. She was no longer one of his mere guards, but she was assigned the position
of a
commander. Sir Mahogal, who used to be the commander, was not promoted to
become the head of the department.
Then what about Sir Ainno, who was the head of the protection division? Lucius the
First
made him the head of a new department titled the special forces. As expected, Sir
Ainno was adamantly against this idea. “Your highness! Please! Please do not do
this!”
Sir Ainno looked determined. He stood in front of the emperor’s tent, refusing to
leave
until Lucius the First changed his mind. Sir Ainno looked unkempt and messy.
When Lucius the First gave him a frustrated look, Sir Mahogal smiled and went out
to
remove the resolute knight. Of course, Sir Ainno wasn’t the type to be easily
removed.
When the emperor heard Sir Ainno and Sir Mahogal arguing, he went out himself to
take care of the situation.
Lucius the First asked Sir Ainno to join him for a drink.
The two drank as long-time friends and talked frankly.
Lucius the First tried to make his case. He explained that Sir Ainno was too good
of a
knight to be wasted as a personal guard and left out of the battles. The emperor
was
safe, and the other knights were all very skilled; they would do a fine job of
protecting
the emperor. Lucius also told him that he knew Sir Ainno loved going into the
battles
whenever he got a chance.
“How can I trust those weaklings to protect you, your highness?!” Sir Ainno
retorted.

“Inno, if an assassin is skilled enough to sneak into my tent, which is located in

the
middle of our base, then perhaps it would be only fair that I die… I’m just
kidding.”
The emperor was allowed to joke just about anything, but not about his own life. It
was
an unspoken rule.
Lucius the First continued, “Inno, I am not saying being a personal guard isn’t an
honorable position, but as you know, your talent can allow you to do much greater
things. Rather than staying by my side, you can go out there and lead the battles
into
victories. This is how you will honor your family name.”
The emperor was making a perfect sense.
“Go, Inno. Go where you can shine the most.”
Later, Poliana heard about this conversation in details from the emperor himself.
After
being carried on his back, Poliana now considered herself a close acquaintance of
the
emperor. Lucius the First thought the same way too. They became close enough that
Poliana now felt comfortable making a joke first.
“Then, your highness, where should I be to shine the most? Would it be by your
side?”
“That’s not true, Sir Pol.”
Poliana expected the emperor to joke back, but when he replied without a smile, she
kneeled in front of him. Did she just make a huge mistake?
After a tense silence, Lucius the First added seriously, “I can shine because of
you by my
side.”

It was such a corny thing to say, but Poliana liked it. Because Lucius the First
said it, this
comment sounded poetic. Besides, it was true. Everyone here was following him to
make his dream come true. The soldiers and the knights were there to make Lucius
the
First, the first emperor of the entire continent.
They would become the legend to be talked about for decades.
Poliana bowed and replied, “Thank you, your highness. I am honored.”
“Don’t you think you and I get along great?”
“I do, your highness.”
Even if she disagreed, she obviously had to say yes to such a question. Lucius the
First
smiled like a naughty boy and Poliana smiled back.
They looked at each other for a long time, smiling widely and showing off their
white
teeth. Of course, unlike the emperor, Poliana was missing a molar.
“Sir Pol, I really think we will have a very good relationship.”
“Of course, your highness. I will always try my best to be a good knight no matter
what.
No matter what kind of emperor you become, I will serve you to my best ability.”

“And I will never abandon you, Sir Pol. Even if you aren’t a good knight.”
Lucius the First was impressed with how Sir Donau fought at the banquet hall as
well. He
promoted Sir Donau to become a guard in the personal protection division. Donau was
ecstatic, but Sir Baufallo respectfully refused because he thought this was too big
of an
honor. With a smile, Lucius the First explained to Sir Baufallo, “There aren’t that
many
knights who can fight even after being kicked in his balls, Bau.”
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Sir Baufallo understood immediately and gave his blessing to his youngest son. Sir
Howe
became very jealous after he saw his younger brother in the handsome guard uniform.
Sir Howe insisted that if he wasn’t chosen to participate in the tournament, he
would
have become a personal guard instead of his little brother.
Wanting to boast, Donau wore his uniform everywhere. To eat, to sleep, and to
train.
When the other personal guards found out about it, Donau was harshly reprimanded
for
being too careless with his position. The personal protection division was known
for its
harsh internal discipline process.
Several of the existing personal guards wanted to participate in active battles
too.
When they asked, Lucius the First allowed them to join Sir Ainno in the new special
forces. To fill their positions, new personal guards were selected. These knights
became
overjoyed as they received their new blue uniforms, which they admired from afar
for a
long time.
To get to know the new guards, Lucius the First gathered everyone in the personal
protection team. He ordered the drinks and food, and he smiled at the knights. He
was
happy and he felt finally free.
Lucius the First announced, “Then! Let’s drink to celebrate the departure of Inno!
I finally
got rid of him!”
“WAA!”
“Long live Sir Ainno!”
“Cheers!”
Chapter 64
Lucius the First ordered the Bikpa King and the noble families that were present at
the
banquet to be removed from the official records. Only those nobilities who
surrendered
before the tournament took place were spared. Anyone and everyone who was
associated with Gali the Third was hung upside down alive on the castle wall. Their
screams never stopped and by the second day, the birds began to eat them alive. The
strong winds caused them to smash into the stone walls, and many of them began to
bleed. There were some whose ropes got untied and fell to the ground.
And finally, after a week, the screams stopped.
Despite the gruesome punishment, no one faulted Lucius the First. In fact, the
people
believed he saved the Bikpa nation from being starved to death by their own king.
Later, Lucius the First found the messages that were exchanged between Gali the
Third
and the rulers of other kingdoms.
“Idiot…”
It seemed that Gali the Third was following the idiotic suggestions by the other
rulers. He
was born a king, but he certainly did not act like one. He had no honor or bravery.
The kingdoms surrounding Bikpa never had any intention of helping. They were using
Bikpa as bait to buy time.
The three kingdoms near Bikpa had their own confederation. Fighting this
confederation was going to be very different than fighting an individual kingdom.
This three-kingdom confederation had been in power of the middle continent for a
long
time. The greatest of this group was Kopi.

The three kingdoms formed a half-moon shape. In the middle of them was the Msmel
forest. The south of it was Kopi, the west was Mongsheim, and the east was occupied
by Oz. Above them all was Bikpa.
Msmel forest was a heavily wooded jungle, especially in the middle. Even during the
daytime, it was dark as the night inside the forest. It provided overabundant woods
for
the three kingdoms, as well as protection from each other’s attacks. No one dared
to
cross the Msmel forest.
It was said that anyone who went deep into the forest disappeared and was never to
be seen again. Therefore, to get to Kopi, Lucius the First had to go around it. The
confederation was ready for the Acreian attack. While Lucius the First dealt with
Bikpa,
they finished their military preparation.
The Acreian emperor needed to get ready as well. Rather than beginning to move
immediately towards Kopi, the smart thing was to recuperate, both in terms of
supply
and manpower. Lucius the First also wanted to help the Bikpan people by fairly
distributing the food and other supplies from the Yapa castle.
Those soldiers who were injured severely were ordered to stay in Bikpa until their
recovery. The Acreians also held a memorial for the soldiers who died during the
battle.
Their bodies were burned and only their bones and armors were to be sent back to
Acreia. Their flesh was buried here in Bikpa. Lucius the First was busy with their
preparation for the next battle, but he made sure to attend all the funerals and
memorials for his soldiers.
The Bikpa nobles, who were hung upside down on the wall, were left to rot, but the
Bikpa Princess’s body was wrapped in cotton to be buried. No gravestone was given
to
her, which meant that in two years, her gravesite was going to disappear.
During these busy days, one thing bothered Lucius the First.
Msmel Forest.
It was nicknamed the heart of the continent.
The soldiers of the confederation knew the forest well, while the Acreian soldiers
were
ignorant of its geography and history. The citizens of the three kingdoms were used
to
living nearby the forest because although the middle of the Msmel was considered
dangerous, its outer areas were relatively safe.

Acreia vs. The three-kingdom confederation.

The Acreian knights were concerned about being attacked from the forest, and their
worries came true. Unexpected arrows were shot from the forest, killing some of the
Acreian soldiers. From then on, the Acreian knights made sure to be wary of the
forest.
Beforehand, the Acreians were confident in dealing with the wooded area because
they were used to hunting in the forests back home. However, what they did not
consider was the fact that Msmel forest was filled with heavily branched and
unusually
tall trees, unlike their Acreian forests.
The battles between them were vicious and large-scaled. Because there were many
flatlands in the middle continent, many battles were fought on horseback and by the
spearmen. Archers played a huge role as well.
On the vast field, the flags of four kingdoms danced in the wind.
Acreia, Kopi, Mongsheim, and Oz.
The land gained one day was lost the next day, and this happened over and over
again. Each battle ended in many casualties. Severe injuries and constant battles
were
worrisome. Based on his calculation, Lucius the First knew the longer this lasted,
the less
likely he was going to win this war. The confederation had all the advantages
because
they were fighting from their own territory. The Acreians tried their best, but
they were
not gaining any significant land so far.
Lucius the First murmured, “If this lasts a long time, it can’t be good for us…”
It has already been five years since he left Nanaba with a big dream. So far, he
was
able to unite the northern continent and even conquer one kingdom in the mid-
region.
Five years was a long time. A boy could become a man in five years. A baby would
grow up enough to run in five years.
Coincidently, it was also enough time for a foreign knightess, who fought naked
against
the Acreian soldiers one time, to become the Acreian emperor’s personal guard.
Lucius the First divided his army into two. Sir Bentier was assigned to the west,
which
meant Mongsheim, while Lucius the First was to take care of Oz in the eastern area.
This
was how they conquered Aehas and Kukda at the same time a few years ago.
In a situation like this, one genius knight such as Sir Ainno was unfortunately
unhelpful.
He may be able to fight against many soldiers, but not against the hundreds and
thousands of enemy soldiers.
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One of the knights said during the strategy meeting, “At this rate, this war is
going to
take 10 years.”
“That is too long,” Lucius the First replied.
“Oh, isn’t that actually a rather short time for a war?”
Poliana was used to the war between Aehas and Kukda, which lasted for decades.
When she suggested 10 years was not a long time, everyone in the tent glared at
her.
Feeling awkward, she looked down and pretended to read the map on the table.
Lucius the First tapped the table. It was his habit whenever he was contemplating
something. The knights looked down at his fingers uneasily.
The emperor then announced, “We will win. I will win. But for now… it seems that I
can’t
find a solution to this problem. These battles we are going through are
meaningless…
How did Aehas and Kukda kings fight for so long? What were they thinking?”
Poliana smiled bitterly because she felt the same way. What Lucius the First was
saying
was correct.
Looking around the tent, the emperor finally asked, “It was Sir Pol who found a
solution
when we were stuck at the Koemong River. Now, is there someone who thinks they can
fix our current problem?”
Chapter 65
When they were stuck at the Koemong River, it was Poliana who found the solution
that
led them to victory. It was partly luck too, but her idea was essential.
The knights in the tent remained quiet, not knowing what to say. Then finally, Sir
Ainno
offered, “Your highness, I will ride to the enemy base myself.”
“Suicide isn’t the answer I was looking for.”
Sir Ainno wasn’t stupid but sometimes, he said the oddest thing. Lucius the First
and the
other knights ignored his comment, but Sir Ainno refused to give up.
“Your highness, Sir Bentier and I will ride out to the enemy base and behead their
highest-ranking knight. This will end this situation.”
“Now you are saying you want Sir Bentier to commit suicide too, Inno?” Lucius the
First
became frustrated as he added, “If you say something so stupid one more time, I
will
kick you out right now.”
Sir Bentier, who glared at Sir Ainno, murmured, “Your highness…”
Everyone turned towards him as he continued, “We don’t know anything about the
Msmel forest, which means that we need to explore it.”
“Don’t you think that is too dangerous?”

No Acreians have gone into the forest to study it. All they knew came from the
information provided by the people of Bikpa. They were strongly warned not to go
into
the forest.
There were many rumors going around concerning the forest. Some claimed that a
woodcutter went in only to disappear. Only his ax was found. One Oz citizen got
lost
and was found dead six months later in Mongsheim. His corpse was apparently left in
horrible shape.
The funniest rumor Lucius the First heard was about a dragon. Some people in the
midcontinent believed that a dragon lived in the forest. It was ridiculous.
But one thing was certain; the forest was undoubtedly dangerous. Even the soldiers
of
the confederation didn’t venture too deep into Msmel. Sir Bentier then answered,
“As
you know, your highness, we, the Acreians, are hunters. For generations, our people
have been good friends of the forest.”
“But Msmel forest isn’t familiar to any of us. I wouldn’t call it a friend.”
“I will make it my friend very soon.”
The other knights smiled secretly. They knew Sir Bentier was too serious to have
many
friends at all. Poliana was the only one who didn’t smirk.
Lucius the First murmured, “Hmm… But just simply exploring it wouldn’t be fun…”
After discussing with Sir Baufallo, Lucius the First announced that hunting was now
allowed. The best hunters were selected to go out hunting and explore the forest at
the
same time.
The first time they went inside the forest, they were lost and returned very late.
Afterward, there were days when a search party had to be sent to find the hunters,
but
overall, the exploration went smoothly. Unfortunately, they walked into their
enemies a
few times, but they still returned safely.
In the end, the exploration team’s findings were unhelpful. Inside the Msmel
forest, there
were various marshes and wetlands. The Acreian soldiers were so sick of the Koemong
River that they flinched when they saw the wetlands.
These swamps were different from the riverbanks, however. The marshes were made of
rotten tree branches, dirt, and leaves over a very long time. A fine yet thick
mosscovered these areas, and more trees grew on top of them. Adding to the fact
that it
was darker in the forest, it was very hard to tell which areas were swamps and
which
were firm lands.
The forest was also thick with old trees. Without a compass, it was impossible to
tell the
directions. The scary thing was that there were places within the forest where the
compass didn’t work. It must’ve been like this because certain areas had high metal
contents in the soil.
But the scout team did find out one thing for certain. They found the identity of
the
supposed dragon.
An alligator.

It was an alligator living in one of the swamps. The Acreian soldiers, who have
never
seen an alligator before, ran away screaming. But eventually, the soldiers were
able to
catch it alive and bring it back to Lucius the First, who looked shocked.
“So it looks like a dragon, but it’s not?”
“It’s called an alligator, your highness.”
“Hmm… What horrible teeth. I can see that it could probably kill all of us very
easily if
given a chance. And you found this in the forest just crawling around? Well, I
guess we
better give up on crossing the Msmel forest then.”
The alligator was given to the supply division to be studied. Sir Baufallo ordered
his men
to find out if the alligator was edible. The men asked the locals and it turned out
that
once the skin was removed, its meat could be eaten. Still suspicious and ever-so
careful, Sir Baufallo ordered to throw away the blood and make sure to cook the
meat
thoroughly.
The soldiers became excited at the prospect of trying a type of meat they’ve never
tasted before. The alligator hide was given to Lucius the First, but he wasn’t
interested.
“I like the bear and tiger hides, but reptile skin…. I’m not into it.”
In fact, Lucius the First disliked any kind of reptiles, but he was curious about
what it
would taste like. He tried a small piece just to see and Poliana did the same. She
thought it was ok, but she wouldn’t want to eat it again.
The Acreians were skilled at hunting bears, but certainly not alligators. It took
them a
very long time to hunt the alligator and they realized it was a huge waste of time.
They
certainly had better things to do.
The attempt to cross Msmel forest as a military strategy was no longer viable. At
least,
Lucius the First didn’t have high expectations regarding this plan, so he wasn’t
overly
disappointed. At least, they found out the identity of the dragon.
The alligator hide eventually ended up in Sir Rabi’s hands. Sir Rabi sewed it up
into a
dog coat and made his dog wear it. When the mutt ran around the base in the
alligator hide, the unsuspecting soldiers jumped in fear, making Sir Rabi laugh.
The soldiers were ordered to stop exploring the forest, but hunting was still
allowed. It
became an enjoyable activity for the men while the battles continued. The animals
they hunted weren’t enough for everyone to eat, but the soldiers still enjoyed it.
Then one day, Sir Rabi captured a live fawn. When Poliana found out, she began to
salivate.
“Let’s roast it!”
“Sis! You are such a barbarian!”

“What? What are you talking about, Donau? It was you who introduced me to deer
meat!”
The other soldiers also glared at her angrily. How dare they! These Acreian men
were
notorious for roasting and eating anything they could find! Feeling annoyed,
Poliana
went to Sir Rabi himself. She was going to convince him that a roasted fawn would
be a
great meal for a drinking party.
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But when she found him, Poliana learned that Sir Rabi was in love with the fawn. He
was
a father of young children, who lived in Acreia, and the fawn apparently reminded
him
of his own children.
“Oh, Sir Pol, did you come to see my fawn? Look at her! She is so adorable!”
“But… Sir Rabi, it’s just a deer.”
“Yes, and she is so different and cute!”
‘Well… because it’s a southern deer…’
In the northern region, the winter deers were huge with large horns. The deer in
the
middle and the southern continent was much more delicate. The fawn did look cute as
it trembled. It must’ve been cold.
“It looks delicious,” Poliana replied honestly.
What Sir Rabi said to her next was very unexpected.
Chapter 66
Sir Rabi, looking shocked, said to Poliana, “You are awful!”
“She is still a baby, so her flesh must be very tender.”
“Sir Poliana, how can you call yourself a woman? Don’t you have any kind of
motherly
instinct?”
“It was you people who taught me that a deer is food, Sir Rabi!”
The other knights and soldiers heard their conversation and began to criticize
Poliana
openly.
“You are a savage, Sir Pol! A witch! You are so cold! Booo!”
To her shock, it seemed that everyone at the base was smitten with this fawn.
Poliana
left awkwardly. Feeling frustrated, she found a tree and began to beat it in
exasperation. Suddenly, after her angry kick, a bird nest fell off from the tree
and the
eggs inside it cracked. Poliana stared down at it guiltily.
‘What terrible mother and father birds. How could they build such a weak and
fragile
nest? Stupid birds…’
She tried to rationalize the situation, but she couldn’t stop feeling guilty.
Poliana began
to scratch her hair, which now reached her ears. She hasn’t cut it since the day
Lucius
the First suggested she let it grow.

Today, her hair wasn’t knotted because she washed it this morning. On a good day,
it
could be called golden, but usually, her hair had the same color as straws.
“Waaa!”
Suddenly, she heard men exclaiming excitedly. When Poliana turned around, she saw
Sir Rabi feeding milk to the fawn by soaking his handkerchief and dripping the milk
onto
its mouth. The other knights and the soldiers were watching him so eagerly.
Poliana frowned, but she continued to study the fawn. It had large clear eyes,
small
head, a fragile body, and a short tail. It was still trembling pathetically.
‘It looks so delicious.’
It really looked very yummy.
In Acreia, the one who was taking care of the kingdom in the place of Lucius the
First
was his cousin Duke Luzo. During the last five years, Duke Luzo has supported
Lucius the
First faithfully. Most of the supplies were replenished as the army moved and
conquered
lands, but they still needed certain things from their homeland.
For example, the soldiers’ uniforms, weapons, and certain food items were delivered
from Acreia. Lucius the First’s personal items were also sent from his home. This
meant
that there were sometimes problems of prolonged delays in delivery, which included
mails.
One day, Lucius the First received a letter from Duke Luzo. In short, Duke Luzo was
asking for help because apparently, there were some high-ranking nobles who were
trying to make him the emperor.
“Lucius, they are trying to make me the new emperor. Please return as soon as
possible
and save me.”
The message explained that every time the news of Lucius the First’s victory
arrived, his
popularity went up dramatically. All the new colonies were also stabilizing and
adapting well. But some of those in Acreia wanted to put Duke Luzo on the throne,
thinking that he would be easier to control than Lucius.
Duke Luzo said he was trying his best to keep it at bay, but he needed help right
away.
He also added that because of Lucius the First, who refused to return any time
soon, he
was never going to be able to get married.
Lucius the First folded the letter and laughed. It was so helpful to have an
unambitious
cousin who was a great administrator. The emperor began to write a reply. He wrote
about the current situation at the front, the disloyal nobles Duke Luzo mentioned
and
how to control them, taxes and minor legal matters, and how to further stabilize
the
colonies.
And at the end, he added that if Duke Luzo wanted to marry, he was free to do so.
Duke Luzo was worried that if he bore a son, he would receive even more pressure to
take over the throne. This was why he was delaying his marriage at all until Lucius
the
First returned.
The royal members and high-ranking nobles married either very young or very old.
Duke
Luzo was still very young, but soon, he was going to be pressured to get married.
Because so many noble young men left home to follow Lucius the First, Duke Luzo was
considered one of the most eligible bachelors left in Acreia. Many noble families
were
trying to get their young daughters to marry Duke Luzo, who potentially could be
the
new emperor.

Lucius the First didn’t mind his cousin getting married. He wasn’t worried at all,
but he
certainly appreciated Duke Luzo’s thoughtfulness and selflessness. Lucius knew that
if it
wasn’t for Duke Luzo, he wouldn’t have been able to leave Acreia to accomplish his
dream.
Lucius the First’s father, the former emperor, Heogwai the Second, had a tense
relationship with some of the powerful nobles in Acreia. When Heogwai the Second
began to prepare for a similar conquest as Lucius’, these nobles were against the
idea.
When the former emperor died, Lucius the First was pressured to give up on this
plan to
conquer the world.
Of course, Lucius didn’t listen to them.
He understood why these men wanted Duke Luzo to take over the throne. Lucius the
First suspected that these old nobles hated hearing how successful he was with his
battles.
Although he felt apologetic towards Duke Luzo, Lucius the First couldn’t return
home.
At the strategy meeting, Sir Baufallo looked over the map and sighed. He said in
frustration, “These bastards… They just won’t go away. They are like persistent
love
handles.”
“Love handles?”
“You know, the fat in your midriffs.”
“Why would there be fat in your midriffs?”
When the young and slim knights asked, Sir Baufallo shuddered in anger. He was over
40 years old and the oldest in the tent. As he got older, it was getting harder to
stay slim
despite his best effort.
Lucius the First thought secretly, ‘I suppose Sir Bau is nearing his retirement.’
Often, the knights retired after a major battle injury. Sometimes, they were lucky
enough
to retire from an old age. Older meant stiff joints and depleted stamina. Their
bones
were more brittle, and some also experienced psychological illness from their times
in
countless battles.
Lucius the First insisted on having Sir Bau because he trusted this knight, who has
served
his father before him. The emperor needed someone who could lead the young naïve
knights. It had to be done, but Lucius the First still felt guilty for dragging Sir
Baufallo into
this conquest.
And on top of that, both of Sir Baufallo’s sons were also here.
When Lucius the First announced his plan for this journey, many young knights and
soldiers volunteered to follow him. Some did it because they admired their young
emperor while others wanted to become heroes and gain fame and fortune.
Sir Rabi followed because he belonged to a well-known military family. Sir Bentier
was
ordered to go by the nobles who didn’t trust Lucius the First’s judgement.

Lucius the First then asked, “Any new rumors about me?” One of the soldiers brought
him a report that included all the recent rumors that were going around in the
nearby
kingdoms. As he read it, the emperor smirked. As expected, there were many gossips
concerning Poliana. It seemed that everyone was shocked by the concept of a female
knight.
“Hmm… They are pretty much the same rumors every time… It’s not even interesting
anymore.”
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“Indeed, your highness.”
“Aren’t you upset by these, Sir Pol?”
“Not at all, your highness, since the woman they are talking about isn’t accurate.
They
are describing someone that is definitely not me.”
The rumors about Poliana were full of conspiracies and obscenities. Some were
filthy
enough to make even an experienced prostitute blush, but Poliana remained calm.
They were not true, and she was sure no one believed them. And if she did become
angry, she could just kick the enemy soldiers’ balls when she got a chance.
The rest of the document was boring. Lucius the First seemed disappointed.
“These people… they have no creativity.”
It was a common and rather effective strategy to spread negative rumors about your
enemies during a war. It was similar in the northern region as well.
Lucius the First asked the knight in charge of the rumors, “Are things going well
on our
end? Are our rumors spreading accordingly?”
Chapter 67
“Yes, your highness.”
The most important thing in a war was justification. Simply put, if Lucius the
First could
come up with a justification and a logical rationale for his conquest, things could
work
out much simpler for him.
The Acreian emperor’s slogan was the following: The people of the continent will be
freed from their selfish rulers. He promised happiness for the citizens of all
kingdoms.
Lucius the First also came up with personalized details for individual nations. For
example, the people of Aehas and Kukda were needlessly suffering because of the
meaningless war that had been going on for a long time. Bebero was doing its nasty
part by selling weapons to both Aehas and Kukda. The three-kingdom confederation
was starving its people with unreasonably high tax rates.
Lucius the First applied the Acreian tax laws to all of his colonies. The tax rates
ranged
from 10 to 30%. This worked very well in Acreia where farming wasn’t the main
national
industry due to its harsh weather. The surprising thing was that even the 30% tax
rate
was wholeheartedly welcomed by the colonies.
In the kingdoms of the confederation, the tax rate was usually at 70%, which left
the
inhabitants poor. When this war began, the governments raised the rate to 90%.
So, Lucius the First ordered several Acreian men to disguise as Bikpa noble
refugees.
They moved around the three kingdoms and pretended to hate the new tax law
enforced by Lucius the First. It was true that indeed the nobles would become much
poorer if the tax rate went down. These spies spread the news that if the Acreian
conqueror took over control of the confederation, the non-noble inhabitants would
greatly benefit it by having their taxes reduced enormously.
Lucius the First couldn’t understand the reasoning behind high tax rates. Why did
those
nobles need so much money? Compared to them, he was considered a very frugal
man.
10 to 30% was plenty and Duke Luzo agreed that it was so. The 90% tax rate was
ridiculous, especially for the poor farmers. The three kingdoms in the mid-
continent had
the best farming lands. Their productions were massive, which made these nations
very
attractive to Lucius the First. He felt confident that his much lower tax rates
would entice
the citizens of the confederation to help him. He could become their savior.

Poliana was busy sewing during her break time.

They were short on the emperor’s leather gloves, and on top of that, they were low
on
leather itself as well. The emperor’s personal servant Chail eyed Sir Rabi’s fawn
with
interest.
Poliana suggested they use the fawn’s hide for the emperor’s gloves and eat its
meat.
She was heavily condemned for being a heartless witch. When Sir Baufallo heard this
dilemma, he offered Chail a large piece of alligator hide from its belly.
“But his highness said he doesn’t like reptile hides…” Chail muttered.
Sir Baufallo then replied, “It actually doesn’t feel that bad. It’s also very
sturdy.”
Once the supplies from Acreia arrived, they would be fine. They were expecting to
receive new gloves for the emperor made by the Acreian royal glove maker. Chail
took
the alligator leather hesitantly.
Somehow, the job of making his highness’s gloves fell to Poliana, who protested
loudly,
“I am a knight! Not a seamstress. And not just a regular knight! The emperor’s
personal
guard!”
When Poliana tried to escape, Sir Baufallo insisted, “Sir Poliana, we all need to
pitch in.
In fact, only a while back, I made his highness’s bow thimble myself.”
When they became short on supplies, it was normal to make do by making things
themselves, but this didn’t mean it was Poliana’s job to make gloves. She guessed
that
this was turning into a similar situation as when she was ordered to make dinner
for the
men.
Slowly, Poliana claimed confidently, “Sir Donau would be much better at making
leather gloves!”
“What?” Sir Donau was currently working on a leather scabbard for his brother.
In the end, Poliana was ordered to make the leather gloves. She gritted her teeth
as she
began to work when Chail brought her a ripped tunic as well.

“Might as well mend this too, Sir Poliana.”

“Oh, come on! Don’t be like that!”
Poliana clenched her teeth. Chail treated her with respect, but technically, Chail
had a
higher rank than her. He was the emperor’s personal servant, which meant he must’ve
come from one of the most powerful noble families.
As the emperor’s personal guard, Poliana saw his servants often but even now, she
found it very awkward to be around these servants. Poliana didn’t know how to act
around them but unlike her, the servants seemed confident around her.
Chail then murmured, “I wanted to mend it myself, but…”
He then showed her his bandaged hand and continued, “As a woman, you would do
a much better job than any other knights. Don’t you agree?”
“That’s a misunder… whatever.” Poliana sighed and took the tunic. She was tired of
arguing with him, especially considering that he was injured.
Sewing wasn’t all bad. Poliana found that such mindless activity gave her brain to
rest.
One day, she was sewing outside the tent for better light. Suddenly, a shadow
appeared and when she looked up, she found Lucius the First watching her.
“Hmm… You are good at that. It must be because you are a woman.”
It couldn’t be helped that even the emperor was prejudiced. Poliana, of course, did
not correct him. Even a prejudiced compliment was still a compliment. She smiled
awkwardly and replied, “Do you really think so, your highness?”
Lucius the First grabbed one of the finished leather gloves and examined it.
Poliana did
her best, but it still looked imperfect. When she saw the emperor’s expression,
Poliana
sighed. “As you can see, your highness, I am not very good with my fingers… My
sewing
skill is rather lacking… But Sir Donau is very talented when it comes to things
like this.”

“Indeed, Sir Donau does have nimble fingers.”

“Most knights are adequate at sewing because the majority of them started out as
knights’ personal aides and it was part of their job. Even Sir Howe is probably
better at
sewing than me.”
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“I see. Then why did Chail get you to do this?”
When Lucius the First asked curiously, Poliana realized that this was the time to
complain.
“He told me that he thought I would do a good job since I am a woman. Don’t you
think that’s unfair, your highness? Sir Donau is so much better than me. Look at
this
glove he made! He even embroidered it!”
Looking at Sir Donau’s work, Lucius the First nodded in agreement. “You are right,
Sir Pol.
You aren’t bad either, but not as good as Sir Donau.”
“And Sir Donau is also a great cook. Much better than me.”
Lucius the First remembered the incident that occurred a few years ago. Poliana was
asked to cook for his men, but her food was so horrible that it caused many of them
to
get sick and throw up.
“Hmm… I remember that time when your cooking caused a food poisoning incident, Sir
Pol.”
“But, your highness! That was a mistake. I was so nervous at the time! I… I just
wanted to
make something really good, and I got a little too greedy with certain
ingredients…!”
Chapter 68
It wasn’t that Poliana couldn’t cook. She could make decent dishes but at that
time,
she felt pressured to make something amazing. She ended up adding too much of
certain ingredients and it backfired.
That incident was a painful lesson to all in the Acreian army; never let Poliana
cook.
Even the dogs refused to eat her dish. Poliana ended up finishing the entire pot
herself
and wondered what the big deal was.
This should have made it clear that Poliana was not like the other women, who were
taught cooking, cleaning, and sewing from an early age. Lucius the First listened
to her
quietly and watched her work on his leather gloves. He was bored and had nothing
else to do.
Unlike other animals’ hides, alligator skin was much tougher and harder to sew. It
was a
struggle for Poliana to perforate the skin even with a sharp metal needle.
‘If we had the fawn’s hide, it would be so much easier.’
A fawn had a soft hide that could turn into a lovely pair of gloves. Poliana
strongly
believed they should kill the fawn before it got any bigger. The hide would be much
softer and the meat would be more tender at this stage. This was such a
disappointing
situation for her.
Poliana eyed her emperor and asked, “Sir Rabi captured a fawn recently. Did you see
it, your highness?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes, I did. It was trembling and…”
“It looked delicious, right?”

“Exactly. It looked tasty.”

‘See? I knew his highness felt the same way!’
Poliana was pleased that the emperor agreed with her, but she knew that Lucius the
First wasn’t the type that would force Sir Rabi to kill his pet fawn. She was still
pleased,
however, that the emperor didn’t criticize her as all the other men did at the
base.
Lucius the First added, “But if you say something like this to anyone here, you
will be
hated.”
“I have already heard it, your highness.”
“But you and I know the truth, right Sir Pol? All the baby animals are so
delicious. It’s just
too bad that we rarely get a chance to eat them.”
The hunters had an unwritten rule when it came to young animals. One was never
supposed to hunt the young or the parents of the young. This was why it was rare
for
them to eat an infant animal.
Lucius the First remembered the baby boar he caught and ate on his very first hunt
as a
young boy. It was the time when his father, the former emperor, was still alive and
Sir
Ainno was his childhood friend. It tasted so good and tender.
Poliana and Lucius the First became good friends. They both felt like they could
talk to
each other easily. If they met earlier, perhaps she could’ve been as close to the
emperor as Sir Ainno was.
Poliana then said to him, “It would be best to eat the fawn before it grew up.”
“Hmm… but she is a pet, so we shouldn’t.”
“Sir Rabi said he planned to let it go once it was fully grown, so what is the
point of
sparing this animal? It would be such a waste.”
“Like the stew you made that even the dogs refused to eat?”
“…”
Poliana knew she had no excuse for that incident, so she kept quiet and focused on
her
sewing.
When she finished the other glove, she finally had a whole pair done. When she
turned
them right side out, Lucius the First frowned. He could finally see that the gloves
weren’t
made of usual animal hide.
“These… what are these made of?”
“The alligator hides, your highness.”
“I am not interested in reptile skins.”
“So you agree that fawn hide would be much better?”

“… but we can’t kill an innocent baby fawn just for our greed.”
Nodding reluctantly, Poliana began mending the ripped tunic. Suddenly, Lucius the
First
wanted to try sewing himself. He took the needle and the thread from Poliana and
began. After being shown how to do it a few times, the emperor quickly learned the
skill
and did a decent job of mending the shirt.
It wasn’t a perfect job and the tunic looked obviously mended, but it was still
very much
functional. Looking over his work, the emperor asked, “I know you aren’t a selfish
person, Sir Pol. So why is it that you are so obsessed with that fawn?”
“Because I am indeed a selfish person, your highness.”
“Hmm… and you are proud of it?”
“It’s just…”
When Poliana hesitated, Lucius the First offered, “If you are so desperate for deer
meat,
I will go out and hunt one for you.”
“No, not at all, your highness! I… I was just envious.”
“Envious of what? The fawn drinking the milk?”
Milk was scarce nowadays. It spoiled easily, which meant that they didn’t stock it.
When
milk was available at odd times, it was only given to the highest-ranked officials.
The
emperor thought that perhaps Poliana liked milk and she was angry that the fawn got
it
instead of her.
“It’s not that, your highness. I was just imagining about something.”
“About what?”
“If it was me, not Sir Rabi, who brought back and fawn and decided to keep it as a
pet,
what would have the men say?”
It wasn’t a difficult question to answer, but Lucius the First didn’t know what to
say. It
was because he knew precisely what the men would say.
Sir Poliana brought a fawn because she was a woman and therefore gentle.
She likes the fawn because she was a woman and so, she obviously likes babies.
Because she was a woman….
People wouldn’t necessarily make such comments in a negative way, but the point was
still the same. She was a woman and everything she did or said was because she was
a
woman.
After a short silence, Lucius the First finally answered, “Alright. I understand
what you are
saying, Sir Pol.”
“Your highness! I am not saying I want to eat deer meat!”

“For you, my loyal knight, I will go out and hunt a deer myself.”
“Arrrrgghh!”
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That night, the emperor kept his promise and brought back a dead deer. It was made
into a large pot of stew by Poliana, under the strict supervision of Sir Donau.
Sir Howe nervously took a bite and put his thumb up for her. It was a decent stew,
but Sir
Donau was still dissatisfied.
“I watched you make it like a hawk, Sis, and yet…”
“It’s so delicious, isn’t it?”
“No! It’s the opposite! You used the best ingredients we have, so why is it that it
tastes
like all the other stews we have been eating this week?”
“Because this is an army and I am a soldier?”
In the end, Lucius the First didn’t wear the alligator gloves. He said it was
because he
valued it so much since it was made by one of his favorite knights, but everyone
knew
the truth.
The emperor just hated the alligator hides.
Chapter 69
Time passed by and the battles continued on without an end in sight, at least from
a
quick glance. There were many areas in the mid-continent that remained peaceful.
For
now, winning depends not on geographical strategies and individual soldier’s skills
but
on the soldiers’ overall morale and their ability to work as one.
Lucius the First and Sir Rabi were impatient men who were well-versed in battle
tactics
while Sir Bentier was much more patient and careful. This made Sir Bentier the
perfect
commander for the current standstill situation.
As Lucius the First slowly took over Oz, Sir Bentier never wavered in his position.
While the
Acreian emperor took and lost his ground over and over again, Sir Bentier stood his
ground, unmoving and then suddenly, things changed dramatically.
Sir Bentier had been patiently looking for a chance to attack, and when he found
one,
he raided it with everything he had. He moved like an angry bull and in one day, he
was able to take over half of Mongsheim. At this great news, Lucius the First sent
a
congratulatory message to Sir Bentier. He also reflected on how wrong he was about
him.
“I always thought Sir Bentier was too careful, very unlike the young men nowadays,
but I
see that he has just been waiting patiently for the right time. I have so much to
learn
from all of you, my knights.”
This event led to a significant change in balance. When Oz heard of the news as
well,
the Oz army began to strengthen their defense further. Lucius the First now had a
decision to make. Mongsheim was much weakened and with more men, this was the
chance that the Acreians could complete its mission. But to send men to Sir Bentier
meant Lucius the First would have fewer soldiers to fight against Oz.
But to not send any men didn’t make sense either, so how should he divide and
distribute his men?
Normally, Lucius the First did not have a strategist. He liked to hear every
knight’s
opinions and follow his instinct. Because most of the men were young and
inexperienced, they rarely protested against their emperor no matter how odd and
unconventional his tactics were. But as time passed, the men began to offer more
and
more opinions and ideas.
Poliana was assigned to be a personal guard, but if there was a strategy division,
she
would have been given a position there.

Mongsheim was in chaos after losing a major part of its land, and along with it,
the
rumor Lucius the First prepared spread rapidly, causing further turmoil. Just a
little more
push and Mongsheim was going to fall.
The discussion of how many men to send to reinforce Sir Bentier began heatedly.
Some
argued that Sir Bentier had plenty of men already and therefore no more were needed
to be sent. Another knight suggested that they should send a thousand men to help.
If
they didn’t push hard now, it would give Mongsheim time to recuperate. This was the
time to take Mongsheim out, and with more men, it could work. But on the other
hand,
if Lucius the First sent too many men, their position against Oz would weaken.
Suddenly, Sir Ainno, who has been quiet until now, offered, “I will go, your
highness.”
Everyone turned towards him, and Lucius the First frowned. “Inno… I don’t want to
hear
another of your suicide plan again.”
“This isn’t a suicide mission, your highness. Mongsheim is no longer an organized
group;
it is just a bunch of people in chaos. This means that I can go in and destroy it
completely.”
“You are talking like it’s going to be easy.”
“I don’t even need that many men, your highness. Please allow me, 27 men.”
At an odd number of 27, everyone looked curious. Sir Ainno explained confidently,
“I
looked and counted 27 decent soldiers. Having idiots wouldn’t help me at all, so I
don’t
want them. I selected 27 men only based on their skills; not their age, their
looks, or their
ranks. If you give them to me, I will bring you the rest of Mongsheim, your
highness.”
Sir Ainno wasn’t asking for 1000 men, just 27.
When Lucius the First hesitated, Sir Ainno kneeled in front of him. The emperor
thought
secretly, ‘This guy is a habitual kneeler.’
“I, Ainno, exist only to serve your highness. I exist to kill your enemies, remove
your
obstacles, and make a comfortable path for you to go forward. I am ready to take an
order from you, your highness, whatever that may be. If you order me to bring you a
dragon’s heart, I will,” Sir Ainno continued.
‘I don’t like reptiles.’

There weren’t many reptiles in Acreia due to its cold climate, so Lucius the First
never
knew how much he detested reptiles. He tried to hide his hatred as much as possible
in
front of his men.
Lucius the First couldn’t refuse Sir Ainno when he was being this serious.
“Alright Inno, if you insist, you may take any men you want. I will give you full
control
over this mission.”
“Thank you, your highness. I will get right on it.”
Sir Ainno stood up from the ground and looked around the tent. The other knights
cringed slightly, fearing that they might be one of the 27 Sir Ainno planned to
take. Sir
Ainno looked like a wolf looking for its prey.
Sir Ainno pointed at the man standing behind Lucius the First.
Sir Mahogal.
The head of the emperor’s personal protection division screamed silently. He was
horrified that he had to be under the supervision of the evil Sir Ainno once again.
Poliana looked at Sir Mahogal with sympathy.
Next, Sir Ainno’s eyes stopped at Sir Rabi, who shook his head firmly. Sir Rabi
certainly
was one of the most skilled knights in the Acreian military, but he was currently
responsible for leading the soldiers against Oz. Thankfully, Sir Ainno wasn’t as
crazy as
everyone thought; he passed Sir Rabi and continued to look around the tent.
Eventually, he stopped and pointed at Sirs Howe and Beke.
Sir Howe paled while Sir Beke followed in resignation. His brothers Sirs Aeke and
Deke
were already under Sir Bentier’s army, so he was going to be reunited with them.
When Sir Howe looked uncertain, his father, Sir Baufallo, pushed him forward.

“Father!”
“If you want to be promoted and have a successful career, you must go, son.”
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A mother lion wouldn’t push its young off a cliff, but a human parent would push
his or
her children for their own good. Sir Rabi grabbed Sir Howe, who was about to escape
the tent.
“Please, sir!” Sir Howe protested.
“This is your chance to shine, Sir Howe.”
Sir Rabi handed Sir Howe to Sir Ainno, who left with the men selected by him.
Lucius the First wondered, “The best of the best of the Acreian army… I am curious
about what kind of team they would make.”
“Probably the best in Acreian history, your highness.”
“Hmm… Inno’s new special forces already have very skilled young men…”
Later, these hand-selected men would form the very first and the very best team of
knights in Acreian history. They would be called The Emperor’s Sword. The only
problem
with them was that as Sir Ainno said, these men were selected sorely on their
skills. This
meant that some of them had horrible personalities, with their leader, Sir Ainno,
being
the meanest of them all.
Chapter 70
Lucius the First hugged his friend Sir Ainno, who patted the emperor’s back
affectionately. Lucius the First whispered so no one can hear their conversation,
“I am
sorry to make you do all the hard work, Inno. It’s all because I am a lacking
ruler.”
“Not at all. I will always fight for you, my friend. Don’t forget that I am the
best knight in
our kingdom, and I will always be on your side.”
Sir Ainno and Lucius the First went through so much together. The emperor knew that
everything Sir Ainno did, whether it was right or wrong, was all for him. Lucius
the First
thought secretly, ‘Well… but I’m pretty sure it’s partly for himself as well.’
As an enthusiastic young man, Sir Ainno preferred to be out in the battlefield
fighting
rather than cooped up in a tent pouring over a map. But the main thing was that the
Acreian emperor trusted his knight completely.
Some knights teared up as they watched the beautiful scene between the knight and
his emperor. Sir Baufallo moved closer to Poliana and held her hand as he
whispered, “I
am so thankful you are here, Sir Poliana. It’s a blessing indeed.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“If it wasn’t for your presence here, there would have been so many nasty rumors…”
“Oh…” Poliana knew what Sir Baufallo was referring to. There were also many rumors
concerning herself and the emperor.
The sex addict emperor. The gay emperor. The emperor who slept with all of his
knights.

But Poliana didn’t care about these rumors. Even if her emperor was all those
things,
Lucius the First was still a great ruler. The Acreian emperor was closest to Sir
Ainno, but
he also treated all of his knights with genuine affection. It was a wonderful thing
to
watch.
With Sir Mahogal’s absence, Poliana was now the head of the emperor’s personal
protection division. She couldn’t help but grin widely.
The head of Acreian emperor Lucius the First’s personal guard team.
Sir Poliana Winter.
A golden stripe was added to her blue uniform to signify her new rank. Thankfully,
she
learned a lot from Sir Mahogal, so her transition into this new position was
smooth. It
wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t bad enough that others criticized her openly. Poliana
was
satisfied with the result, especially because many thought she was actually doing a
good job.

Some still were unhappy about the fact that a female knight led the division, but
having
a foreign knight promoted to such a high rank was also good publicity for all the
colonies. Poliana was intelligent and calculating, and being rewarded for her
skills
rather than being punished for where she came from was a positive message to all
the
kingdoms in the continent.
Lucius the First was also practical when it came to utilizing foreign talents. The
soldiers
and knights from the colonies were hired without discrimination, which was how this
conquest was going so well. The morale of these foreign soldiers went up
significantly
when Poliana became the head of the personal guards. Lucius the First was also seen
more positively from this promotion.
And as the Acreian emperor continued to conquer more lands, the idiotic rumors
about
Poliana began to disappear.
It was always fun to gossip about your enemies. The dirtier the rumor, the better
it was.
But those who loved to talk about the supposedly inappropriate relationship between
Poliana and Lucius the First stopped gossiping. There were more important and
significant things to talk about instead.
The stories of fairness in the Acreian army were a new popular topic. Unlike the
armies
from the other kingdoms, who dragged men away to be enslaved or killed and women
to be raped, the Acreian soldiers were strictly ordered to act with honor.

After Sir Bentier conquered half of Mongsheim, the enemy soldiers ran away to
nearby
villages or even into the Msmel forest instead of going back to their capital. The
Mongsheim citizens whose land was conquered trembled in fear. Were the Acreian
soldiers going to kill them, or would they do worse?
But when these people saw how the Acreian army behaved, they sighed in relief. What
made it better was the large presence of foreign soldiers inside the Acreian
military. The
people quickly learned that the Acreian emperor was a great and fair man who
treated everyone with honor. Most people in the mid-continent used to believe that
the
northerners were barbarians and Lucius the First a womanizer. But once they saw how
the Acreian men refused to harm the regular citizens of Mongsheim, they realized
that
they were mistaken. In fact, those Mongsheim soldiers who ran away were more of a
threat to them at this point.
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Meanwhile, Sir Ainno and his 27 men arrived within a few days. The capital of
Mongsheim barely had any chance to recover when this small but deadly Acreian
force made several efficient attacks. Sir Ainno was quickly able to gain more and
more
lands and this great news was welcomed by Lucius the First.
Kopi’s actions were more cautious. Kopi sent men to help Oz defend itself, and when
they received a message for help from Mongsheim, Kopi spared a part of their force
for
them. It was clear that Kopi wanted both Oz and Mongsheim to survive.
But from Lucius the First’s point of view, he found Kopi to be devious. Kopi was
making
sure that the battles took place only on Mongsheim and Oz’s land, thereby being
spared from any danger of losing its own land.
The lands used for battles were often destroyed severely, sometimes beyond repair.
The
lands were stomped by tens of thousands of men, horses, and wagons. The dead were
often buried or burnt, polluting the soil. In addition, the metal pieces from the
weapons
made the land too dangerous to farm. At the end of major battles, the land usually
becomes barren.
Farming, being one of the most important industries in these kingdoms… This could
ruin
these nations even if they win the war. It was best to avoid any battles at all
costs, and
Kopi was doing just that.
On top of that, the battles meant damaging the trees in the nearby forest as well.
Lost
trees meant destroyed habitats for wild animals and fewer hunting opportunities for
the
people… and even the wild animals attacking the farm animals… All these things
could
cascade into a major disaster for the land and its people.
Lucius the First understood why Kopi was doing this. It also made sense based on
their
geography, but still…
In his tent, the emperor was alone. Lucius the First sent all of his guards away so
they
could celebrate Poliana’s recent promotion. He promised them he would not leave his
tent alone, but of course, when he got the chance, he did. Lucius the First was
getting
bored. He wasn’t sleepy either, so he grabbed the wine bottles. It was a bad habit
to
use alcohol to fall asleep, but they were in the middle of a war. There were some
nights
when one could not fall asleep without a drink.
Chapter 71
A celebration was allowed, but since they were still in the middle of a
battlefield,
drinking was not allowed but despite this rule, the tent smells heavily of alcohol.
Why?
Because they poured the drinks on themselves.
The knights looked like drowning mice. Poliana was already wet, but Sir Rabi poured
another cup of hard liquor on top of her head. Her hair, which was now right above
her
ears, was dripping.
They only drank water, but the heavy smell of alcohol made it feel like a real
party. The
knights felt drunk and happy.
“Our own Sir Pol became the head of the guard team! Wow!”
Sir Rabi, who used to be her former superior, announced excitedly. Sir Baufallo,
who was
her first superior, smiled proudly as well. Poliana looked for her current aide
while her
previous subordinates complimented her as well.
“Sir Poliana, you will be remembered as the ugliest personal guard in Acreian
history!”
In the past, Poliana would have ignored it and controlled her anger, but not
anymore.
She now held a lot of power in her hand. She also now had the responsibility of
teaching her rude subordinates how to treat their superiors properly.
This was a military after all.
Poliana placed her arm around the rude knight and whispered, “If you continue to
act
this way, I can make your face much uglier than mine.”

“I apologize, Sir Poliana! I will never do it again!”

The young man ran away quickly.
Poliana scratched her neck, which was wet and itchy from the alcohol dripping down
from her hair. If she wanted, she could have punished him, but this was a party and
she
didn’t want to make a scene.
Soon, the conversation became filthy, which was expected when men gathered
around in one place. It began with the married men, and the talk quickly became
more and more inappropriate.
When Poliana looked indifferent, one of the young knights asked her, “Are you ok
with
this? Aren’t you uncomfortable?”
“Are you kidding me? Do you know how many years I have served in the military?”
She had heard much worse from the perverted Acreian nobles in the past, this was
nothing. The conversation here was actually rather tame for her taste.
In addition, she had the best story that was based on true events. In fact, it was
from
her own experience. She knew this story would shut all the men up from ever talking
dirty in front of her.
The incident with Sir Batre… How so many boys and herself were sodomized by him… It
certainly was not a common story, and such stories were definitely never told by
the
victims.
The men laughed and talked about their experiences with prostitutes and their
previous
lovers. Sir Donau, however, seemed to be upset. When he stood up to leave, the
other
knights grabbed him.
“Sir Donau! Where do you think you’re going?!”
“Oh, I just needed a minute.”
“No way! Can’t you take it like a man? Are our stories upsetting you?”
“Sir Donau! Is this true? Are you feeling uncomfortable? That can’t be!”
Donau could take a lot, but this area was one of his few weaknesses. He felt
awkward
and when the other men realized it, they began to tease him mercilessly. Watching
the
other knights bullying Donau, Poliana realized that perhaps being a man wasn’t all
good.
She wondered what would have happened if she reacted as Donau did just now. They
would have blamed it on her being a woman, but they would have also understood
why. But if one were a man, like Sir Donau, it was a different story. If one were a
man, he
needed to be able to enjoy these unsavory stories.
Because that’s what a man was supposed to be.
Poliana hasn’t realized until now that the sexism she experienced as a woman wasn’t
just one-sided, it worked both ways. She could see clearly now that her position
changed. Now that she had power and her life was better, she could see that some
men suffered from sexism just as she did.
‘Hmm… this is strange…’
She thanked her promotion for her new-found awareness. Being the head of an entire
division felt much different than being a mere commander. Now that she had more
authority, she wanted to protect her people. This was what she learned from her
beloved emperor.
“Take care of those around you.”

Poliana announced with a frown, “I am the star of this party, aren’t I? So must you
all
talk about these shady and sleazy topics?”
Immediately, the men stopped. The conversation changed suddenly into other more
mundane subjects including their families, positions, training, and hobbies. If
their
superiors weren’t present, the lower-ranking officers would have spent a chunk of
time
badmouthing them.
Sir Rabi was especially loud about his wife and his children. He also bragged about
his
new pet fawn. Then suddenly, and loudly, as usual, he asked Poliana, “By the way,
Sir
Pol, do you not get monthly bleeding? I remember my wife suffering greatly whenever
she got her period every month.”
Everyone heard this question and turned towards her for an answer. Sirs Donau and
Baufallo, who knew the answer, gave Sir Rabi a warning look, but Poliana didn’t
care.
‘Why do men overreact about things like this? It’s nothing to be ashamed of.’
“I haven’t had a period in a very long time, Sir Rabi.”
“Oh… Are you very irregular? Is that it?”
“No, actually I haven’t had one in about 8 years now.”
She had minor bleeding a few times, but it never enough to call it a period. In
fact, she
saw more blood from her hemorrhoids. Thankfully, she was fully recovered from it,
but
she remembered how hard it was to go to the bathroom when she did suffer from it.
Sir Rabi then asked, “That sounds very serious. Have you talked to a healer about
it?”
“No, I don’t have any discomfort, so I never thought to seek a healer for it.”
Besides, what would a military doctor know about gynecology? It would be more
useful
to go to a local midwife.
The other knights froze awkwardly, but Sir Rabi seemed genuinely concerned. He
talked
about his wife again, and it was clear that he was very much in love with her. This
was
one saving grace for her view of Sir Rabi. Poliana smiled faintly.
“Even if you don’t have any pain, you might have a cyst growing inside you. You
need
to go talk to a healer,” Sir Rabi continued.
“I will when I get some time. When things aren’t so hectic…”
“Even my daughters… They are just like their mother, so they suffer from monthly
cramps
too…”
It seems like yesterday when Sir Rabi’s daughters were only babies but now, they
were
all grown up. They were women now.
The other married knights teared up as they talked about their own fast-growing
children. Meanwhile, Sir Rabi continued to focus on Poliana as he asked, “Aren’t
you
worried that you might be barren?”
“I don’t have any plans to have children.”
“Sir Pol, you need to rethink that, marriage can be amazing.”
Sir Rabi was a powerful nobleman, which meant his marriage was most likely
arranged.
Yet, it seemed that he had a great loving relationship with his wife. It was clear
based
on the way he talked about how much he loved his wife and his children.

Poliana sighed and replied, “To be honest, I have never considered marriage for
myself.
When I was in Aehas, all I could think about was to survive, and after I became his
highness’ knight, I became busy adapting to my new situation. Getting married and
having children when we are in the middle of a war… I can’t imagine myself doing
it.”
“I understand, but from now on, perhaps you can think about it. Even if you don’t
want
to have children, marriage can still be very fun.”
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Poliana grinned.
She was ugly. Her face and body were badly scarred. She now had longer hair, but
she
planned on keeping it above her ears at all times. Her fingers were manly and
thick,
and her hands were rough and calloused. Her nails were destroyed and her voice was
rough. She behaved like a soldier, not a lady and on top of that, she probably
couldn’t
have children.
So who in his right mind would marry her?
‘I like things the way they are right now.’
Poliana was satisfied with her current situation. She had the emperor’s trust and
she now
could call the other knights her friends. Her men were loyal to her too.
She had everything she would ever need. If she acted greedily now, she could lose
everything. She knew her place and she needed to be thankful for what she had,
which was more than she deserved.
Because she was going to have a long day tomorrow, she left the party early. The
other
knights didn’t protest. As she walked out, she noticed Sirs Rabi and Baufallo
whispering
to each other privately.
‘What’s going on?’
Chapter 72
Poliana stood around near the tent’s door, wanting to hear what Sirs Rabi and
Baufallo
were talking about. She secretly spied on them and saw that Sir Rabi was showing
Sir
Baufallo the portraits of his daughters.
Sir Baufallo shook his head. “The gaps between our stations are too big. Sir Rabi,
your
family comes from one of the longest Acreian noble lines, while mine is a family of
mere
knights.”
“Oh, come on. After this war, you and your sons will be greatly honored for your
hard
work and sacrifices. I just know it!”
‘Oh my god!’
Poliana covered her mouth to stop herself from yelling. All of her senses were
focused
on the two knights’ conversation. She felt breathless and her heart began to beat
fast in
excitement.
‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…’
“They are about the same ages, and I already know what fine young men Sirs Howes
and Donau are,” Sir Rabi continued.
“Thank you, Sir Rabi, for thinking so highly of my sons.”
The Bika family was much wealthier and more powerful than the Ribo family. Sir
Baufallo
was lucky enough to be noticed by the former Acreian emperor, but his family never
went much further, politically or financially.

There was a vast gap between these two families, and yet it seemed that there was
going to be a marriage happening among them in the future. Possibly two marriages!
Sir Rabi’s two daughters and Sir Baufallo’s two sons. Sir Rabi suggested that they
should
move to somewhere more private so they could talk about the details. When the two
men disappeared, Poliana looked around.
‘I can’t believe what I heard! This is crazy!’
Unfortunately, she could tell no one about this. Arranging a marriage was a serious
and
sensitive business, and this involved the people close to her. She knew not to talk
about
it with anyone, but she couldn’t help feeling excited.
Poliana grinned as she walked and noticing her odd behavior, Sir Donau approached
her.
“Sir Pol.”
“Huh? You must be tired, Donau, so you should return to your tent and rest.”
Of all people, she had to walk into the very person she was excited for. Poliana
tried her
best to hide her elation. She wore a serious face, and thankfully, Donau seemed to
be
oblivious. Instead, he said to her kindly, “Even if you are barren…”
“Yeah?”
“And even though you are ugly and foreign, I am certain there is a man out there
who
would want to marry you. And when you find this man who likes you the way you are,
I
am sure you will end up in a happy marriage.”

“Hmm!”
Poliana explained to him what Sir Baufallo told her a long time ago. If she wanted
to
remain and die a knight, she should never get married. When Donau heard this story,
he flinched and replied, “But then was then, and now is now! Things have changed!
Your situation has changed completely! There has to be a man out there who won’t
mind you continuing your career as a knight even after you get married. I just know
it!
You will find the right man, so please don’t ever say you will never get married.”
‘What’s with him?’
It was true that her situation had changed greatly since her conversation with Sir
Baufallo. At the time, she was accepted by only a few knights, but now, she was the
head of the personal guard division.
To hear Donau telling her that people will accept her as a knight even if she gets
married… It was such a wonderful thing to hear, but the way Donau reacted seemed a
little odd.
‘I wonder if he is drunk.’
“I am telling you because I consider you my adopted sister. I want you to be happy,
that’s all.”
When Donau seemed serious about his hope for her, Poliana thought about his claim
carefully.
A man who loved her the way she was… A man who would be understanding of her
barrenness, ugly appearance, and her career as a knightess… A man who wouldn’t
mind her being surrounded by other men 24/7…

‘Sounds like an idiot to me.’

There could be no such an idiot in this world. Well, at least not a normal sane man
who
still had all of his limbs, and even if by some chance she found such a kind man,
she
would feel too guilty and sorry for him. She would never punish such a good man by
marrying him. She would introduce him to a proper lady.
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She looked at Donau and frowned. What an awful young man, trying to force a poor
innocent man to marry someone like her. She thought about pinching him, but she
stopped herself.
Poliana thought of Donau as her younger brother as well, but even though she still
saw
him as a little boy, Sir Donau was a grown man now. He was over 20 years old and
pinching him would be too embarrassing for him. Besides, she secretly felt ecstatic
that
Donau really thought of her as his sister and genuinely cared for her. It seemed
like it
was yesterday when he used to hate and fought her tooth and nail. He used to scream
that he would never accept her as a knight.
Poliana then said to him, “I am so grateful for your thoughts, little bro.”
Donau looked up at him and Poliana gave her the biggest smile she could muster.
Poliana then added, “But I want you to know that I am very happy just the way
things
are right now, Donau.”
Sir Donau smiled back at her. What Donau didn’t realize right now was that he could
become that idiot who fell in love with Poliana. If he knew how he would feel about
her
in the near future, would he have done something different now? If he knew his
affection and sympathy towards Poliana was going to turn into something else…
Who knows?
For now, Donau nor Poliana could ever even imagine Donau falling in love with her.
So the young man smiled guilelessly. He was just happy that the woman standing in
front of him was smiling.
Chapter 73
When Poliana returned to his tent, she saw that a wooden bathtub was ready and
filled
with water. She took her clothes off and checked the temperature of the water. As
expected, it was cold.
She was too tired to wash, but she knew this was necessary. In the past, she used
to
wash once a week at most, but those times were long gone. She was the head of the
personal guard division, so she needed to pay special attention to her hygiene.
She made sure her uniform was always spotless and wrinkle-free. She even got a
wooden comb for herself. When the other guards saw it, they were appalled that she
got a cheap wooden one. They nagged her to get a higher quality brush for herself.
Poliana then replied, “It’s not like a better brush would improve hair quality.”
“Yes, it does!”
When her subordinates insisted, she decided perhaps that she needed to buy a new
brush.
‘Well, I guess if they say so, it must be true.’
She would have to get either an ivory or a jade comb when she gets a chance.
Poliana
clenched her teeth and got into the bathtub. She dipped her head once as well and
quickly began to wash herself. She rinsed her hair and rubbed her body with a bar
of
soap. The water was so cold that her body became covered with goosebumps, but she
ignored it and continued.
“Gosh, it’s freezing.”

It took a very long time for the smell of alcohol to disappear from her body. After
rinsing
her body three times, Poliana finally got out of the tub.
Poliana was busy drying herself with a towel when suddenly, she felt a presence at
the
entrance to her tent. She quickly grabbed her sword.
“Sir Pol, why is my dog running around in that hideous reptile hide…!”
It was Lucius the First.
Lucius the First was having a drink because he was unable to get to sleep. Feeling
lonely, he searched for his hunting dog and when he found him, he was outraged. His
beloved dog was wearing that dreadful reptile hide like a coat.
The dog, happy to see his master, jumped up at Lucius the First, but to the
emperor, it
looked like a ghastly monster attacking him. Lucius the First ran away and still
feeling
lonely and needing good company, he decided to visit one of his most understanding
knights.
Someone who wouldn’t reprimand him for breaking the promise of leaving his tent
alone without a guard.
…and that was Poliana.
It wasn’t the first time Lucius the First visited Poliana’s personal tent
unexpectedly. As
they got to know each other better, the emperor came to like Poliana as a person.
Poliana, in turn, felt even more strongly about her emperor. She respected him and
hoped to become closer to him. The two of them both wanted the same thing.
This could occur easily because as his personal guard, Poliana spent a lot of time
with
him. Lucius the First, who treated his knights with unusual familiarity, had a good
feeling
about Poliana.
An instinct that Poliana was going to be someone very special to him.
He wondered what she would turn out to be. Would they become the legendary
emperor and knight combo? Or perhaps she could become his friend?
Sir Ainno was already friends with Lucius the First even before he became a knight.
Duke Luzo was close to the emperor, almost like a friend, but they were cousins
first. Sir
Aino was… a friend who was a bit of a jerk. Duke Luzo was a close relative who was…
a
good guy but gets easily manipulated and used.
Unlike the two, Lucius the First and Poliana’s relationship began very differently.
They
began strictly as a business acquaintance, but they were beginning to become
personal friends.
The emperor and the foreign knightess. Lucius the First wanted to become Poliana’s
friend, and it was a good thing because he already knew Poliana was in love with
him,
not as a man, but as her master and emperor.
It didn’t take long for Poliana to gain special privileges. She now had the right
to
request a private audience with him. She was also allowed to have a seat on a chair
in
his presence and not just any chair, but a chair with a back and even armrests.
She could get onto the horse in front of him and was also allowed to have a
conversation with the emperor while on the horse. Being able to wear a hat and lie
down in front of the emperor… Being able to leave his presence without his
permission… Being allowed to ask for his audience at a moment’s notice without a
formal request… The list went on and on.
‘Oh, but he didn’t give me permission to be naked in front of him… wait.. there is
no
such thing.’
Lucius the First came here just to have a drink with Sir Poliana. If he knew she
was having
a bath, he certainly wouldn’t have come. The problem was that he hasn’t been seeing
Poliana as a woman. He realized that it was a mistake to unexpectedly visit her
tent so
often.
The emperor contemplated. ‘Should he apologize to her?’
An emperor had to be careful about apologizing because a ruler was supposed to
remain flawless in front of his people. When Lucius the First hesitated, Poliana
put down
his sword and greeted him.
“Your highness, why aren’t you coming in?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve already seen everything of me before, so why are you so shocked?”
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Poliana swore her fealty to Lucius the First naked. She didn’t have an attractive
body,
and she knew her emperor didn’t see her in a romantic way. She felt comfortable and
unashamed in front of him. Besides, what worried her the most was the fact that
Lucius
the First was walking around the base alone and unprotected. The best thing now was
to get dressed quickly and make sure to remain with him as his guard.
Poliana put on her clothes quickly. Lucius the First still looked embarrassed, but
he
walked in and sat down. He replied, trying to look calm, “Yes, of course. This
isn’t the first
time I am seeing you naked, so it’s all good.”
Lucius the First pretended to be indifferent while taking a secret look at
Poliana’s body.
If he looked away, it would have looked like he was embarrassed and trying to avoid
her.
In his memory, Poliana’s naked body was miserable and sad. She was covered in old
and fresh scars and bruises. But today… Her body looked entirely different. Lucius
the
First felt proud and happy. He smiled and said, “The condition of your body has
improved greatly since you became my knight, Sir Pol. Many of your scars have
faded,
and… oh wait, how did you get that new injury on your waist? It looks new.”
“It happened when I was under Sir Rabi.”
“…”
“…”
After fully being dressed, Poliana grabbed some snacks and laid it out in front of
her
emperor. This was what he came here for, to drink and chat with Poliana, but Lucius
the
First still felt a little awkward. When he looked hesitant, Poliana started the
conversation.
“So what brings you here, your highness?”
Chapter 74
Lucius the First didn’t want to be nagged about going around without a guard. So he
put on a serious face, and Poliana straightened to wait for his answer. The emperor
said
to her, “I couldn’t sleep because of all my worries… so I went out to find my dog
and…
my beloved dog was wearing that hideous reptile hide! How could this be?!”
“Sir Rabi put it on him, very cute.”
“Cute? You need to get your eyes checked, Sir Pol! A cute animal, by definition,
should
be furry. I hate snakes and any other kind of reptiles.”
“Oh, on the topic of Sir Rabi…” Poliana leaned towards the emperor to whisper
secretively, “something crazy is going on with him.”
“Crazy? What is it?”
“I just witnessed it myself, your highness, and it is…”
What she heard between Sirs Rabi and Baufallo was so exciting that she desperately
wanted to tell someone. It was such a sensitive subject that she knew she shouldn’t
share it with anyone, except for one person. And that person was sitting right in
front of
her.
Lucius the First! Any high-ranking nobles needed to get permission from the emperor
for
their children to get married. If they didn’t, these marriages weren’t considered
blessed
by the royalty, which could result in loss of wealth and nobility.
“I think Sirs Rabi and Baufallo are planning to become in-laws.”

Lucius the First gasped and covered his mouth in shock, it was indeed big news. The
two
gossiped like old ladies outing on a brunch date. Juicy gossip was the best snack
when
drinking.
Nobles’ arranged marriage could be categorized as either strategic or contractual.
The
Bika family held a dukedom while Sir Baufallo’s family held a knighthood only. If
Sir
Rabi’s daughters married Sirs Donau and Howe, they would lose their noble ranks but
of
course, Sir Rabi was thinking ahead.
Lucius the First nodded in understanding. After this war, the nobles were going to
receive even higher ranks and lands, while those without ranks were going to become
newly honored aristocrats.
This was not a risky gamble for Sir Rabi. In addition, he knew Sir Donau and Howe
very
well. They were fine young men, and it was better to focus on these qualities than
some
random noble gentlemen who could be horrible human beings.
As Poliana and Lucius the First continued to chat, the topic of her own marriage
came
up. Poliana told him what Sir Donau suggested, which was for her to find a very
understanding man and marry him. Lucius the First nodded because he agreed.
“Yes, if you can, you should get married.”
“But your highness, under the Acreian law, a woman cannot be a knight. This means
my
current status is barely tolerated, but if I get married on top of it all…”
“You are mistaken, Sir Pol. The law does not state a woman cannot be a knight. We
just
assumed that it was not possible.”
The reality for women could be harsh. Just as a man could not bear a child,
everyone
assumed and believed that a woman could not be a proper knight. But just as he
stated, there was no specific law that said it was forbidden.
This meant that even after she got married, as long as her husband was ok with it,
Poliana could remain a knight. The emperor hoped that this would be the case.
“Yes, indeed you should get married if you find a good man.”
A good man… Now, where was Poliana going to find a good man who was stupid
enough to marry her? And if there was such a man, the right thing to do was to find
him
a proper woman.
She still didn’t feel like marriage was the right thing for her, but if she did get
married…
She didn’t want an idiotic husband.
“I don’t plan on getting married, your highness.”
“Why not?”
“If I get married, I need to take on my husband’s family name, don’t I?”
In Aehasian law, if a noblewoman married a commoner, the man had to take on the
woman’s last name. Poliana thought there would be a similar law in Acreia, but she
was
wrong. In Acreia, only a man could inherit the family name, wealth, and rank. If a
nobleman only had daughters, he needed to adopt a male relative and appoint him
as their heir.
Poliana gave up her given family name and gained a new one from Lucius the First.
It
happened on that fateful winter day.
Poliana Winter.
It was the day when she was reborn. The day she got a brand-new life. If a marriage
meant she would lose this name… She couldn’t even think about it without shivering.
Lucius the First replied firmly, “As long as you don’t marry the first-born son,
you are ok to
keep your own maiden name.” He seemed certain that this would not be a problem.
The emperor then added, “If you bring me whoever you want to marry, I will convince
him to let you keep your name.”
Poliana felt so blessed to have such a kind understanding emperor. She emptied her
cup slowly. The drink tasted so much sweeter than usual.
They continued to chat about this and that. Serious topics, jokes, about people
around
them… Lucius the First felt proud of himself for acting normally around his knight
even
after walking on her when she was naked. It was a sign that he was a great man who
treated her knightess as a human, not simply as a woman.
As they talked, the topic of Poliana’s infertility came up. The emperor put on a
serious
face and talked as if he was a proper healer.
“I feel strange asking you this question, Sir Pol, but I need to in order to know
more
about your condition. Have you had an unpleasant sexual experience in the past…?”
“You can just ask me if I have done it before or not.”
“Isn’t that too direct and rude?”
“But when we first met, you asked me if I was a virgin.”
“That is not the same thing!”
“And you also ordered a decent looking man to take my virginity so you could kill
me.”
“Oh, come on!”
The emperor reached to cover her mouth. A ruler wasn’t supposed to apologize, but
he
knew what he did to her was absolutely wrong. And… walking on her tonight was also
very wrong. He knew better than that. He had to apologize.
Why did he keep making mistakes around Poliana?
“Sir Pol, I was wrong. I apologize for what I did back then. At the time, I didn’t
see you
as a proper knight. I just thought you were some random woman who was pretending
to be a knight.”
This was the second time the emperor apologized to her, and Poliana felt
indifferent.
She also was not angry or upset at Lucius the First.
The emperor emptied his cup because he felt a burning thirst. Poliana thought that
since they were on the topic, she might as well tell him everything.
“When I was younger and still in the Aehasian army, there was an awful knight named
Sir Batre. He was a decent strategist, and he had a very strange idea of being
fair…”
As he heard the story, Lucius the First became pale. When she was done, the emperor
covered his face with both of his hands and shook his head. Worried, Poliana
reached
out and asked, “Are you ok, your highness? Have you drunk too much?”
“No… I…”
Lucius the First sighed deeply and explained, “I am sorry, Sir Pol. I made you
remember
a very unpleasant memory. As an emperor, I shouldn’t be apologizing, but I keep
making mistakes that force me to apologize to you.”

“There is no need to apologize to me, your highness.”

“Yes, I do. I made you remember something awful. I did something horrible to you
when
we first met. I keep mistreating you even though that is not my intention at all.”
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“Not at all, your highness. You have no reason to apologize to me, and even if you
do,
there is no need for you to say sorry. You are my emperor and I don’t care what you
do
to me. You can abandon me, use me, or even kill me. I wouldn’t mind it at all.”
Poliana stood up and kneeled in front of him. Lucius the First no longer felt
drunk.
Whenever his knights kneeled in front of him and swore their loyalty, he would
always
feel this heavy weight of burden and responsibility. He knew he had to repay them
with
everything he had.
Lucius the First didn’t want to disappoint them. He wanted to become a truly good
emperor for them all.
Poliana added, “You are the one who will become the one and only emperor of this
continent. If you will allow me, I will stay by your side as your knight, Poliana
Winter.”
How could he ever repay her for her unconditional loyalty?
Lucius the First smiled uneasily but happily. He helped her up and offered her more
drinks. The night no longer felt worrisome to him. He felt like he could fall
asleep with a
smile now.
If anyone asked him what was the greatest asset he gained from this war, he knew he
could answer with complete confidence that…
…it was his loyal knight, Sir Poliana Winter.
Chapter 75
Lucius the First opened his eyes and found himself on Poliana’s bed in her tent.
His first
thought was that he felt sorry for taking her bed, but the second and the bigger
worry
was that him spending the night in her tent was going to result in an unsavory
rumor.
He hurriedly left the tent, but it was already late in the morning and there were
men
everywhere. They saw him leave Poliana’s tent, but no one doubted that nothing
happened between the emperor and the knightess.
Lucius the First said to Poliana, “It looks like no one is talking about us. They
aren’t even
curious.”
“Exactly, your highness.”
“But… a healthy man and a healthy woman spent the night together…”
“I think it’s because everyone trusts us, your highness. It is a good sign.”
“I agree, Sir Pol. Everyone knows what a great relationship we have. You don’t see
me
as a man, and I don’t see you as a woman, how wonderful.”
The emperor smiled proudly.

Mongsheim surrendered in the end after losing its final battle. Afterward, it
became
easier for them to conquer the other two kingdoms of the confederation. Oz
struggled
to keep its defense up while Kopi tried its best by using their sneaky and cowardly
methods.
One day, a messenger from Kopi arrived and requested to meet Lucius the First. The
messenger relayed that the Kopi king’s mother passed away and requested a
temporary truce. The Acreian emperor believed in decency, so he agreed to stop
attacking Kopi even though Acreia was very close to taking over the kingdom.
But it was all a lie. When the Acreian army paused its attacks, Kopi began doing
their
surprise attacks. There was no death in Kopi’s royal family. It was just a ruse as
their last
attempt to survive.
Lucius the First lost his own mother at a young age and using a family member like
this
was unforgivable. The Acreian men felt the same and they burned with anger.
Luckily,
the weather suddenly turned freezing. The Kopi army, unused to any cold weather,
were weakened while the Acreian men, familiar with the coldest weather on the
continent, attacked with incredible viciousness.
And finally, Lucius the First was able to have the king of Kopi kneel in front of
him.
Urion the Twelfth, King of Kopi.
Lucius the First grabbed his neck furiously. Using his mother’s name in such a
cowardly
way… It was inexcusable.

Lucius the First had no plans to show any mercy to the king.
“I hate liars.”
The story of the Acreian emperor slashing Gali the Third’s mouth and hanging him
upside down on the castle wall was well-known all around the continent. One would
expect Urion the Twelfth to tremble in fear and beg for mercy, but this was not the
case. Instead, the Kopi king shouted angrily, “I will never sign the document of
surren…
GYAA!”
Poliana kicked Urion the Twelfth’s crotch. When the king fell to the floor and
collapsed,
she kicked his chin. The king’s mouth began to foam.
“… you… ev… vil… b*tch…”
When Poliana motioned to kick him again, Urion the Twelfth quickly signed the
document. He obviously didn’t want to be kicked in the crotch twice, especially in
front
of his own men.

Poliana’s men cheered for her.

“Our knightess is the best!”
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“Sir Pol has the best crotch-kick in the world!”
Lucius the First congratulated Poliana on her excellent attack. Poliana, looking
humble,
moved to stand behind her emperor. Secretly, she had a personal reason to attack
the
Kopi king so viciously. She had never even seen her own mother before, so to see
someone use his mother’s name in such a vulgar manner… She couldn’t let it slide.
Conquering Kopi took much less time than winning over Oz because when the king of
Oz heard how Urion the Twelfth was treated by Lucius the First, he immediately sent
the
document of surrender signed and sealed.
Within a few years, Lucius the First successfully conquered the three-kingdom
confederation. The northern and mid-continent belonged to him, and the only area
left
now was the southern region. The people of the southern kingdoms never expected
this
young Acreian emperor to make it this far, so when they heard the news of an
impending attack, they began to panic.
Quickly, some of the smaller southern nations who were located near the mid-
continent
confederation surrendered without a fight. Lucius the First accepted them
graciously.
The Acreian emperor now owned more than half of the continent. Those who laughed
at him for having such an impossible dream now bowed in front of him with fear and
awe. Some even began to suggest that he should be now called the emperor of the
world.
Lucius the First laughed and replied, “I would rather be called that after I am
done with
this war.”
At this rate, everyone believed that that day would come very soon. Soon… Lucius
the
First will indeed rule the world.
Chapter 76
In the southern region of the continent ran across a giant river. It was called
Gora,
which meant “life.” It was a fitting name because indeed, Gora was the life itself
of the
southern kingdoms. Just as the mid-continent people relied on Msmel forest for
supplies
such as woods and wild animals, the southern people depended heavily on the Gora
river.
Gora was the source of water, fish, and freshwater clams. Many used boats as
transportation across the river. Women did their laundry here and their children
swam in
it. Babies were christened with the Gora water and the dead were buried at the sea.
Gora was as big as an ocean. The Acreian soldiers were frightened when they saw it.
They thought Koemong was big, but it was nothing compared to Gora. When Poliana
and Sir Donau were trying to figure out how to cross the Koemong River, they also
talked about Gora. They have only read about it in the book, and now that they saw
it
in person, they realized that they underestimated its size and grandeur. Words
couldn’t
describe its size and depth.
Sir Donau murmured, “So there isn’t a bridge here either.”
Poliana nodded silently as she stared at the river. The books they read in the past
suggested that there were many bridges in Gora but obviously, they were wrong.
Instead, there were countless small boats floating in a row, forming a bridge-like
scene.
In fact, many people walked across the boats as if it was a bridge. The water was
calm
and peaceful.
What shocked and disgusted the Acreian army was the distinct and unpleasant smell
of
the river, humidity, and bugs. The men suddenly realized that it was summer, and
they
were in the southern region, which was known for its warm damp weather.
All the men thought the same thing.
They should not fight during the summer.
Battling during such heat was a terrible idea. Lucius the First wiped his forehead,
which
was wet with sweat, and agreed. His war could wait.

Just then, a lizard crawled by. Lucius the First stared at it and closed his eyes
in disgust.
Unfortunately, the warm humid southern kingdoms were the perfect place for various
different types of reptiles. There were more lizards than mice and rats on the
streets.
‘I’m going to die.’
Lucius the First sighed desperately and his loyal knight, Sir Poliana did her best
to protect
him. Every time she spotted a lizard or a mouse, she made sure to kill it quickly.
The
southern people didn’t mind the reptiles. Unlike mice, lizards and snakes didn’t
spread
diseases or eat the harvested grains. Instead, they hunted and ate insects, so the
lizards
were left alone.
Because of the heat, the houses left their large windows open, and the reptiles
could
enter freely. Sometimes, they spotted some snakes that were bigger than most men.
Every one of the emperor’s guards remained vigilant in killing any lizards they saw
around Lucius the First. Poliana was the most enthusiastic of them all, and she was
successful in killing a large number of those creatures. Some of the lizards were
edible
while others weren’t.
The most popular lizard among men was the white-tailed lizard. It was considered to
be
amazing for man’s stamina, and when the soldiers and knights found out about this,
they became even more vigilant.
Poliana joined in, not to eat it herself, but to give it to her adopted brother Sir
Donau,
who seemed to be married sometimes soon in the future. She was worried about
Donau. What if he doesn’t do an adequate job in the bedroom as a husband? Who
was going to be blamed?
It would be her, Poliana Winter, who kicked his crotch countless times when they
first
met. Some knights considered giving the white-tailed lizard dish to the emperor,
but
they hesitated. They knew Lucius the First hated any kind of reptiles, so they felt
certain
that he would get angry and refuse to eat it.
When Poliana kept offering Donau the white-tailed lizard soup, he protested, “Why
do
you keep trying to make me eat this thing? It’s useless to me!”

“Who knows? Maybe you will need it.”

“What… w-what are you talking about? Why will I need it?”
Donau stammered and reddened, but ignoring him, Poliana force-fed him. It tasted
better to roast the lizard than make a stew of it, but it was safer to boil the
meat just in
case. It was going to be helpful for him in the future, so Poliana couldn’t
understand
why Donau kept refusing her offer.
An unmarried woman offering a young man a dish that was good for a man’s
stamina… It might have looked strange and suspicious except for the fact that the
Acreian soldiers and knights didn’t see Poliana as a woman. They didn’t think much
of
it. They also remembered Poliana attacking Donau’s manhood in the past. They
guessed that she was making him eat the lizard dish because she felt sorry.
Sometimes, there were other knights who offered to take the dish instead of Sir
Donau.
Every time, Poliana refused, saying, “No. This is for Sir Donau.”
Sir Howe walked towards his younger brother and complained loudly, “I am SO tired.
I’m gonna die from all the training.”
Sir Howe belonged to Sir Ainno’s special forces, which involved intense training.
“Donau, I am required to train day and night! I am so tired that I don’t even get
an
erection in the morning anymore.”
“Bro! Stop talking! You’re so gross.”
Sir Howe and Poliana were close now, but Donau still insisted that it was no way to
talk
in front of a woman. When Sir Howe bowed and apologized, Poliana nodded and
offered the lizard dish to Sir Howe. She realized that it wasn’t going to be just
Donau
who was going to be married. Sir Howe was going to be a husband as well, which
meant that he would benefit from this stew too.
Sir Howe had heard the rumor about the white-tailed lizard as well. He brightened
and
asked excitedly, “Oh, this is the thing that is supposed to be great for men,
right? Can I
eat it?”
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“Yes, since you will need it too.”
“Me? What do you mean…? Oh, is it because I need more stamina for training? That’s
very true.”
It seemed that the brothers didn’t know anything about the plan for their arranged
marriages. Based on her spying, Poliana knew Sirs Rabi and Baufallo were talking
about
it actively. Soon, Sirs Howe and Donau were going to be told of their future wives.
Poliana felt herself grinning and tried to control her lips. She failed in the end,
and an
odd and freaky expression appeared on her face. Sir Howe was used to Poliana’s
strangeness, but Sir Donau frowned and told her to stop smiling oddly.
Poliana finally said to the boys, “You guys need to get married soon.”
“You should worry more about yourself, Sis.”
Sir Howe scratched his head and replied, “Hmm… It’s true that when we return, our
mother is going to be nagging us about getting married.”
It was clear Sir Howe had no idea what was going on. Poliana knew that if she
stayed
any longer, she would end up blurting something out. She walked away quickly.
Chapter 77
Poliana ran away from Sirs Donau and Howe and visited Lucius the First, even though
she was still on her break. The guards standing in front of the emperor’s room
saluted
Poliana. Realizing there was a guest inside the bedroom, Poliana raised her
eyebrows.
The guards used sign language to let her know.
‘A woman, no danger.’
Poliana nodded. It was a common occurrence for the conquered colonies to offer
women to the new conqueror. Lucius the First never sought a woman for himself, but
when he was offered one, he didn’t refuse her as long as all the conditions were
met.
Because he was the emperor, a woman could not be a commoner, but she also
couldn’t come from an overly high-ranking family. All the women that were offered
to
him were very beautiful. Lucius the First wasn’t too picky about one’s appearance,
but
the colonists worried that they might upset him if they sent an ugly woman.
The women could be divided into two categories: fearful vs. ambitious. Some women
trembled in fear while the others dreamt of becoming his empress. Lucius the First
gave
these women no time to fear or gloat. As soon as they entered his bedroom, he told
them about it plainly. If they were afraid, they could leave at any time. And even
if she
stayed, he had no intention of taking the women with him back to Acreia.
The women that spent the knight with the conqueror were still considered pure and
untouched, so they would have no problem getting marriage offers afterward.
At the beginning of their war, most women were scared to enter his bedroom, but as
time passed and people heard about Lucius the First, the majority of the women sent
to
him felt curious. The stories of his beauty were legendary.
All the women that spent the night with him left satisfied. The emperor wasn’t the
type
to force any woman, and he was the most beautiful man these women have ever met.
All his life, he never lacked women because of his good looks. In fact, he became
more
and more indifferent to women.
But Lucius the First was almost 30 years old now. It was now his time to start
thinking
about marriage. Poliana was worried that her emperor wasn’t taking this problem
seriously.

Then suddenly, the door was opened, and a woman walked out. It was a lady Poliana
had seen a few times before. She had distinctively dark smooth skin, which was
usual for
the southerners. Her black straight hair looked silky, and she also had generous
breasts.
Poliana knew that all the knights were drooling over her.
The lady always looked at Poliana irritably, and today when she spotted her, the
lady
looked away rudely and left. Her disrespectful behavior didn’t bother Poliana. She
knew
what kind of rumors people were talking about. The strange stories between Poliana
and Lucius the First were still very popular among the many. Many called Poliana
the
“Seductress Witch.”
Most women who saw Poliana in person quickly realized that the rumors were false,
but
there still some who looked at her with jealousy.
Poliana knocked on the door and before she received the permission to enter, she
announced, “It’s Poliana. I’m coming in, your highness.”
Lucius the First was getting dressed with help from his servant. Based on his and
his bed’s
current state, it looked like nothing happened. Poliana became confused.
‘The lady didn’t look like someone who would get scared or make a mistake… So what
happened? Or I guess the real question is… why didn’t it happen?’
The emperor gestured for her to come closer and ordered the servant to bring in new
glasses and another bottle of wine. He then explained to Poliana, “I sent her
away.”
Apparently, they were drinking and talking together. The lady was very smart and an
excellent conversationalist, so Lucius the First was pleased with her. When he was
about
to take her to his bed, the lady brought up the rumors between Poliana and himself.
“She believed in those stories about you and me, Sir Pol.”
“But it’s not true. I would never sleep with you!”
Poliana replied immediately. She hated how her presence damaged her emperor’s
reputation. With an unhappy frown, Lucius the First replied, “I wouldn’t sleep with
you
either.”
It was rare for the emperor to show such displeasure. It meant that he was indeed
very
upset about this situation. He continued, “And she also told me about some other
kings
who like to collect different types of women. Ugly women, beauties, young and old,
widows, and disabled… She was talking about some pervert and was looking at me like
I was too! But I am not a pervert! Why would I ever do something so hideous like
that?!”
Poliana stood up quickly and set down her glass. She turned around and announced,
“I
will go find her and beat her up for you, your highness.”
How dare she insult her greatest emperor? She may have been a lady, but she
deserved to be beaten. As Lucius the First’s personal guard, Poliana had the right
and
responsibility to punish those who insulted her emperor. When she raised her fist
angrily,
Lucius the First replied, “It’s alright, Sir Pol. Just sit down and drink with me.”

“My shift starts in two hours, your highness.”

Poliana took her job very seriously. She enjoyed drinking with her emperor, but her
job
and duty came first. The emperor replied, “Then drink with me just for the next two
hours.”
“I can’t enter my shift drunk, your highness.”
“Then I will give you a special vacation for today!”
Lately, Poliana was the emperor’s most trusted knight. She had no reason to refuse
this
reward, even if she didn’t do anything to deserve it.
They began to drink amicably and talked about the war.
“Sir Pol, I sent the messenger from Pucachi away. It sounded like they wanted a war
with me.”
“But Pucachi’s defense is poor at best. They are very underprepared.”
“Pucachi is nicknamed the Winner of the South. There must be something more to this
kingdom than we know. We must remain vigilant.”
Lucius the First worried that they would end up needing to battle during the
summer.
The Acreian men were not used to such heat and humidity, so it would have been a
huge disadvantage. But thankfully, the rainy season came and historically, the
southerners didn’t fight during this time. It seemed that the war was going to
resume in
winter.
They continued to talk about the war when suddenly, the emperor looked at her
kindly
and said to her, “You know what, Sir Pol?”
“Yes, your highness?”
Lucius the First looked at her warmly. His affection didn’t stem from the love
between a
man and a woman, but between two people who genuinely liked each other.

“I am sure we will be drinking and talking like this then too.”

“I am afraid I am not smart enough to understand your meaning, your highness.”
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“After we unite all the kingdoms of this continent, I am sure we will still be like
this, you
and I.”
Poliana tried her best not to burst into tears. She was so grateful and honored
that her
emperor saw her this way. When she bit her lips to not show any tears, Lucius the
First
patted her shoulder and said to her kindly, “There is no need to cry, Sir Pol.
There will be
plenty of time to cry your happy tears when we accomplish our dreams. It won’t be
too
long until I became the ruler of this continent, and you will remain by my side.”
“I’m not crying, your highness. It’s the alcohol.”
Poliana hated lying, but it was necessary for this situation. Lucius the First
hated liars, but
he let it slide this time.
Was this really ok? Poliana felt a sense of overpowering happiness and she wasn’t
sure if
she was allowed to have this. To be trusted and loved by this great man… It was
more
than she could ever dream of.
The gift he bestowed upon us was too great. She didn’t know how to repay him for
his
kindness. All she could do was to protect him with her life.
It wasn’t just Poliana who felt emotional. Lucius the First also was grateful for
Poliana’s
unconditional love and loyalty. This was why he was so angry when that woman
earlier
insulted Poliana. If the lady only brought up the rumors, he would have been fine,
but
she disrespected Poliana and the innocent relationship between them.
Questioning Poliana was the same thing as questioning the emperor. There was
nothing
stronger than a bond between the emperor and his knight. Lucius the First hated
making a woman cry, but to protect Poliana’s reputation, he was willing to do it to
any
ladies that he would come across.
Chapter 78
There were many kingdoms in the southern continent. Most were small, and there was
one big nation among them, which was named Pucachi.
The Winner of the South, Pucachi.
The king of Pucachi arrogantly crumpled the message from Lucius the First and
screamed, “The only southern region this idiot will be able to take is the Gora
river!”
But to everyone’s shock, Pucachi fell against the Acreian men without much of a
fight.
It was such an easy battle that Sir Bentier kept stopping his men, thinking it was
some
sort of a trap.
Pucachi was conquered quickly, but Lucius the First was not happy. He was confused,
“What the heck? Why was Pucachi called ‘The Winner of the South?’ It was all a
lie!”
The southern region had plenty of time to get ready for the Acreians since it took
Lucius
the First a very long time to take over the three-kingdom confederation. In fact,
Pucachi had time to prepare for war since Lucius the First won over Aehas and
Kukda,
but it seemed that this southern kingdom was too arrogant to get its military
ready. In
the end, Pucachi was gone without much of a fight.
When the surrounding southern nations heard of Pucachi’s fall, they immediately
sent
the signed documents of surrender to Lucius the First. Some even sent their
offerings and
women, in hopes that they would be treated with mercy.
Lucius the First was planning to take a break after conquering Pucachi, but he was
kept
busy with all the messengers and delegates from the other kingdoms. He had to greet
them and negotiate the terms of surrender with them.
Battles were fought by the soldiers and knights. Afterward, it was the officials’
and
administrators’ turn to get busy. Lucius the First gave his knights a well-deserved
vacation. Even the soldiers were allowed to take time off in shifts and enjoy the
capital
of Pucachi.

Of course, everyone still remained vigilant. There were still many kingdoms who
haven’t
officially surrendered yet, although there were plenty of rumors that said that
they were
coming.
Poliana was rewarded with a vacation as well, but she never left the emperor’s
side.
When Sir Ainno heard about this situation, he came and insisted he would act as the
emperor’s guard temporarily.
The two knights argued fiercely. Poliana claimed that as the head of the protection
division, it was her duty to stay by the emperor’s side. Sir Ainno insisted that
Poliana was
on vacation so she should go out and enjoy herself while he could be by the
emperor’s
side. Sir Ainno said that this could be his hobby.
Poliana became indignant. “A hobby? Guarding his highness is a hobby for you? How
dare you!”
“I have been protecting his highness since we were little boys. It is part of my
life and my
routine!”
“Then I will get the same hobby as you, Sir Ainno! I will guard the emperor during
my
vacation as a hobby!”
“How dare you! To treat guarding his highness as a hobby!”
Sir Ainno was as stubborn as a bull and Poliana knew she couldn’t win this argument
on
her own. Sir Ainno had a higher rank and he had known Lucius the First much longer
too.
“…”
But there was one thing that was on Poliana’s side, and it was the fact that Sir
Ainno
was a jerk! She was certain that the emperor wouldn’t want to have a mean nagger by
his side during such a busy time!
Poliana looked at the emperor beggingly. After a pause, Lucius the First announced,
“Inno, Pol… Both of you, out!”
“Your highness!”
“Your highness!”
The two knights acted like unruly children, and the emperor had no intent to act
like
their mother. He already was suffering from a headache from all the paperwork. He
didn’t want to get involved in his knights’ squabble. Each of the knights was quiet
when
alone, but when both of them were in the same room, they became noisy and whiny.
Lucius the First knew that if he let one of them stay, the other one would make a
huge
and loud fuss.
Poliana moved to leave, as per her emperor’s order, but Sir Ainno didn’t move.

Poliana has been serving Lucius the First for many years now, but it couldn’t
compare to
the amount of time Sir Ainno spent with the emperor. Sir Ainno knew Lucius the
First best.
He was better than even the emperor’s personal servants.
Sir Ainno said to the emperor, “Your highness! If we all leave you alone, who will
kill
those disgusting reptiles? Please let me stay so I can protect you!”
This was a very smart move. Those reptiles were one of Lucius the First’s very few
weaknesses. Sir Ainno continued, “Your highness, I will be here to guard you. I,
the best
archer in Acreia, will make sure none of those hateful reptiles get to you!”
Sir Ainno raised his bow to prove his point. Poliana was impressed, thinking, ‘Oh,
what a
smart idea!’
Poliana looked at Sir Ainno with both jealousy and respect. Realizing he needed
someone to kill the reptiles, Lucius the First raised his hand and announced,
“Inno! My
friend!”
“You are making the right decision, my wise emperor!”
The two men hugged, but they quickly stepped back from each other. It was way too
hot and humid for a prolonged hug. Poliana, admitting her defeat, left the room
quietly.
It has been a long time since Lucius the First and Sir Ainno were alone together.
Since Sir
Ainno left the protection division to lead the special forces, he didn’t have the
time or
the opportunity to talk to the emperor privately. The emperor also now had new
close
knights around him. New people that he could talk to and drink with…
It wasn’t something Sir Ainno should be disappointed about. To him, Lucius the
First was
the one and only emperor, but to Lucius the First, Sir Ainno was one of his many
close
knights.
Sir Ainno locked the door to make sure no one tried to eavesdrop on them. When he
was certain they were safe, Sir Ainno went to a nearby chair and laid himself down.
It
was one of the many special privileges he received from the emperor.
To be allowed to lay down in front of the emperor.
People didn’t realize Sir Ainno utilized his privilege because they have never seen
him
do so but he did, only when he was alone with the emperor.
To Lucius the First’s disappointment, Sir Ainno didn’t even try to kill any of the
reptiles
that were roaming around the room.
“Inno, get up.”
Sir Ainno made an odd groan, “Arrhhhhh….”

“Inno, you said you would protect me.”

“Yeah, I can do it while laying down like this too.”
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“Come on, Inno. Get up and kill those things.”
Having the enemies’ surrenders wasn’t the end. The southern kingdoms offered their
surrenders with a condition that they remain independent and keep their names. They
were willing to become colonies, but they didn’t want to be incorporated into
Acreia.
This was their requirement for a peaceful and bloodless surrender.
The scribes were dying from so much paperwork. Lucius the First also had no time to
rest. He wasn’t just a conqueror; he wanted to also become a capable and involved
ruler.
Watching his friend taking it easy and resting made Lucius the First annoyed. He
took a
sip of his lukewarm water and said again, “Inno!”
Sir Inno remained on the chair lazily and suddenly, Lucius the First missed his
friend at the
beginning of this conquest. 10 years ago, Sir Ainno wasn’t like this at all. He
always
remained sharp and never even closed his eyes when around Lucius the First. He was
alert at all times.
‘If he was going to be like this, why did he insist on staying in the room with
me?’
If Poliana was here, she would have been diligent in killing the reptiles and
exchanging
funny jokes with him. The reptiles continued to roam around the room, and one of
them
walked across Sir Ainno’s leg. Lucius the First felt his body becoming covered in
goosebumps.
‘My headache is getting worse. Stupid Inno…’
Chapter 79
Sir Ainno had a reason for insisting on the guarding duty today. Lucius the First
wanted
Sir Ainno to form the very first Acreian knight’s order made up of the 27 men
specially
selected by Sir Ainno himself. There wasn’t any formal order of knights in Acreia,
so this
was going to be an exciting occasion.
Sir Ainno was to be the very first leader of the order, which was a great honor,
but it also
meant that he now had more work and responsibilities.
“This knight’s order business is becoming very troublesome, your highness.”
“Are your men not following your orders?”
“I am just worried about what I should pick to be the order’s symbol.”
Lucius the First became annoyed. Here he was, busy with international negotiations,
while his knight’s main worry was picking out a symbol for the order. Lucius the
First
threw the cup at him, and without even looking, Sir Ainno caught it easily.
“Your highness! This is a very important decision! This is your first knight’s
order. I need to
pick a symbol that no one has ever used before. It needs to be something different
and
amazing.”
All the good symbols were taken by the knight’s orders of other kingdoms; the bear,
wolf, and even the deer. Sir Ainno’s new order needed to have something meaningful
as its symbol. It couldn’t be something that another group was already using.
Sir Ainno pulled on his hair in frustration.

‘Isn’t the emperor supposed to pick the symbol?’

This was true, but because Lucius the First was so busy, he had Sir Ainno take over
the
decision. Sir Ainno asked around to get some good ideas, but he wasn’t satisfied
with
any of them. Some men suggested a plant as the symbol, but Sir Ainno was adamantly
against it. A plant… It looked and sounded too weak.
“What did the other knights suggest?”
“Sir Rabi keeps insisting I use either a dog or a deer, your highness.”
Sir Rabi ended up keeping the deer. It was all grown up now, and he was about to
release it back to the wild when he noticed that the hunters were waiting to kill
it. The
deer was young and plump, and many of the Acreian men were waiting to hunt it
down. As long as the deer remained in Sir Rabi’s protection, no one could harm it,
but
once he released it… It was in anyone’s game.
Realizing his deer would die immediately after it gained its freedom, Sir Rabi gave
up
liberating it. Instead, he officially announced the deer as his pet and even named
it
Rosy. He made a collar with the name on it so the deer could wear it. He claimed
that
he was going to take her with him back to Acreia and raise her in his garden.
“Sir Rabi is so funny,” the emperor murmured.
Sir Rabi looked surprisingly feminine and moody, but he had such an open
personality.
He came from the most powerful knight’s family, but he was kind and easy-going.
Despite his wealth and power, Sir Rabi got along with everyone including the lowly
foot
soldiers to the high-ranking officials. He was essential in helping everyone come
together as a team in the Acreian army.
Lucius the First continued, “And Sir Bentier is also a great guy.” Sir Bentier was
ordered to
follow the emperor by the Acreian noblemen who didn’t trust Lucius the First. In
turn, the
emperor kept a wary distance from the knight at first. But it has been 10 years
since they
set out to conquer the world and now, the emperor felt closer to Sir Bentier.
Suddenly, Sir Ainno nodded decisively.
“I have made my decision.”
“Deer and dog?”
“Just the dog.”
“But you said a dog was too common, Inno.”
“Yes, but it’s still a very sturdy and sensible choice. A dog is loyal to its
master. It is a
great hunter and protector. It guards its master and the livestock. It never
betrays its
owner and it is also very cuddly.”
“Well, if you are sure, then get up now.”
But even though his problem was solved, Sir Ainno still refused to stand up.
Annoyed,
Lucius the First threw a book at him, but Sir Ainno caught it again without even
looking.
He then replied, “I still have something important to think about.”

“What is it?”
“…”
Sir Ainno finally sat up and narrowed his eyes at his friend. Sir Ainno never
doubted him,
but it still felt strange that they were finally here. He murmured, “So… you are
finally
becoming the emperor of the entire continent. It’s really happening.”
Sir Ainno closed his eyes. He knew this day would come because he trusted and
believed in his emperor. Lucius the First was a good man to follow. He was kind and
generous, yet also very objective, rational, and cold when he needed to be.
Lucius the First often told his men to stop dreaming nonsense, but in truth, he was
their
dream. He was everyone’s hope.
Sir Ainno wondered what happened to the young boy prince he grew up with. The boy
who lost his mother at a very young age, and his father, the former emperor, a few
years later… The boy who had to grow up fast and become an adult to rule an entire
kingdom…
That boy was now gone and a man, an emperor, stood in front of him. But sometimes…
Lucius the First still smiled at Sir Ainno like a little boy. Would he still be
able to smile like
that when he officially became the ruler of all? Sir Ainno was a little worried
about his
friend.
Lucius the First replied with a faint smile. “Yeah… I guess you are right. The
emperor of all
of the continent…”
“What are your plans now?”
“Well, there is a lot to do now, of course.”
Winning the war was the easy part. Now, the real battles were going to begin. To
rule,
to fight against the other noblemen with laws and policies…
The political war was about to begin.
Lucius the First continued, “And I need to get married too, I suppose.”
When the news of his success reached Acreia, the first message that came from his
homeland was an insistence on him getting married as soon as possible. The official
wife
needed to be selected and approved by the Acreian government, which meant it
could not happen until the emperor returned home. However, he could take a few
concubines in the meantime and began to bear future heirs.
The emperor murmured, “And as soon as I return, I will have to reward my cousin…”
Duke Luzo didn’t directly participate in this conquest, but without his help and
sacrifice,
Lucius the First knew he wouldn’t have been able to even begin his war. To that,
Sir
Ainno nodded in agreement.

Even if the elder noblemen pushed Duke Luzo to take over the throne, Lucius the
First
wasn’t concerned. He could just take it back. He just felt sorry for Duke Luzo, who
wanted to get married but was waiting for the emperor to return.
“And of course, I will have to reward all who went through so much for me.”
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This needed to happen sooner rather than later. The morale and the continued
loyalty
of all of his men depended on it.
The more he thought about it, the more work Lucius the First had. He felt the heavy
burden of it crashing down on him. He was surprised that he was still standing and
remained sane. Being an emperor was not an easy task.
He added, “I also want to change many of the old and outdated laws and change the
capital city, but I don’t think I can. I already have too much to do, so it will
have to be
done by those after me.”
“I can tell you that it would be best if you change the capital soon.”
“And take on even more work?! You’re Crazy!”
Lucius the First laughed loudly, but slowly, his laughter died down, and he nodded.
It
was true; it had to be done now. It was too big of a burden to leave for the next
generation. It was essential to establish the capital of the entire continent, not
just of
Acreia.
This was necessary to maintain the peace and stability of his new land. In fact, it
needed to be on top of his priorities. Just like any man, Lucius the First loved to
be lazy
and enjoy life, but for now, he knew his responsibilities came first.
He decided he will have plenty of time to play later. It was time to get to work.
Chapter 80
Poliana was roaming around the city aimlessly when she was greeted by the other
guards and Sir Ainno’s knights. They were on their way to a bar and they invited
her to
join them. Poliana glared at them disapprovingly. “You are going to drink in the
middle
of the day?”
“It’s too hot, Sir Pol!”
“That’s right, it’s so hot!”
The men complained, and yet they had their arms around each others’ shoulders in
brotherly affection. Just watching them so close together made Poliana sweat. The
knights looked like they were close friends. Sirs Howe and Mahogal became fast
friends
after they became part of the special forces under the lead of the mean Sir Ainno.
In
the past, Sir Howe complained of how all the personal guards were all fancy boys
while
Sir Mahogal disliked Sir Howe for being too loud-mouthed but now, it seemed that
they
have become best friends.
Poliana wasn’t interested in going out drinking with these men. When she refused,
the
knights went their way. Sir Donau tried to escape the group, but Sir Howe grabbed
him
quickly. Donau protested, “I told you I don’t like to drink!”
“You are so young and naïve. You don’t know anything. We will teach you to be a
better man!”
“GYAAA!!”
Poliana thought to herself, ‘Hmm… He used to hate it when he was given watered
wine… How the time flies…’
Since when did Sir Donau avoid drinking? Time went by so fast. Poliana looked back
and remembered the past. She was now 30 years old. It had been 10 years since she
first met Lucius the First. From that time, she never looked back. She only looked
forward
and every day, she did her very best.

Her emperor was her guide to the right path. He led the way and she followed him.
She
never once doubted him. She never once hesitated. She only followed him like his
shadow and protected him with everything she had.
Poliana was never worried she might get lost. She was never worried that she might
not
reach her destination. She knew that all she had to do was to follow her emperor.
And after 10 years, she was finally here.
10 years ago, she found a new master she knew she could die for, and the 10 years
she
spent in this war… It wasn’t all that bad.
The knightess stood in the hallway and contemplated while many people passed by
her. Soldiers, knights, servants, maids, citizens of Pucachi, and messengers from
other
kingdoms…
She heard the sound of the trumpet, which meant that the new messengers were
arriving from another kingdom. Poliana remembered the map of the southern region.
Majority of the southern kingdoms already surrendered and there were only three
nations left before reaching the ocean. In the Southern Ocean, there were a number
of
islands with their own kingdoms, but Lucius the First had no plans to go after
them.
Crossing the ocean was a fool’s errand.
So three kingdoms left…
After these nations surrendered, Lucius the First would finally become the first
emperor
to unite the entire continent. He turned 32 this year. It was common for many royal
heirs
not to inherit the throne even when they were over 30 years old. There were times
when
the princes died before they could even become the next ruler.
But Lucius the First… At the age of 32, he united the entire continent.
‘How strange.’

The unification of the continent, it was such a giant goal. Some said it was an
impossible
dream, but the emperor and his men worked tirelessly, and they were finally here.
Just a little bit more…
But even though they were so close, it still felt surreal. It was such an
unbelievable
accomplishment that Poliana still had a hard time believing it.
With another trumpet sound, a messenger with a foreign flag entered the castle
entrance followed by several delegates on horses.
So only two more to go.
Poliana remembered that winter 10 years ago. She could still feel the painful cold
on
her skin. She was almost naked, and the cold wind at the time felt like a knife
slicing
through her body. Whenever she breathed, the inside of her nose and mouth froze,
even her eyeballs felt cold.
She no longer felt angry or resentful of that day, but this didn’t mean she had
forgotten
about it. How could she? Naked and covered in dirt and her own blood… She
remembered the beating and the insults that she took. No one helped her. No one
even gave her a piece of cloth to cover herself.
All alone, in the middle of the winter day…
But her worst day in her life turned into the best day of her life in an instant.
She was
reborn as Poliana Winter. Being no longer Poliana Cranbell, her life changed
completely. Even the deadly cold could dampen her happiness that day. The cold
glares of the men around her could stop her from feeling the pleasure of being
alive.
There was no way she would ever forget that winter day. Her emperor personally gave
her a sword. She could still feel his beautiful smooth fingers on her skin as he
handed it
to her. Poliana knew that even if she became senile, she would always remember
herself screaming.
“Get me a sword, someone get me a sword now!”
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Only two more to go. Two more kingdoms to surrender and her emperor’s dream was
finally going to come true. His ambition to unite the entire continent, which was
just
south from his homeland, Acreia, was going to be a reality.
And then… what?
What would happen after all of this?
Poliana couldn’t even guess, but she wasn’t afraid of the unknown future. She was
certain that the Lucius the First she knew would come up with another dream for all
of
them to follow. As long as she followed him… As long as she remained beside him as
his
shadow and protect him… Poliana knew she would forever live as herself.
A knightess.
And then…
Poliana heard the trumpet again and this time, it was blown twice.
Finally, it was done.
Chapter 81
All the nations in the continent were united into a single empire.
Acreia…
And it belonged to Lucius the First…
The first thing he did was to assemble and reassess his army. A recruitment
announcement was also made, and quickly, many men from different colonies applied
all at once.
Unfortunately, not all of them could be accepted because there were too many of
them. In the end, only those with vast military experience and high ranks were
selected.
Although all the southern kingdoms surrendered to him, Lucius the First still
wanted to
continue to the end of the continent. He wanted to physically set his foot on the
land
he now owned. Those who were lucky enough to be chosen were to follow him on his
final journey.
From the uppermost part of the northern lands to the farthest part of the southern
lands… Lucius the First stood at the cliff and looked out to the South Sea.
The sea that never freezes even in winter.
The waves danced while the seagulls cried loudly. The sun shone hotly, and the sand
invaded his shoes and his clothes as he entered the beach. The smell of the ocean
was
very different from that of a river. The salty air stuck to his skin.
His horse grumbled as it walked on unfamiliar sand. Even though he has reached his
final destination, Lucius the First wandered around like a lost child. He kept
riding his
horse around the beach aimlessly.

The emperor took his time, but no one complained. As they followed him, they
reached
another cliff and there, the emperor looked out quietly and unmoving.
A gentle wind blew, making Lucius the First’s golden hair dance around him. It
would
have been nice if he was wearing a cloak because that would have made a prettier
picture, but no one said a word. No one called out to their emperor.
Lucius the First didn’t look back at his men. His soldiers, feeling an overwhelming
sense
of happiness, stared at their emperor against the beautiful ocean, cliff, and the
sky.
The shockingly blue sky, clear shiny water, and their emperor…
It was a scene they would never forget. Suddenly, the soldiers realized what this
moment meant.
This was what the Acreian soldiers have been fighting for for the last 10 years.
They
followed Lucius the First to this place, and finally, they were being rewarded.
Just
watching their emperor standing at the end of the earth… It was an overwhelming
moment for all of them.
Acreians, the children of hunger…
Acreian men had different reasons for volunteering to follow Lucius the First on
his war.
Some wanted the physical rewards that they would get afterward, such as titles and
lands, while others wanted the experience and honor. Some were forced to enlist by
their parents.
What everyone received as rewards for their services was more than they could have
imagined. Just watching their great emperor at this moment…
One by one, the soldiers began to cry.
“Your highness! We have always believed in you!”
“We knew you could do this from the very beginning!”
“We will take this experience as the greatest honor! We will tell our children of
this
victory for generations!”
“Now, we get to go back home!”
“Long live Lucius the First!”
“Hooray for Acreia!”
“Long live Lucius the First!”
“The one and only emperor of this land!”
“Your highness!”
He was now the emperor of the entire continent. He owned the whole world.
“Hurray for the emperor!”
“Long live Lucius the First!”
The knights and soldiers took out their spears and swords and held them up high.
Their
cries and the clanking of their weapons filled the air, drowning out the sounds of
the
ocean.
At this moment, the men didn’t care if they didn’t receive any titles or lands.
They were
Lucius the First’s men and belonging to him alone was enough of a reward.
Lucius the First turned around. His blonde hair looked beautiful against the blue
sky and
the almost-green ocean. Then suddenly, the emperor bowed to the men standing in
front of him. He announced humbly, “Thank you, everyone, for getting me here. To
help
me arrive at this place… It is all thanks to you. I know that it must’ve been hard
for you
to believe in me, and that is why I am thanking you now. This will be my first and
only
time bowing to anyone.”
He raised his head again, and shrugging his shoulders, he added, “As the emperor, I
must never bow to anyone anymore.”
Turning towards the ocean again, he ordered, “I will be staying here for a while
longer,
so you may return without me.” The men realized that the emperor wanted to be
alone,
so they began to leave. Some still remained, wanting to enjoy the moment a little
longer too, but in the end, everyone left and there were only three of them.
Lucius the First, Sir Ainno, and Sir Poliana.
Poliana planned on staying till the end with the emperor, and she assumed Sir Ainno
was going to do the same but after a while, he turned around too. When Poliana
raised
her eyebrows, Sir Ainno patted Poliana’s shoulders affectionately.
Not to disturb the emperor, Poliana whispered her question. “Aren’t you staying?
Are
you going to make me leave?”
“Of course not. You are the head of the personal protection division, aren’t you?”
Poliana was shocked, she was sure Sir Ainno would insist that she should leave.
When
she became speechless, Sir Ainno grinned and added, “I’m sorry I took your place
last
time in that room.”
His voice sounded a little strange, and suddenly, Poliana realized the truth. When
everyone was crying, Sir Ainno remained dry-eyed. It was obvious he hated showing
his
tears to anyone, and now that he couldn’t control his emotions, he was running
away.
So finally, it was just Lucius the First and Poliana on the cliff. Like his shadow,
she
remained by his side to protect him.
When everyone cried, Poliana didn’t. It wasn’t because she was afraid of what
others
might think of her tears. She was just so overwhelmed that she couldn’t even cry.
Besides, she knew the truth. This wasn’t the end. It was only the beginning of
something
even bigger.
Uniting all of the kingdoms didn’t mean the end of the world. Poliana, Lucius the
First,
and everyone else was going to live on in this new world. Even if she died right
now,
everyone else would continue on without her.
The sun began to set and Lucius the First finally turned around.
“Let’s return to our base now before it gets too dark.”
“Yes, your highness.”
Becoming his knight was the best choice she ever made in her life. She smiled
brightly,
unable to hide her happiness and joy. Lucius the First was standing with the sun
behind
him, and Poliana couldn’t see her emperor clearly because of that blinding light.
But
even so, she continued to smile at him. It was ok if she couldn’t see him. It was
ok even
if she lost her sight. After all, Lucius the First was like the sun to her and she
was only
happy to be by his side.
And because she couldn’t see his face, she missed the change in his expression. For
a
moment, he lost his poker-face, and he looked… emotional.
‘Finally…’
He has done it. Finally… He was here at the end of the earth. It was all his. The
entire
continent was his.
He should have been ecstatic, but instead, he felt… burdened. Whenever his men
kneeled before him, Lucius the First felt the unbelievable weight of his mounting
responsibility.
He could have been the worst dictator, and even then, he knew no one would blame
him or dare to deny him anything, but the problem was that he wanted to be a good
emperor. This was why he felt so burdened and troubled.
‘Well, it’s a good thing at least that I won’t be alone.’
Ever since he was a young boy, he dreamt of becoming the emperor of all. And in
this
dream, he was never alone. He had a woman, an empress, by his side. She didn’t have
to be beautiful, but she needed to be wise, generous, and kind. She needed to be
the
mother to all the people in this world.
A woman who was intelligent… She didn’t have to come from the best of the families
as long as she wasn’t a commoner. They also needed to have children, so it would be
best if she came from a large family. She needed to be healthy and could never be
jealous of his concubines.

It wouldn’t be easy, but Lucius the First was sure that he would find the perfect
woman.
He wanted to be alone, and that was why he asked everyone to leave, but even
without looking, he knew there would be one person waiting for him.
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‘Sir Pol!’
He smiled. The knight with the “winter” as her last name has been his most loyal
knight.
She served him well despite all the hardships she must’ve gone through as a female
and a foreigner. Lucius the First was well aware that she deserved a great reward.
‘Our first meeting was so unforgettable…’
The whole world turned orange as the sun continued to set.
“Let’s get going, Sir Pol.”
“Of course, your highness.”
The loyal knightess looked up with a beautiful smile, and suddenly…
Lucius the First lost his smile as he saw Poliana.
Chapter 82
Poliana’s smile…
It was a smile that came from genuine happiness and certainty.
How beautiful, it was more amazing and stronger than the sun that was disappearing
into the ocean.
When he looked back, it was always like this. Poliana had always treated Lucius the
First
with honesty. She served him with everything she had. She saw him as her emperor,
her
master, her fellow fighter, and her friend. She never changed or wavered in her
belief
and trust in him.
Lucius the First knew she will never change in the future, but… It was him who was
changing. Suddenly, his usual calm and logic cracked in front of this woman. Even
the
future he dreamt of seemed pale compared to this moment.
The cupid’s arrow went straight into Lucius the First’s heart. It was unfair and
cruel
because the emperor never had a chance. He wasn’t given a warning or even time to
get himself prepared for it.
And the worst thing was… The woman in question didn’t even realize what she had
done to him.
‘Why?’
Lucius the First despaired, he didn’t believe in love. Even when he thought of his
future
wife, there never has been love in his heart. All he expected was to maintain a
good
relationship with his wife. Love would have been a huge bonus, but not at all
necessary.
Love mostly existed in songs and poems.

So for him to fall in love like this… How could this be?
What did this mean? To realize that he had fallen in love with someone who he has
known for 10 years… Shouldn’t he have noticed this much earlier?
The emperor’s beliefs and views collapsed around him. This didn’t make sense at
all,
which meant… It had to be a mistake. It had to be a misunderstanding. Lucius the
First
couldn’t be in love with that “woman.”
‘Woman…’
That’s right, Poliana Winter was a woman. A woman who was also a knight.
People called her the knightess. Because she was a woman in this world of man, she
had to go through such hardships. She must’ve felt incredible despair and
hopelessness.
It was much harder, almost impossible, for her to be acknowledged and accepted.
Filthy and unfair rumors followed her everywhere. Until her death, she was going to
be
surrounded by these prejudices.
She almost died, but Lucius the First took her in. He wasn’t being arrogant. This
was the
truth. He made many mistakes that required him to apologize to her, but at the end
of
the day, Lucius the First saved Poliana Winter.
“Your highness.”
Poliana called out to him with an affectionate tone. He knew she showed the most
respect and consideration to him than to anyone else in this world.
The way she looked at him was warm. It was an unconditional love, but not a love a
woman felt for a man. It was a love for her emperor as her master. It was a
devotion to
her ruler.
It was loyalty and nothing more.
“Your highness, are you ok? Is something wrong?”
“No.”
Poliana looked at him worriedly, and Lucius the First flinched. It was as if
someone threw
cold water at him.
Everyone knew how ugly Poliana was. Even Poliana herself agreed to it. She looked
much better and cleaner now, but she certainly was no beauty. At best, she was an
average-looking woman.
But right now, at this moment… She looked pretty to him.
The emperor couldn’t breathe. His heart began to beat uncontrollably. He had no
choice but to admit and accept that he was in love.
Quickly, he put on his poker face again. He gave her the “generous emperor’s
smile.” It
wasn’t hard because after all, he had done it all his life.

Even though he was a man newly in love, he was an emperor first. He couldn’t be
swayed by his emotions. Perhaps, that was why he didn’t believe in love. At least,
it
wasn’t for him.
Lucius the First looked at Poliana Winter. She had a sword hanging on her waist.
Somewhere on her body, there were several daggers and other weapons. She never
did, and never would hesitate to use them to kill. She had no qualms about using
violence. She wasn’t a talented fighter, but she had enough experience to do an
adequate job. For him, she would do anything.
The blue uniform looked good on her. As the head of the guard division, she was
given
the honor of wearing a golden stripe as well. Lucius the First knew how hard she
tried to
look clean and presentable for him.
The sun was now nowhere to be seen, but the sky was still bright. He could now see
a
few stars appearing in the sky.
“Your uniform looks good on you, Sir Pol.”
“Thank you for the compliment!”
“That sword suits you as well.”
“You flatter me, your highness!”
“And you looked good with short hair too!”
“Your highness, you must be very happy right now.”
“It’s just that you look pretty today, Sir Pol.”
“… are you ok, your highness? Are you ill perhaps?”
Lucius the First smiled. He almost made a mistake of confessing his love for her
just now,
but he quickly recovered. He had to push down his feelings. He was no mere man, he
was the emperor.
The emperor.
Lucius the First imagined Poliana standing beside him as his empress. It looked so
ridiculous that he laughed. He felt a little better.
‘Perhaps I’m just mistaken. Maybe I’m just confused.’
This was an emotional time for him after all.

He had so much to do now, and no matter what it was that he felt, it didn’t matter.
‘Just forget about it for now.’
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A love now could turn into something different tomorrow. For now… he decided to
ignore it. He wasn’t abandoning it, but he would bury it deep inside of him, and
when
he had more time, he would reassess it.
As they rode their horses down the cliff, everything felt unfamiliar to him.
Somehow,
Lucius the First knew that he would remember this moment forever.
‘… it’s love…’
The emperor smiled helplessly. He knew the future was uncertain, but for now, he
wanted to enjoy this moment.
The Acreian army finally turned around to head back to the north.
Back home to Acreia…
No obstacles stopped the emperor this time.
-To be continued on
Chapter 83
The Acreian emperor Lucius the First’s army moved north speedily. The men were
excited to return home after 10 years of war. They moved fast, excited at the
prospect
of reuniting with their families.
Their path back to Acreia was smooth thanks to Duke Luzo. Every time Lucius the
First
conquered more lands, Duke Luzo made sure to create proper roads in these places.
He strongly believed in proper infrastructures, especially for swift and efficient
supply
chains. The roads were built by the enemy captives and criminals, and these well-
built
paths helped the Acreian men to return home much easier than expected.
If he wished, Lucius the First could have pushed to get home faster, but he
purposely
moved at a slow pace. It was to make sure his men didn’t tire out and also to
examine
how his colonies were doing after being conquered. It was obviously impossible to
extensively explore every city, but it was enough to get an idea of how the
citizens
were reacting to their new reality.
Thankfully, it seemed that the people were doing fairly well. In most of the
kingdoms,
the citizens threw flowers at the Acreian army and welcomed them. Lower tax rates
and stricter laws against crimes were accepted by these people with open arms. The
people of the mid-continent were now free from their greedy and selfish kings. They
were thankful to Lucius the First, who was a much kinder ruler.
If the emperor raised the tax rate a little in a few years, would the people become
angry and regret their decisions to support him? Perhaps, but unlikely. Whatever
increase the Acreian emperor proposed would still be much lower than the one set by
their previous kings.
Lucius the First; the beautiful, kind, wise, and fair emperor. Everyone was in love
with this
young man.
There were still a few kingdoms that remained technically “independent,” but in
reality,
all of them belonged to Acreia and strangely, the fact that they belonged to a
single
greatest nation made the people feel a sense of pride and acceptance. This was
especially the case because Lucius the First did not discriminate between the
original
Acreians and new Acreians. He was also fair and generous to many of the nobles of
the
previous kingdoms, as long as they behaved. As the tax rate and the crime rate were
lowered, the farmers and the regular citizens began to gain more power while the
lords
lost some of their authorities. If a lord treated his people unfairly, he was
replaced by
Lucius the First immediately.
Having an emperor like Lucius the First was a blessing to many. Most of the
people’s
lives have improved daily, they now have more to eat and less to worry about. It
was a
dream come true. Most nobles, although they lost their absolute powers, accepted
their current situation. After all, they didn’t want to go through another war.
And besides… the new emperor was such a good-looking young man!
“Long live the Acreian emperor Lucius the First!”
People looked at him with adoration. Even Poliana, who was riding behind him, could
feel their love.
‘This is amazing.’
It was a beautiful sunny day with a nice breeze. The soldiers seemed to be enjoying
the
weather as well and the people of the colonies threw flowers at them as they
cheered.
Poliana never relaxed because she knew there could be an assassin among the crowd,
but she still let herself enjoy the scene a little. When they returned to Acreia
and
entered the capital, Nanaba, she knew they would be greeted with cheers again, but
this was different. The people here… They referred to the emperor as their savior,
and
therefore it meant so much more.
Lucius the First told his men that he was taking the easiest and smoothest route to
make
the journey as comfortable for his men as possible. But based on Poliana’s
calculation,
this was only partly true. She could tell he had another reason for it. Many of the
emperor’s closest knights suspected the same thing, but they didn’t say anything.
Whatever the emperor did, he most likely had a very good reason for it.
It was getting late and the emperor announced that they would stay in this village
for
the night. In fact, Lucius the First decided that they would stay in the city of
Sitrin for a
whole week. Sitrin was known for its hot springs and the emperor ordered everyone
to
relax and enjoy themselves.
Sitrin was a large city with a beautiful castle. South of it was the Msmel forest
and it was
located in the middle of the mid-continent, which meant it had mild weather.
Farming
and forestry flourished in this place as well as tourism thanks to the hot springs.
It was
already well-developed, but it had even greater potential for further growth.
Unfortunately, people of Sitrin have been starving despite their fruitful land. It
was
because of its previous lord who was selfish and cruel. When Lucius the First was
nearby,
it was the Sitrin lord’s vassals who killed their master and opened the door for
the
Acreian men. The vassals wanted better lives for their people.

Lucius the First had to execute one of the noblemen, who tried to fight back, but
the
rest of them were spared. He approved the rest of the vassals who cared for their
people. Of all the mid-continent kingdoms, the citizens of Sitrin cheered for
Lucius the
First the most.
The emperor waved at the people and thought proudly, ‘What a great land this is.’
Sitrin was indeed a great piece of land. Being in the middle of the continent was a
huge bonus when it came to supply chains. It wasn’t before, but now that the whole
world was united as a single kingdom, Sitrin was going to benefit the most from its
location.
Currently, no new lord was appointed for Sitrin. The kind vassals were taking care
of the
matters for now. Lucius the First allowed his men to rest, but he went right to
work after
getting off his horse. The first thing he did was look over the paperwork
concerning Sitrin.
He smiled as he checked the grains and money collected as taxes. This place was
indeed a very productive place. How could the old lord let his people starve when
there was plenty to go around?
While the emperor looked over the documents, the Sitrin vassals waited nearby
nervously. They have done nothing wrong, but still, they were in the presence of a
conqueror. What if he didn’t like the numbers? And what if the new emperor changes
his mind and punish them for killing their old lord? A bad master was still a
master, and
disloyalty was usually punished by death.
Suddenly, Lucius the First saw something odd. He asked, “What is this?”
One of the vassals anxiously looked at the list the emperor pointed at, and with a
sigh of
relief, he explained, “It’s the budget for the water channel maintenance.”
“Channel?”
“Yes, our previous lord built this channel so the hot spring water could be
transported to
the castle.”
“But the water would be cold by the time it reaches the castle.”
“It is reheated before it enters the castle tubs.”
What a selfish and lazy lord he must have been. The hot spring wasn’t even that far
from the castle. What a waste of time and money.
When the emperor frowned, the vassals trembled. What they didn’t know was that
Lucius the First was a very forgiving emperor. As long as it wasn’t a huge mistake,
he
often let it slide.
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‘This would be the perfect land to reward one of my men.’
A bountiful land and capable vassals, it would make a good present.
Lucius the First looked around for Poliana. She was nearby and instead of focusing
on
him, she was reprimanding the vassals regarding the city’s supplies. It was an old
habit
she developed when she used to work in the supply unit.
“This is wrong, what’s this number, and here?”
As the emperor watched her, she continued to find the small mistakes in the
calculations and bookkeeping. Lucius the First thought to himself, ‘She would’ve
done a
great job if she stayed in the supply unit.’
“Sir Pol.”
“Yes, your highness.”
“I see that you are very interested in Sitrin and its figures. Do you like this
land? Do you
want it? Would you like me to give it to you?”
Chapter 84
Poliana replied hastily, “No, not at all, your highness!” She thought Lucius the
First was
making a joke about how she wasn’t doing her job as his guard and was more focused
on silly paperwork.
“I apologize, your highness, for not doing my job.”
She handed the paper back to the vassals and walked towards the emperor.
“I’m not joking, Sir Pol. You have done so much for me and you need to be rewarded.
I
think a piece of land is a good start.”
“You can just give me any leftover piece of land, your highness.”
“A leftover? Sir Pol, you should be getting one of the best lands I have.”
Poliana was about to refuse again but bit her lips. It was true that she did do a
great
deal for this war. She did deserve something great. Also, it wouldn’t look
appropriate for
the head of the guard division to be a landless knight. In fact, it would look
ridiculous.
Poliana didn’t have a title yet either. She was a knightess and that was it. If her
Aehasian background was accepted, she was still a noble. If it wasn’t, then she
would
be something in between a noble and a knight. After the war, she assumed that her
emperor would give her a title, and land always came with a title.
Lucius the First allowed many of the foreign nobles to keep their titles and lands,
but not
all of them. This meant that there were plenty of lands and titles that needed to
be
distributed.

Poliana contemplated and she finally made her decision, she determined that she
definitely deserved this city.
“Are you sure? Are you really offering me this land?”
“Of course, or if there is another piece of land you prefer, all you have to do is
to let me
know. The exact boundary of the land will change a bit in the future, but not by
much.”
Poliana was one of the few people who knew of Lucius the First’s plan for a new
capital
for Acreia. Poliana quickly calculated how far Sitrin would be from all the
potential
capital cities and replied, “I would be honored to have this land, your highness.”
“Good. Then, Sitrin will be yours.”
Sir Ainno already received a good piece of land very close to all the potential
capital
cities. Other high-ranking knights received their rewards as well so Poliana said
to
herself, ‘I deserve this.’
The old Poliana would have refused the reward because she knew what the other men
would say. If this was the Aehasian army, the other knights would’ve said she only
received it because she was sleeping with the emperor. Ugly rumors would have been
spread like a wildfire but now… Things were very different. She was one of the
emperor’s closest knights and she was trusted and respected by everyone in the
Acreian army.
Poliana was certain that everyone around her would support her no matter what. If
anyone in the army said anything negative about her, she knew she could take care
of
him easily.
The vassals looked at the emperor and the knightess nervously. Right in front of
their
eyes, their new master was decided in a blink of an eye.
Lucius the First offered to Poliana, “And if you are unhappy with these vassals,
then let
me know. I can just replace them for you. After all, they did betray their old
master.”
The vassals flinched and began to tremble. Some even closed their eyes, thinking
their
deaths were coming. Poliana immediately shook her head and replied, “You just gave
them to me, and now you are trying to take them away from me, your highness? That’s
not fair. These are my people now and they seem like they are very capable workers,
so
I am definitely keeping them.”

Just a moment ago, she was reprimanding them for making mistakes, but now that they
belonged to her, she defended them viciously. The vassals’ eyes widened at how the
knightess, their new master, stood up to the emperor on their behalf.
Respect and admiration shone in their eyes as they looked up to her. Thanks to
Lucius
the First, Poliana gained passionate loyalty from her vassals immediately.
Poliana took a walk that night around the castle. It still wasn’t official, but she
was going
to be the master of this entire place. As she walked outside the castle, she
immediately
fell in love with her land.
Poliana touched the stone wall and feeling a bit overwhelmed, she punched it. She
bit
her lips so she wouldn’t scream with joy.
‘Wow!!!!’
If she knew no one would hear her, she would run around screaming. She wanted to
gather the people of Sitrin right now and announce from the rooftop that she was
their
new lord.
Poliana was born into a mediocre noble family, and her land was known for
cranberries. Her childhood home could be called a mansion at best but now…
Her new home was a castle, an entire castle made of stones and a castle that had a
drawbridge. It was all hers.
The large luxurious castle suddenly became her personal home. The castles of the
midcontinent were typically oversized, and this particular one was as big as the
biggest
castle in the Aehasian capital where the king and his family lived.
‘And it’s all mine.’

It belonged to Poliana now. His highness Lucius the First gave it to her. She
didn’t follow
him to become wealthy, but this was such a huge and unexpected, yet very
welcomed, bonus. She was ecstatic.
So many thoughts passed through her head. With the tax money she gathered, what
could she do to improve this place? First, she needed to have a solid army and have
enough to feed them for a while. She noticed that there were gold and precious
stone
decorations all over the castle. The previous lord was obviously a luxurious fool.
She
wondered how much she could get if she sold them all? How much food and supplies
could she get?
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All she knew was war, so all she could think of was having enough supplies at all
times.
Suddenly, Poliana noticed a patrolling soldier walking towards her. He obviously
didn’t
spot her because after looking around, he turned towards the castle wall and
unbuckled his pants to urinate. Poliana quietly approached him and smacked the back
of his head.
The guard screamed in shock and ignoring him, Poliana ordered sharply, “Urinating
should only occur in washrooms.”
“I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”
“This castle is where the emperor is currently residing. We can’t have him smelling
your
urine, now can we? Make sure to tell everyone never to do something like this
again.”
They were too far from the emperor’s room for Lucius the First to smell anything,
but it
was always a good idea to enforce strict rules. Poliana didn’t feel guilty at all.
The night darkened further, so she decided it was time to go to bed. Before she
returned to her room, she needed to check on the emperor one last time. Her men
were standing in front of the emperor’s door. They saluted her when she approached
them. New guards were also there for the next shift as it was time to switch. The
guards
communicated through sign language to exchange reports. Poliana watched them
and realized that there was a guest inside the emperor’s room.
‘Another woman?’
Chapter 85
The emperor was in his early 30’s, so it made sense that he had strong needs just
like
any other young healthy man. It wasn’t uncommon for Poliana to witness women
visiting him often even during the war, but what confused Poliana was the fact that
Lucius the First didn’t refuse any women at all lately.
Until now, the emperor has rarely refused the offered women’s entry to his room,
but
depending on his condition or mood, he only talked with them or drank with them
most
of the time. But now, on their way back to Acreia, he has taken all of the women to
his
bed without a question.
It was the emperor’s personal servant’s duty, not a knight’s, to deal with the
emperor’s
personal life. But as his guard, Poliana couldn’t help but worry about the
emperor’s
stamina. If he spent all his nights with a woman, wouldn’t that harm his health?
Lucius
the First was a very healthy young man, but Poliana couldn’t stop herself from
worrying.
Poliana met Donau in the hallway. Sir Donau mentioned it to her, “It seems that his
highness has been keeping himself very busy every night.” It was clear that it
wasn’t just
Poliana who was worried about their emperor’s change in habit.
Poliana then replied, “I agree. I wonder if he just has been very tense during the
war,
but now that he can relax, he has become more active in his nightly activity.”
Some men liked to take some women to bed to relax during a war, while other men
needed to feel safe and relaxed to be able to enjoy a woman. Every man was
different
in his preference. At first, she wondered if it was because the emperor was trying
to sire
an heir but if this was the case, he wouldn’t have insisted on some women of
mediocre
nobility.
Poliana sighed and added, “I wish he would take in a wife soon. I would love to
have
an empress.”
“I know! A beautiful wise empress…”
“Kind and generous…”
“And then, we will have many princes and princesses…”
They were talking together when suddenly, they heard the guards talking about how
the emperor sent tonight’s woman away. Poliana asked one of the guards, “What
happened? Did she make a mistake?”
“The lady suggested that they should enjoy the hot spring together. You know how
his
highness was very sensitive about something like that.”
A man and woman bathing together naked… It was considered a significant event. It
meant that they were becoming serious about each other, and it seemed Lucius the
First was offended at this lady’s forward and seductive move.
The emperor was born a prince, he grew up to be an heir, became an emperor of a
kingdom, and united the entire continent. He led an elegant and straightforward
life, so
although he enjoyed women who were enthusiastic in bed, he disliked women who
strayed from the normal and usual bedroom etiquette.
Based on what they witnessed so far, they knew what kind of women their emperor
preferred. Lucius the First didn’t have to say a word, even Poliana knew his taste
very
well.
“His highness’s type is a fragile and feminine lady.”
“Exactly. Long hair and slim body… A lady he could embrace easily…”
“Totally, someone who looks like she needs to be protected.”
Their discussion continued as the men began to talk about their types. The married
ones
bragged about their wives while the unmarried soldiers talked about their dream
women. When Sir Donau was asked about it, he refused to give them an answer.

“I don’t have a type!”

“You don’t have to be embarrassed! Tell us!”
“That’s right, Sir Donau. We want to know!”
When all the knights insisted, Donau said he needed to think about it for a second.
Poliana was curious as well. After a few minutes, Sir Donau finally answered, “I
don’t
care about the lady’s looks. I just want someone strong and wise. Someone who can
protect herself.”
Donau’s face turned red as if embarrassed. The other men noticed it and began to
tease him mercilessly. Meanwhile, Poliana thought she should let Sir Rabi know this
fact
when she got a chance.
Suddenly, Poliana found something she has been looking for. She walked away from
the group and stared at something with a grin. When Sir Donau asked what she was
looking at, she smiled and replied, “It’s the white-tailed lizard I have been
dehydrating.”
When the knight heard her words, they all jumped towards her and begged her to give
it to them. Sir Donau, afraid that Poliana might force him to eat it again against
his will,
flinched in disgust.
Thankfully, this time, it wasn’t for Sir Donau.
Poliana took the dried white-tailed lizard personally to the kitchen. She ordered
the
cook to make sure he uses it to make his highness’s stew for the next day. Everyone
in
the castle already knew Poliana was going to be their next master, so the cook
nodded
without hesitation. It was a well-known fact that the white-tailed lizard was great
for
men’s stamina. No one doubted Poliana’s good intention for the emperor.
Unfortunately for Lucius the First, his disgust for reptiles wasn’t well known. He
made sure
of it because he didn’t want his one weakness to be known to everyone.

The cook took special care to maintain the lizard shape as the stew was made. He
was
successful and he proudly placed the intact animal on top of the stew as a
decoration.
Thankfully, the emperor’s servant saw it and removed the lizard before Lucius the
First
ever saw it. If he did, the emperor would have refused to eat even a spoonful of
the
specially made stew.
Yesterday, Lucius the First was upset because the lady offered to him tried to
seduce
him into having a bath with her in the hot spring. A man and a woman washing
together… It would have never ended with just a bath, and the emperor felt a little
angry. Did that woman think he was a pervert? That he was desperate?
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‘The previous lord must’ve enjoyed such vulgar activity.’
It made sense, or else, why would anyone spend so much money and effort to make a
channel that transported the hot spring water into the castle?
Lucius the First was unhappy. Every day and every night, he was served by different
beauties and was offered the most extravagant meals and yet, he was still very
displeased. Why? Only the emperor knew the answer to that question.
Lucius the First took a spoonful of his stew. It had a distinct and unfamiliar
taste and he
loved it.
“What a great stew.”
“Yes, your highness. It is made especially for you. It is supposed to be very good
for
health, so please finish your bowl. All of it.”
The servants who knew the secret to this stew didn’t say a word. It was better for
him not
to know the truth. Poliana exchanged some knowing glances with the servants and put
her thumbs up for them.
Perfect, everything was going according to her plan.
Chapter 86
Thump, thump.
The emperor’s heart began to beat loudly. Lucius the First felt the pain of it and
closed
his eyes. His beautiful face was filled with sadness and worry. The previous lord
of Sitrin
was a lustful man. The hot spring wasn’t that far from the castle, yet he created
an
expensive water channel to bring the water directly to his castle. On top of that,
he also
built a custom brazier to reheat the water and an extravagant bathhouse for his
pleasure. It must’ve cost a pretty penny to build something like this.
Based on his understanding, it took a very long time to complete this project as
well. It
was only recently finished, and in the end, the previous lord ended up dying
without
being able to enjoy his crazy creation.
How sad.
And now, Lucius the First, the conqueror of all kingdoms, was going to enjoy it and
in
the future, Poliana would get to enjoy it as the new master of Sitrin.
For now, the emperor was happy to relish in the healing water alone. It was quiet
inside
except for the sound of falling water. Lucius the First stared at the gentle wave
of the
water around him.
Thump, thump.
His heartbeat filled his head and he shook his head.
Please don’t let it be love…

Lucius the First was desperate. This couldn’t be love. This powerful feeling he had
inside
of him… It had to be just his excitement from accomplishing his dream of uniting
the
continent. It had to be him feeling good about seeing his trusted night happy. It
had to
be because it had been a while since he had a woman.
It had to be… It had to be…
This was why he didn’t refuse any women that were offered to him. They were all
different. Whether they were round-shouldered and square-shouldered, big-breasted
and small-breasted, even if they had a sweet bodily scent and they were sour-
smelling,
and on and on. He didn’t care as long as it was a woman, any woman. He thought
that if he buried his face on a woman’s breasts, he would be able to forget about
Poliana, and this crazy heartbeat would stop.
The women who entered his room were all beautiful. They had long silky hair,
porcelain
skin, and clean and well-kept nails…
Lucius the First welcomed all of them. He spent all of his pent up energy on these
women, but…
The emperor’s heart would not stop beating loudly.
‘This isn’t right…’
Of all people… He felt so strongly for Poliana. Even after taking all those women
to bed,
his feelings didn’t change. He could no longer claim his feeling for her was from
his
repressed lust.
Lucius the First was troubled. This was a big problem for him. There has never been
anyone who distressed him this much. This could be dangerous. Just the fact that he
considered this situation as a trouble was disturbing.
If he wanted a woman, it wasn’t a problem for Lucius the First to take her. There
was no
one else in this world who had a higher status than he did. He was the emperor
after all.
No one could deny him or refuse him. As an emperor, he didn’t have to pursue a
woman. He only had to say so and his servants would bring her straight to him.
As long as it wasn’t a married woman, the emperor could have anyone. In fact, even
most married women would be willing to give themselves to him.
This wasn’t only because he was the emperor with absolute power. The fact that
Lucius
the First was a young, beautiful, and kind man was the biggest reason for it. The
emperor was respectful and was not shy about acknowledging true talents. He was
also very intelligent and well-read.
Countless women confessed their love for him. It would be very difficult to find a
woman who would refuse such a man.
For a second, Lucius the First thought he came up with an easy solution. Why not
just
confess to Poliana? No matter how the knightess felt about it, she could not escape
him.
Suddenly, realizing his mistake, the emperor splashed some water on his face.
‘No! No! I can’t be like that! It would be wrong.’

Forcing a woman… It was wrong to even think about such a thing. This was what a
tyrant would do.
Lucius the First couldn’t come up with an answer. Recently, he stopped calling
Poliana
by her nickname “Pol.” He began to call her Sir Pol again. He could tell that
Poliana was
disappointed, but he couldn’t help it. He was afraid that if he got any closer to
her, he
would blurt out his love for her.
The emperor was troubled.
The first person who noticed the change in the emperor was his long time friend and
loyal knight, Sir Ainno. At first, Sir Ainno didn’t think much of it.
‘His highness must be just worried about all the work he will have to do when he
returns
to Acreia.’ When he found out about the women, Sir Ainno also didn’t think it was a
problem. The emperor was a healthy young man after all. The war was over, so it
wasn’t
strange that he would seek a nightly company.
But what worried Sir Ainno was him drinking. For some reason, Lucius the First
rarely
drank anymore and when he did, he drank alone or drank with one of the women
offered to him.
This was strange because Lucius the First loved to drink with his men. He hated
drinking
alone. The emperor’s favorite pastime was having a drinking party with his knights.
Many men found it hard to be the emperor’s drinking body. Lucius the First was a
great
master, but as his subject, none of the knights could drink comfortably in front of
their
boss. Lucius the First also had a horrible sense of humor and having to force
themselves
to laugh at his jokes was quite an ordeal.
At the beginning of the war, Sirs Baufallo and Ainno were called to these drinking
gatherings the most. But as the emperor came to know more and more knights, other
men were invited to join as well.
Towards the end of the war, Lucius the First became set on drinking with only his
favorite
knights. Poliana was one of these people for an obvious reason. She was a strange
drinker, but still a very good company, she wouldn’t look drunk but would collapse
so
suddenly. And at the end of these parties, it was always Sir Ainno who ended up
having
to clean up after everyone. He was a very strong drinker and rarely became
intoxicated like the other men.
This should have been the perfect time for the emperor to have a nightly drinking
party
with his knights, but when it didn’t happen, Sir Ainno became worried.
Something was wrong!
After a few days of observing his emperor, Sir Ainno decided to be direct and ask
him.
He grabbed a bottle of wine and visited Lucius the First. It worked out perfectly
because the emperor was alone in his bedroom.
Sir Ainno asked without hesitation, “Your highness, is there something you are
worried
about?”
“I am now the emperor of the entire continent, so why would I be worried about
anything?”

Lucius the First replied calmly, but Sir Ainno wasn’t fooled by it.
“If you are unhappy about something, you only need to let me know, your highness. I
will take care of it immediately. If you are worried about the elders in Acreia
making
trouble for you when you return, just tell me. I will ride ahead and get rid of all
of them
before you reach our homeland.”
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Such a loyal announcement didn’t make the emperor feel any better. When Lucius the
First still looked troubled, Sir Ainno was about to ask him again but someone
knocked on
their door.
“It’s Poliana, I’m coming in.”
Poliana walked in excitedly. She was carrying a bottle of wine and some snacks.
“I can’t believe you two are drinking without me!”
Sir Ainno saw the bottle she was holding. His eyes widened as he asked, “How come
you have a better bottle of wine than I do, Sir Pol?”
“Because I… Hahaha…! I am about to become the new master of this castle!”
Poliana laughed happily and loudly. Sir Ainno grumbled and grabbed the bottle from
her hand.
Lucius the First seemed to be contemplating quietly. Suddenly, he turned to Poliana
and ordered, “I will be drinking alone with Sir Ainno tonight, so Sir Pol, I would
like you to
leave.”
Chapter 87
Sir Ainno and Poliana’s eyes widened at their emperor’s firm words. This confirmed
Sir
Ainno’s suspicion; something was definitely going on with Lucius the First. Poliana
simply
thought that perhaps there was a topic her emperor wanted to discuss only with
other
men.
‘Maybe his highness wants to talk about something dirty…’
Both Lucius the First and Sir Ainno were high-born young masters. Whatever dirty
stories
they wanted to share with each other… Poliana knew it wouldn’t compare to what she
heard or even had to go through, but if she pointed this out to them, she knew that
the
two men would deny it and make her look like a dirty-minded woman. Poliana knew
that if she pried, it would only embarrass Lucius the First, so she decided against
it.
She decided to let the men have their fun.
“Then, I will go drink with the other knights, your highness. Have a great
evening.”
“Wait, Sir Pol, please make sure you don’t drink too much. Actually, you shouldn’t
drink
at all. Just go to bed for tonight.”
“Pardon?”
Poliana’s eyes widened as the emperor explained, “I really think you drink too much
and too often, Sir Pol. We have a wonderful bathhouse with hot spring water, so why
don’t you enjoy it before going to bed tonight. You are going to be the new owner
of
this castle, so it would be a great idea for you to explore every aspect of this
place.”
It sounded like Lucius the First really cared about her health. Poliana nodded in
agreement. She left the wine and snacks and left the room.

The emperor sighed in relief. For tonight, he was able to stop her from drinking
and
spending too much time with other men.
Sir Ainno then asked, “Do you have something you want to tell me? Something that
Sir
Poliana shouldn’t hear?”
“No, it’s nothing like that, Inno. You go ahead and rest too.”
“Your highness, please tell me what is bothering you. I will fix it.”
Sir Ainno was serious about his offer. From his point of view, Sir Ainno couldn’t
understand what the emperor could be worried about. All of his dreams came true.
The
continent was united, and the emperor didn’t lose any of his close men. None of the
colonies were revolting and the people were throwing flowers at them and welcoming
them with open arms.
But the emperor looked for forlorn as if he was all alone in this world. Was Lucius
the First
going through another puberty?
“Inno, I’m fine.”
“Your highness, I know you are not telling me the truth.”
“I…”
Lucius the First rubbed his forehead. It was becoming even clearer that something
was
bothering him. He sighed deeply. Lucius the First knew that he couldn’t keep this
secret
from Sir Ainno for too long. In the end, the emperor said to his knight, “There is
a woman
I am interested in…”
“Who is she? I will bring her to you immediately.”
The names and the families of all the women that were offered to the emperor were
recorded in an official document. All Sir Ainno had to do was ask the servant for
the
name and the address, and he could get the lady tonight.
Lucius the First shook his head. “No, there is no need.”
“Why not? You are feeling this way because of this woman!”
“It’s just a temporary and minor attraction. It will pass soon so there is no need
for you to
deal with it.”
“If it was going to pass soon, you wouldn’t be here looking like this.”
“… I suppose you are right, Inno.”
Lucius the First smiled bitterly. Sir Ainno looked determined. It was clear that he
wasn’t
going to leave the room without finding out the truth.

“Your highness, please tell me about her! Where is she from? The reason you won’t
tell
me… Is it because this woman is married? Or is she too young? Too old? Is she
widowed
with a child? Is she a commoner?”
“No…”
It was all wrong. Sir Ainno became even more curious. What was the problem then?
“Your highness, then why do you hesitate? Bring that woman here and tell her how
you
feel. I am certain she would be delighted.”
Sir Ainno was sure of it. His friend, the emperor, was beautiful and kind. He had a
great
body and most of all, he was the emperor of the whole continent. Who would dare to,
or want to, deny such a man?
He supposed that a heart would want what a heart wants. Of course, not all women
would fall immediately in love with the emperor, but who would deny themselves of
such an honor of becoming the emperor’s woman? Love was not a requirement here.
On top of that, Lucius the First was unmarried. If this woman in question came from
a
decent family, there was a very good chance she could become the next empress.
This was especially possible because the emperor was clearly smitten with her. Sir
Ainno
had never seen Lucius the First act this way.
“Your highness, if this woman is a foreigner, I guess the elders back home may
protest,
but this could actually be a good thing. Having a foreigner as a wife could bring
all of
the colonies together as one. Your highness! What is it that worries you so much?
Even if
this woman is married, if we give her husband an appropriate compensation, we can
make this work.”
“Inno, a woman isn’t a property. We don’t buy women.”
Sir Ainno became speechless. He knew women weren’t livestock, but they were
certainly treated like one. Lucius the First was a kind and fair man, but Sir Ainno
knew
that the emperor wasn’t a naïve man. Lucius the First knew perfectly well how the
world
worked, so for him to say something like this… Suddenly, Sir Ainno realized the
truth.
“Ah, are you in love, your highness?”
This couldn’t be just an interest. This young man was in love and that was why he
looked
so troubled.
Hearing it out loud from another person confirmed what Lucius the First feared.
Thump, thump.
His heart began to beat loudly again. Lucius the First closed his eyes and nodded.
“Yes, it’s love.”
“So who is this woman? Where is she? If you are in love with this person, why would
you
take in a different woman every night? If you truly love this girl, then we need to
bring
her here immediately…”
“Just stop, Inno. It is only now that I have admitted this. I have been trying to
ignore it
and deny it… but it didn’t work.”
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“Deny love? Why would you do something so silly?”
Sir Ainno frowned. He knew Lucius the First could do almost anything if he placed
his
mind to it but still, there were things in this world that just couldn’t be done.
Love… Sir Ainno had never been in love, but even he knew that it couldn’t be
stopped.
Why was the emperor trying so hard to ignore his feelings? It had to be because
this
woman was someone he couldn’t have. A married woman? A widow?
“Just who is it, your highness? Tell me!”
Lucius the First’s clear green eyes looked unsettled. He wasn’t used to worrying
this
much. He was at his limit. He needed to tell someone.
The emperor’s heart thumped excitedly, this would be the first time he admitted it
to
another person. He wasn’t confessing to her in person, but it certainly felt like a
confession.
Finally, Lucius the First opened his mouth and said to his friend, “Poliana
Winter.”
Chapter 88
“Shut the f*ck up! Are you crazy?”
Lucius the First grabbed Sir Ainno’s collar with a frown, but the knight easily got
away by
bending his emperor’s wrist. Lucius the First rubbed his wrist and Sir Ainno,
confused and
shocked, walked around the room.
Turning towards the emperor, the knight asked to confirm, “Are you serious? Is this
for
real?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Your highness! Look at me!”
Sir Ainno showed him two of his fingers and asked, “How many fingers am I holding,
your
highness?”
“Two.”
“Do they look unclear, or do your eyes feel foggy…”
“My eyes are perfectly fine, Inno.”
The emperor said to Sir Ainno firmly and continued, “Let me explain.”
“Please… Just give me a second to gather my thoughts… I… I don’t know if I can
muster the courage to hear your story.”
Sir Ainno grabbed the bottle of wine and gulped it down. After emptying half of it,
he
finally sat down again. Lucius the First wanted to tell him the whole story and Sir
Ainno
now had to keep this secret safe as his loyal knight.
The emperor was 30 years old, he was old enough to have sired several children by
now. In fact, Sir Ainno’s younger brother already had a child. Yet here was the
emperor,
experiencing his first love.
It was an embarrassing moment; sharing a love story between two grown men, but it
couldn’t be helped.
The 30-year-old man began to tell his love story to his trusted friend.
From early on, Lucius the First liked Poliana. Of course, in the beginning, it was
an
interest as any emperor would have towards a talented knight. After a while, they
became close acquaintances, and then close friends.
Then at some point, this platonic affection turned into love. And when this
happened,
Lucius the First could no longer treat Poliana as easily as before. He couldn’t
even call
her by her name without fearing Poliana finding out about his feelings. Lately, the
emperor felt breathless whenever he saw her smile.
“S-stop, your highness. Just give me a moment.”
It was considered rude for anyone to interrupt the emperor, but Sir Ainno couldn’t
help
it. Lucius the First was so excited that he was talking too fast and too excitedly,
and Sir
Ainno needed time to digest what he was hearing.
The emperor reddened, as did Sir Ainno.
Cough.
The two men coughed nervously. Sir Ainno finished the rest of the bottle and
nodded.
He looked determined to hear out his emperor. Lucius the First was grateful that
his
friend was willing to listen to him.
What good friends they were!
Lucius the First continued, “I tried to ignore this feeling, but it didn’t work. It
makes sense
because…”
The emperor admitted that although Poliana was indeed no beauty, she was actually
very adorable. Besides, a person’s appearance wasn’t the most important thing, it
was
the inside that really mattered.
The emperor added, “Besides, I have enough beauty for the both of us. And really,
Poliana isn’t ugly when you think about it. If you look closely, she is actually
very cute. A
few days ago, she complained about her bangs getting into her eyes, so she got a
bowl and cut her hair straight across it.”
Everyone gaped in shock, but the emperor secretly thought she looked lovable.
“Your highness, calm down!”
“Oh, of course. I… I got carried away.”
To call a 30-year-old spinster cute… Clearly, the emperor had lost his mind. The
two men
coughed embarrassedly.
Lucius the First took the bottle of wine but placed it down after realizing that
Sir Ainno
finished it. He grabbed another one and poured himself a full glass.
He felt thirsty.
It wasn’t just the emperor whose mouth felt dry. Sir Ainno gulped down another
bottle.
He was a strong drinker and rarely became drunk. Unfortunately, the more he drank
right now, the thirstier he became.
There were so many women in the world. Half of the population was men, which meant
the other half was women. Sir Ainno knew that badmouthing the woman his emperor
loved was a bad manner, but he couldn’t help it.
“Your highness. Half the world is full of women. Even excluding the elderly,
children, and
married women, there still are so many women in the world. You could pick anyone
among them randomly and she would be still better than Sir Poliana.”
Lucius the First angrily threw a bottle at his knight, who caught it easily and sat
it down
on the table.
Sir Ainno realized this was not something he could fix.
‘There is no answer to this problem.’
The scary thing was the fact that Lucius the First knew this. He understood how
crazy this
was and how unfit Poliana was to be his woman. Yet… The emperor with the greatest
self-control and logic was helpless against his feelings for her.
Both men blushed in embarrassment.
“As your highness must know, Sir Poliana is 30 years old. She is a spinster and
let’s be
honest here. She is no beauty. In fact, to be brutally honest, she is one of the
ugliest
women I have met.”
One could be kind and say she came from a decent family, but no one could ever call
her a proper lady. She was covered in scars and she looked ridiculous in a dress.
Her
hair was always kept short and she had no manners fit for a lady. All she knew were
how to use a sword and win battles.
“On top of that… She was in the Aehasian army for years. She spent most of her
adult
years with young men, your highness. If you take her as your lady, there will be
many
who would question her virtue. Even if we can stop them from talking… It still
wouldn’t
change the fact that she is barren.”
Lucius the First was well aware of these problems.
“I know, I know it better than you do, Inno.”
It was true. The emperor knew more details of Poliana than anyone in this army.
Before
he developed his feelings for her, Lucius the First and Poliana spent many nights
together talking and drinking. They shared intimate stories of each other.
Because Lucius the First was the emperor, he couldn’t tell her too much of his
secrets,
but Poliana felt free to tell him of hers. She was honest about her past.
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On those nights, there was no room for love or lust. They were together as an
emperor
and his knight, nothing more. So how did this happen? When did love begin? No
matter
how hard he thought about it, Lucius the First couldn’t figure it out.
A barren woman could not get married if her condition was known. If she belonged to
a wealthy family, she would live her life as a spinster. If she came from a poor
family, she
would be sold to be a wealthy man’s concubine or worse, a prostitute. This was what
happened in Acreia.
Suddenly, Sir Ainno said to him, “Well, whatever. If you must, your highness, take
her as
your concubine, why not?”
Lucius the First raised his face at such an unexpected answer. He was certain that
his
friend would be adamantly against the idea, so this was a surprise. Of all people,
the
emperor expected Sir Ainno to disapprove of this the most. He even thought his
knight
might even go after Poliana and beat her up for seducing his emperor.
But clearly, Lucius the First was wrong. Sir Ainno continued, “Your highness, you
are the
one who united this world. Who would ever dare to refuse you? Why should you be so
troubled because of a woman? Do what you must. Do what you want. I will always be
on your side. I have your back.”
Then suddenly, Sir Ainno sat arrogantly and added, “That is as far as I will say as
your
knight and subject. Now, let me tell you something as your friend.”
“The knight Ainno and friend Ainno are two different men?”
“Just listen to me. Here is your biggest problem, that girl… Sir Poliana… she
doesn’t see
you as a man.”
Chapter 89
Lucius the First knew exactly what Sir Ainno was trying to say, but he believed
that his
situation wasn’t hopeless. After all, he didn’t see Poliana as a woman until
recently.
Something changed inside of him and he fell in love with her, so the same thing
could
happen to her too.
When the emperor pointed this out, Sir Ainno answered in frustration, “That’s
different.
You are crazy, while she isn’t.”
Shocked, Lucius the First became speechless. With a sigh, Sir Ainno continued, “So
just
do what you want.’
“What?”
“I am telling you this as your friend. Do what you would like. I will always be on
your
side.”
But even as he said this, Sir Ainno knew the truth.
‘She will refuse you.’
He couldn’t say this out loud to his friend, but Sir Ainno added, “However, you
need to
remember this. There have been many rulers in history who became tyrants because
they couldn’t control their emotions. Lucius, you aren’t like the other kings. You
are the
emperor of the entire continent. What do you think will happen if you become a
tyrant?
A tyrant who has absolute power over this world… If you ended up entering the wrong
path, I will kill you, Lucius. And afterward, I will put poor Luzo on the throne.
That is what I
can do for you as your true friend.”
The three of them, Ainno, Lucius, and Luzo, were childhood friends. Sir Ainno
continued,
“I trust you. I know you. I know you aren’t the type that would become corrupt
because
of a woman, so do what you want. I will make sure there aren’t any obstacles on
your
way.”

“Inno…”
Sir Ainno always thought of Lucius the First as someone that needed to be protected
since their childhood. If the emperor wanted something, all he had to do was take
it.
He certainly deserved everything.
“Just go get her! Take her!”
“What? She is a person, not a thing. What are you talking about?”
“Then go tell that to her. Confess your love to her. You are an emperor, Lucius!
Are you
going to suffer this one-sided love forever?”
Sir Ainno stood up in annoyance. He moved towards the door because he couldn’t
take this love crap anymore.
When Lucius the First called his name, he shuddered and answered, “Don’t ever tell
me
about your love story again, Lucius! It’s so corny and gross! Besides, I am not
interested
in love and dating and all that. I will marry whoever you decide for me and that
will be
the end of it!”
“Inno…!”
Sir Ainno clearly lived his life only for the emperor and Lucius the First felt
grateful. When
the emperor opened up his arms, the knight grumbled but hugged Lucius the First
back.
When Sir Ainno finally left the emperor’s room, his frown became bigger and uglier.
He
couldn’t understand what was happening. This world was full of beautiful women, so
why was Lucius the First set on her?
Sir Ainno accepted Sir Poliana as his fellow knight, but not as a woman. All the
other
knights felt the same way. In the Acreian army, Poliana Winter was accepted as a
genderless knight. Not a man, but not a woman either.
So for the emperor to fall in love with her… Sir Ainno couldn’t imagine Poliana as
a
concubine. Strangely, however, Sir Ainno hoped that Polian would accept the
emperor. He couldn’t imagine her rejecting Lucius the First, she couldn’t. In fact,
he
expected her to fall to the floor for such a great honor. She would be considered
the
luckiest woman in the world.
The emperor’s heart.
There was nothing more precious than that on this continent.
Alone in his room, Lucius the First finished the rest of the drinks.

‘That’s right. The first thing that I should do is to confess to her.’

Cupid was such a cruel being. His arrow hit the emperor’s heart. Lucius the First
had no
chance in hell.
He knew it wasn’t Poliana’s fault at all. If she knew, she would be flabbergasted
and
confused. She didn’t do anything to cause this. It was his heart that lost its
mind.
The emperor tried and failed in ignoring his feelings, so now, the only thing left
for him
was to confess to her. He was determined that this was the right course of action.
After
talking with his friend, Lucius the First felt optimistic.
‘I should confess my feelings to her.’
Sir Ainno was right. Poliana didn’t see Lucius the First as a man. She saw him only
as her
emperor. She didn’t mind showing her naked body to him.
At this rate, they could never become more.
The emperor knew there needed to be a major change in their current relationship.
He
was the one in love, so he was the one who needed to make the change.
And the biggest change could be made by him confessing his love for her. This was
going to change everything between them. Unfortunately, Lucius the First was too
blinded to realize that his confession could also ruin their relationship forever.
Normally, he would have spent a long time planning this out before making his move,
but a sudden burst of courage, along with a bottle of wine, made him reckless.
He decided that it needed to happen tonight.
‘Let’s do it!’
He walked out of the room, but suddenly, he realized that he reeked of wine. This
wouldn’t do. It wouldn’t be romantic at all for a drunk man to confess his love.
So the emperor headed towards the bathhouse. He gestured for these guards not to
follow him. He was only going to the bathhouse, but the guards refused to stay
behind
because they could smell the alcohol on him.
In Acreia, bathhouses and saunas were very common. Many men drank before
enjoying these facilities and sometimes, this ended in their deaths.
Lucius the First promised the guards that if he felt dizzy, he would call for a
servant. He
promised that he would not fall asleep in a bathtub and finally, the guards agreed
to
wait for him from outside.
But when Lucius the First entered the bathhouse alone, he saw a strange figure on
the
floor. There were several bathhouses in the Sitrin castle, and this particular one
was the
most luxurious one designated only for the emperor’s use.
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So who was this person on the floor?
Lucius the First’s first guesses were either an assassin or a woman. He slowly
walked
towards the person without calling for his guards. When he got closer, the emperor
quickly realized who it was.
It was a woman’s body covered in scars and had short light brown hair.
It was Poliana.
‘Why is Pol here?’
Lucius the First was confused and concerned. He had seen her naked a few times
before. He even saw her coming out of a bathtub before, but at the time, he didn’t
feel
anything. But now that he was in love with her, the emperor wasn’t sure if he would
be
able to act gentlemanly around the naked woman who was the recipient of his secret
love.
Quickly, Lucius the First placed his cloak on top of her naked body and looked
around
the room. He suggested that she should take a nice bath before going to bed
tonight,
but he didn’t tell her to wait at his private bathhouse. He would never ask a
woman,
especially his own knightess, of such a thing.
So… what was Poliana doing here?
Chapter 90
Lucius the First looked around, trying to figure out what happened. Suddenly, he
saw
that a nearby door was slightly ajar. It looked like a decorative wall, but it
must’ve been
a secret door that connected the different bathhouses. It seemed that Poliana
walked
in through that door.
‘I had no idea there were secret doors in this castle.’
It was a good thing it wasn’t an assassin, but it still didn’t answer the question
of why
Poliana was lying on the floor like this.
‘Did she fall because the floor was slippery?’
Lucius the First looked over Poliana’s head carefully and saw that she wasn’t
injured. He
checked her pulse, heartbeat, and breathing.
She had a strong pulse and a heartbeat. Her breathing was ok, but she smelled
faintly
of alcohol. At first, he thought the smell was from him, but he realized that it
smelled a
little different. It was a different wine.
After a brief hesitation, he shook her body lightly. He would never find out
without her
explaining what happened.
“Pol! Sir Pol! What happened? Are you ill?”
“Umm…. Err….”

It took him a while, but Poliana finally opened her eyes. She looked around, trying
to
figure out what was going on.
Then suddenly, she pushed the emperor away and crawled towards the nearby corner.
And there… she began to vomit.
Lucius the First thought about calling for a servant at first, but he stopped.
Poliana was
still naked. Even with the cloak around her, the shape of her body was visible
because
of the moisture.
He couldn’t let another man see her like this.
“Blarggh!”
Poliana threw up violently and the loud ghastly sound echoed throughout the
bathhouse. Lucius the First looked away and patted her back to comfort her. It
sounded like she was vomiting her innards out.
At some point, she looked up. Lucius the First then asked, “Are you ok? Are you
awake
now?”
“Yes, your highness.”
“Alright, tell me what happened.”
Finally feeling better, Poliana explained what happened. After leaving the
emperor’s
room, she went to take a bath just as Lucius the First suggested. She remembered
hearing how the wine tasted even better when taken during a bath. She knew it could
be dangerous, but she was confident that she could handle it.
Because she gave away her bottle to Sir Ainno, she had to go get another one.
Luckily,
she was able to find a new bottle of liquor.
She soon realized that the myth was true. Drinking inside a hot bath got her drunk
even
faster than usual. When she began to feel dizzy, she came out of the tub and opened
the nearest closest door she could find. When she walked through, she found herself
in
another bathhouse, and she became confused. Drunk and baffled, she kept walking
back and forth between the two different bathhouses until she lost her
consciousness.
Lucius the First checked the secret door and saw that indeed, the other side
looked,
while on this side, it looked like it was part of a wall. Poliana kneeled and cried
out,
“Your highness, I apologize for my behavior. I am sorry! I deserve to be punished!”
The cloak he placed on her naked body fell on the floor, but she didn’t care.
Meanwhile, Lucius the First didn’t know where to look so he looked up at the
ceiling
awkwardly.
‘I guess she was embarrassed about vomiting, but not about showing her naked body.’
Poliana didn’t see him as a man. The emperor wondered if she even realized that she
was actually a woman.

“Please, kill me, your highness!”

“It’s alright, Sir Pol. Like I said before, I would be happy to take care of you
when you
get drunk.”
Poliana bit her lips in mortification, ‘Dammit!’
Why did she have to get drunk like this? Why did she have to be so stupid? She
wanted
to drown in the bathtub and die just to escape this moment. It was even worse
because Lucius the First was so kind. He was patting her back as she was vomiting a
minute ago.
This was the worst moment of her life.
“But Sir Pol, you need to remember that drinking in a hot bath is very dangerous.
You
could die.”
‘Dammit!’
Poliana’s face was almost touching the floor while Lucius the First was still
looking up
uncomfortably. Soon, Poliana’s body began to turn pale from the cold. Her body
began to shiver and when the emperor heard her teeth chattering, he forced her into
the tub. Poliana insisted on cleaning up her vomit, but she realized that she was
still
feeling very dizzy and weak. She knew she might collapse again, so she said to the
emperor, “I will leave right now, your highness, and get a servant.”
“It’s fine. Get into the tub and warm yourself up. Did you leave your clothes in
the other
bathhouse?”
Lucius the First asked as he poured some water on her vomit to clean it off. The
dirty
water streamed down to the nearby drain. Poliana, now in the tub, reddened
unhappily.
“Your highness… You shouldn’t have to clean up like that…”
“I told you I will take care of you, Sir Pol. Besides, you shouldn’t be moving at
all right
now, or you might fall and hit your head.”
Lucius the First didn’t mind. He had a strong stomach because he was a soldier and
a
hunter. He had gutted plenty of animal carcasses in his life to the point that
something
minor like a puke would not bother him. He had also seen a field of dead corpses
during many battles in the past.
Lucius the First then went to the other bathhouse and grabbed Poliana’s neatly
folded
clothes. He also grabbed a clean dry towel for her. As he walked towards her, the
emperor suddenly realized something incredible.
He came here to take a bath. He looked down and remembered that he was fully
naked. He wasn’t even wearing a towel to cover his private part. Lucius the First
leaned
against a wall to support himself. He was feeling a little dizzy as he realized
something.

He had been nude this entire time, yet Poliana… she didn’t seem to even notice.
Should he be feeling angry at her? Or should he be devastated?
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In his head, he understood that Poliana was different from a normal woman. She had
seen plenty of naked men in her lifetime, so she was used to it.
Still…
Lucius the First glared at himself in the mirror. He had a beautiful face, an
amazing
body, and an excellent manhood. He was being objective. He had also seen many
naked men, especially because saunas and bathhouses were common in Acreia. He
had many chances to compare his body to others, and he knew he had more than
adequate.
‘So why?!’
Feeling embarrassed, Lucius the First found a towel to cover himself. They were
both
naked, but it appeared that it was only the emperor who was embarrassed about it.
He
knew it must be because he saw her differently now.
Meanwhile, Poliana was still in the tub looking uncomfortable. It wasn’t a sense of
embarrassment from being naked; it was because of the fact that she vomited in
front
of the emperor and he ended up cleaning after her.
Suddenly, Lucius the First realized that this could be a great chance to confess to
her.
‘Could this be the perfect timing?’

Chapter 91
Lucius the First wasn’t thinking logically. What kind of woman would find this
situation
romantic? To have a man, who just witnessed her vomiting, confess his love to her…
It
was clearly a bad idea, but the emperor wasn’t thinking with his head. His heart
now
controlled him.
But he was right about one thing. They were in a luxurious and romantic bathhouse.
The
place was filled with warm steam and the two of them were naked.
And on top of that, they liked and were interested in each other! Of course, the
emperor’s interest in her was definitely different than that of Poliana, but still,
he felt
optimistic.
When Lucius the First approached her, Poliana apologized again, “I, I’m so sorry,
your
highness.”
“Are you feeling better now? Or are you still feeling drunk?”
“I’m perfectly fine, Sir.”
Poliana still looked mortified, so Lucius the First consoled her. “Don’t feel so
bad. There is
no need for you to blame yourself. Others have done much worse things in the past.
For
example, Inno broke my father, the former emperor’s sword, once.”
Breaking his dead father’s keepsake was clearly much worse than vomiting in front
of
him, but Poliana reddened even more. She wanted to disappear from this situation.
Lucius the First left her clothes and towel on a table and entered the tub. He sat
down
close to her, but Poliana didn’t move away. The water level rose slightly, creating
a
gentle wave against Poliana, and Lucius the First blushed as he watched her.

The emperor quickly put on a serious yet calm face and began to work his magic. He
knew he looked seductive with his wet golden hair and shiny eyes. It was enough to
excite even an elderly woman.
Or at least, that was what he thought.
“Are you feeling better, Sir Pol?”
“Yes, your highness. Much better, thank you. And again, I apologize for
inconveniencing you. It will never happen again.”
Poliana looked determined, but all Lucius the First could focus on was a droplet of
water rolling down her not-so-slim neck. The emperor held her hands. They were
rough
and covered in scars. Her fingernails were misshaped from being broken over and
over
again.
“You aren’t shivering anymore.”
“I think I vomited all the wine out, so I feel fine now.”
“Don’t ever do something like this again. Drinking while taking a hot bath… It is
such a
dangerous thing. And if you ever feel dizzy, make sure to call someone. We aren’t
in a
war anymore, so there is no need for you to be so tense. Your biggest problem is
that
you never take care of yourself. You get drunk and sleep anywhere. I even saw you
sleeping in the same room as other men! I understand that you trust them since you
have known them for a long time, but still… Sir Pol, you can never trust a man when
it
comes to something like this. All men are animals.”
“HAHAHA!” Poliana burst into a peal of loud laughter, making Lucius the First
flinch in
surprise. The water swayed gently, just like his heart.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I apologize, your highness. I was just very happy that you are so worried about
me.”
“Don’t laugh, Sir Pol! It’s very true that all men are animals!”
“I am not worried about things like that because I am no beauty, your highness.”
“You are adorable! If anyone makes fun of your looks, you better bring them to me!”
She was in a bathtub with a naked man, who was holding her hand, but Poliana didn’t
think much of it. She took his words as kindness and nothing more.
It was true that unattractive women were in just as much danger as attractive women
when it came to sexual crimes. Often, rapes didn’t occur purely from sexual needs.
It
could originate from various causes such as anger, revenge, sadness, and
misinformation. In truth, her noble status provided her better protection against
rape
than her looks.
Poliana knew this perfectly well. After all, she was a woman, and she lived as one
all her
life. She experienced this firsthand, but she still felt confident, especially in
this situation.
“Your highness, even if every man in this world is like that, I know one person who
isn’t.
You would never act like that.”

She knew she could trust the emperor. Of course, what she didn’t know was how
Lucius
the First’s feelings have changed. She didn’t know what he was thinking when he saw
her naked just a moment ago.
The emperor insisted, “I am telling you. You are very cute.”
“Alright, alright.”
‘She doesn’t believe me…’
Normally, Poliana’s reaction to the emperor’s comments was much more exciting. If
Lucius the First pointed at a dog and called it cute, she would have responded more
positively.
“Yes, your highness! You are right! That is indeed a very cute dog! You have very
good
taste!”
But when it came to a compliment for her, she didn’t believe it.
What was the point of all this if Poliana didn’t see him as a man?
Before he made his confession, the emperor decided to see how she felt about him.
“So, Sir Pol, what do you think of me?”
“You are very beautiful!”
Lucius the First nodded slowly. He knew very well how all of his knights were proud
of his
beauty. Poliana especially seemed excited about his looks. Although she didn’t like
to
get dolled up herself, she loved seeing others get dressed in fineries. She
continued
excitedly, “You are my emperor and the ruler of the entire continent. You are the
greatest there ever was and will be. The one and only!”
If she was dressed right now, she would have kneeled in front of him. Even if she
was
naked, if they were outside the tub, she would have still kneeled anyway. She was
that
kind of person.
“As long as you allow me, I will remain your knight forever, your highness!”
Poliana looked at him with great admiration. She looked like she needed a sword.
Just like that winter day when she needed a sword to pledge her loyalty to him. No
one
answered her call, so Lucius the First himself handed her his own sword.
‘That’s right… This is who she is… A knightess…’

He gave her a sword.

Lucius the First looked at her hands that were covered in calluses. She patted them
and
whispered to her, “You are my treasure, Sir Pol.”
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Poliana smiled gently and the emperor remembered that winter day. Poliana looked so
devastating at the time. She was naked, dirty, and bleeding, yet she still looked
for a
sword so she could swear her service to him.
She was the greatest treasure he gained during this war. She was his knight
So… What would he gain by confessing his love to her?
Lucius the First finally gave up his hopeless dream. His friend Sir Ainno was
right. Until
now, the emperor only concentrated on his own feelings and didn’t consider how
Poliana might feel. Until now, he assumed that she would be grateful, that she
would
love him back.
But even if she accepted his love, would she be truly happy? For a woman, becoming
an emperor’s concubine was a huge promotion. It could be the greatest honor for
anyone.
Lucius First assumed she would be happy to hear his confession, but now, he knew
better. Poliana as a concubine? It didn’t make sense. It wouldn’t work, she would
never
be able to find her true happiness as his woman.
How stupid of him to think this could work? He was worried about how the others and
the elders would take the news of her becoming his concubine, but he never
considered her own feelings.
It was a good thing that he realized this before he confessed to her.
Chapter 92
Lucius the First was the emperor.
Poliana Winter was his knightess.
He was a ruler, and she was his subject.
Although they greatly cared for each other, their relationship could be nothing
more.
The emperor thought to change it, but before he could, he realized the truth. He
almost
forgot what made Poliana truly happy, but he remembered just in time.
“Are you happy that I became the emperor of this continent, Sir Pol?”
“Yes! I am very happy and excited!”
The emperor looked deeply into her eyes. Thinking this was the right time to talk
about
something emotional, Poliana said to him slowly, “Your highness… You told me once
that I should hold onto my tears until you reached the end of this continent.”
“I did.”
“And since then, I have never shed a single tear.”
“I see, but I saw the other knights crying like babies at the cliff.”
It was the day Lucius the First realized he was in love with Poliana. He knew he
would
forever remember that evening. Poliana was smiling at him proudly as the sun sets.
He
could still smell the ocean and hear the waves against the rocks. The cool southern
wind that blew against his hair… The birds that sang as they flew across the sea…
“I didn’t cry, I didn’t want to. In fact, I was happy. We both know that this isn’t
the end. I
knew with absolute certainty that I will continue to be your knight and you will
come up
with a new dream for all of us to dream about. Thinking of these things, I couldn’t
help
but smile. There were no tears to be shed.”
As the woman he loved showed him the greatest platonic love and admiration, the
emperor knew he had no chance with her. It was over. It was going to be a one-sided
love on his end.
He was the emperor of this continent, which meant he had the greatest
responsibility in
this world. Of them, one of his duties was to never disappoint his loyal knights.
It was his
job to make this great knight happy.
“Sir Pol, are you happy.”
“I am, your highness. I am happy.”
“Because you were given this castle?”
“Hahaha! Maybe that has something to do with it.”
“Of course. You have done so much for me, so I should reward you accordingly. I
should give you more castles, horses, a new sword, and a great armor. One city
isn’t
enough, so I should give you more land too. And you like to drink, so a winery
would be
nice.”
Lucius the First accepted his fate. They could never be, and he was now ok with it.
Poliana replied quietly, “I have more than enough, your highness. You don’t need to
give me any more things.”

The emperor’s eyes blurred for a second, but he recovered quickly. He was no
ordinary
man. He was born a prince and became the emperor all on his own.
And because he was not just a man, he could not live a normal life of a man.
Sir Ainno asked what the point of becoming an emperor if he couldn’t even marry the
woman he loves. Sir Ainno was right, but for Lucius the First, watching the woman
he
loves smile was enough.
He did truly love Poliana and he knew Poliana loved him, although in a very
different
way.
He tried to ignore his feelings, then admitted it and was about to confess his love
to her
but ended up giving up on that same day. It was painful, but the disappointment and
sadness only made him look more mature. Lucius the First glared at himself in the
mirror.
The person looking back at him was a man who now had a deeper and more
melancholic beauty. He had been secretly unhappy about his youthful look and now,
he was satisfied.
‘Love makes a man grow.’
He was a devastatingly handsome man to begin with and now, this emotional scar
made him more gorgeous. He had been bathing in the bathhouse for the past few
days. His skin was soft and smooth while his hair looked even silkier. Sir Ainno
visited his
emperor in the morning and asked, “Your highness. You and Sir Poliana… I heard you
spent some time in the bathhouse together last night…”
“Oh, that? Nothing happened.”
“But I heard something did happen! Everyone knows how she threw up right in front
of
you and you had to clean up after her. All the guards in her division are feeling
so
embarrassed. They are so ashamed of her behavior.”
A man and a woman spent an evening naked in a bath, yet there was not a single
sexual or romantic rumor about it.
Sir Ainno, the only one who knew how Lucius the First truly felt about Poliana,
asked if
anything else happened. The emperor shook his head and told his friend that he has
decided to forget about it for Poliana’s sake. Sir Ainno looked at him with relief
as he
replied, “With whatever the decision you make, your highness, I will always be
there for
you. I will stand by your side. You have my full support.”

Sir Ainno’s words were kind and loyal, but it was clear that he was doubting his
emperor’s words. With a frown, Lucius the First added, “I am really doing it. I am
doing it
for Sir Pol’s happiness. I am willing to make that sacrifice.”
“Just make sure you remember your words. I wouldn’t surprised if you did something
crazy if she does somehow find a man of her own.”
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“How dare you, Inno! Who do you think I am?! I would never!”
Knock, knock.
The servant knocked on the door, ready to serve the emperor his breakfast. Sir
Ainno
and Lucius the First both put on serious faces.
The breakfast this morning had a surprising portion of blueberries. At first, the
emperor
thought that perhaps Sitrin was famous for its blueberries, but the servant
answered,
“No, it is not, your highness. We brought you the blueberries because Sir Poliana
told us
she was worried about your eyesight.”
“But my eyes are perfectly fine.”
“Well… Sir Pol said that you kept praising her looks, so she was worried you might
be
becoming either nearsighted or farsighted. She seemed very concerned.”
Sir Ainno covered his mouth, trying not to burst into laughter. Resigned, the
emperor
looked down at the table. All he did was compliment the woman he loved, but all she
gained from it was a worry that he might be losing his sight.
“…”
Chapter 93
Lucius the First and his army made its way to the north smoothly. They passed the
southern and mid-continent easily and finally reached the Koemong River.
The biggest river in the northern continent, it was just as magnificent as before,
but to
the Acreian men, it didn’t look the same. It was because they saw an even bigger
river
in the southern region.
The Gora River, the biggest river on the continent that was made of Pesi and Goga
Rivers. After 10 years of seeing the rest of the world, the Acreian army was no
longer
impressed or scared by the Koemong River. In fact, when they faced this water
again,
they felt embarrassed because they remembered how long and how much work it
took them to cross this small river.
Now, there was a sturdy stone bridge across the Koemong River. It was completed a
few years ago by Duke Luzo. This was the first time the emperor saw this, and he
was
pleased with the result.
His servant explained to him, “People call it the Emperor’s Bridge, your highness.”
“People are so silly. They put my name on everything they can think of.”
The liquor the emperor enjoyed was called the Emperor’s Drink. The cliff the
emperor
climbed was called the Emperor’s Cliff. The bathhouse the emperor used was called
the Emperor’s Bath, and the path the emperor took to return home was called the
Emperor’s Road.
The people loved the very first emperor of the continent. Anything they could name,
they named it after him. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the
continent
was called the Emperor’s Land.

Lucius the First changed the name of the bridge into something that made more
sense,
the Koemong Bridge. Many complained that the new name was too simple.
The bridge was well built, and it held strong even when the entire army crossed it.
The
local man reported that thanks to the bridge, there had been a significant increase
in
the interaction between the kingdoms.
Crossing the river with a boat had apparently lessened and the supply chain had
become more active. This improvement was of course considered to be one of the
countless deeds by the kind emperor.
The people of Aehas and Kukda welcomed Lucius the First with open arms. Instead of
going straight to Acreia, the emperor decided to stop by in both Aehas and Kukda.
After leaving Kukda, they were on their way to Aehas when Poliana realized that
they
were going to pass by her hometown, Cranbell. The village of Cranbell wasn’t close
to
the capital of Aehas, but it was on the way. This meant that there was no need to
stop
by and stay overnight in Cranbell.
It may have been her home before, but how she felt about Cranbell wasn’t all good.
She did want to report to someone in Cranbell, however, so she requested some time
off from Lucius the First.
The emperor granted her a vacation, but he told her that there was no need for her
to
take a time off just to visit her place. If she wanted to spend some time in her
hometown, he and his men could have Cranbell as their stopover.
Poliana was against that idea.
“We cannot have you stay in the castle of Cranbell. It is more like a mansion and
it is
not fit for an emperor.”
“It’s fine, Sir Pol. I have slept outside before, so your old home should be more
than
adequate.”
“But that was when we were in the middle of a war.”
Now, the war was over, and they were on their way back to Acreia. Poliana insisted
that the emperor shouldn’t stay in Cranbell, but Lucius the First refused to change
his
mind.
“It can’t be because you want to see your family…”
“I want to see my old teacher, your highness.”

“Hmm… So, Cranbell is your home…”

After conquering Aehas, Lucius the First got rid of most of the nobles of their
titles and
lands because they aggressively resisted his rule. The titles and lands were given
to
others, including knights and low-ranking aristocrats.
In any other circumstances, Poliana would have inherited Cranbell and the family
title.
The land belonged to her by her right, so Lucius the First announced, “It’s not
much, but
you should take it.”
“Well… It really isn’t much of a land, but… I suppose. Thank you, your highness.”
Poliana already owned an extravagant castle and land in Sitrin. This small land of
Cranbell, where cranberries were its main source of income, didn’t interest her
much.
But more land meant more money, and it was always good to have more. She didn’t
refuse the emperor’s reward. She learned that accepting gifts graciously was just
as
important as being humble.
Poliana got on her horse and a few of her men followed her from behind. 10 years
ago,
when she first became an Acreian knight, the locals did not look at her too kindly
for
betraying her own kingdom of Aehas. They seemed awkward around her, but now…?
A lot had changed during these last 10 years. A bridge was built across a river and
the
entire continent was united. The unknown Aehasian knightess returned in victory.
She
used to be alone, but now she was the head of an entire division. She had men
serving
her and protecting her.
Standing in front of the old knight’s grave, which had been kept neat, Poliana
reported
out loud, “I have seen the end of this continent.” She didn’t say any more because
there was no need. She returned in good health. She achieved what she set out to
do.
She followed Lucius the First and saw more than she could ever have imagined.
Standing in her blue uniform with a golden stripe, with her clean and well-groomed
hair,
and in good health, Poliana knew the old knight would have approved of it.
‘I guess I didn’t have to request a vacation for it. I don’t have much to say
anyway.’
It only took half a day to visit the grave. Poliana decided that she should return
to her
position immediately, but her men insisted on enjoying the full amount of time
given to
them.
“Aren’t you going to visit your home, Sir Pol”
“No. It’s not like I had a nice childhood.”
“But the land belongs to you now, which means you need to meet with whoever is in
charge and make sure he isn’t committing tax evasion. Don’t you think you need to
at
least check everything out?”
Any Aehasian nobles who didn’t resist were allowed to keep their basic titles and
lands,
but those who did fight back lost their aristocracy, although they were allowed to
continue to manage their respective lands. This decision was based on practicality.
Lucius the First knew that the best way to manage their cities was to have their
original
owners do it for him.
Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World.Site Only
Unfortunately, most nobles in Aehas, Kukda, and Bebero lost their titles, while
those in
the southern continent and some in the mid-continent were able to keep theirs.
Poliana’s family was no longer a noble. She wasn’t sure if they were still in
charge of
maintaining the land, or if they were forced out of their own home. If they did,
they
were probably given a lower rank.
If they were still in charge of Cranbell, then she felt confident that her family
would’ve
done an adequate job. They were just average folks, they weren’t smart or sneaky
enough to evade tax or commit extensive fraudulence.
‘But I don’t feel like going home… I feel lazy…’
She didn’t have any pleasant memories from her childhood. All she remembered was
being ignored, mistreated, or training under the old knight. She wasn’t bitter
about it,
she just felt indifferent.
‘Oh, wait a minute!’
Suddenly, she remembered something. It was something very important.
Yes, her men were right. She should visit her home after all. Poliana turned her
horse
around. There was one more thing she needed to do in Cranbell.

Chapter 94: Story 11. Improvement- Chapter 94

Story 11. Improvement.
Chapter 94
The war was over, but across the field in Cranbell, several knights in armor rode
fiercely
towards the local castle. The Cranbell patrols, shocked and confused, ran out and
demanded to know the name of the head knight.
The knightess announced loudly, “I am Poliana Winter, the head of his highness’s
personal protection division!”
Even when they heard her name, the guards did not recognize her as their old Lady
Cranbell. The rumors of Poliana Winter were spread wide across Cranbell, but there
were only a few who knew that she was once Poliana Cranbell. This was because the
Cranbell family hid this fact from everyone.
The local guards did not stop Poliana and her men. When they entered the Cranbell
castle, the people were shocked to see a female knight in charge. One maid, who
worked for the Cranbell family for a long time, recognized her and called out,
“Lady
Poliana!”
“You may now call me Mistress, do the Cranbells still live here?”
“Pardon? Umm… Yes, they do.”
“And did Liana get married? Does she live here too?”
“The master retired, and the mistress has been managing this place…”
“No use calling him Master now. His highness has given me this land to me, so
spread
the word.”
The maid explained to her what happened since she left home. Liana, who used to
hate soldiers, was successful in seducing and marrying an Acreian official who was
assigned to Cranbell. The Cranbell family was no longer the official lord of this
city, but
they were still managing everything. Apparently, they led a comfortable life so
far.
The man Liana married was an Acreian nobleman. He was from a poor, weak,
unknown family, but still, a noble, and this meant that Liana was successful in
remaining
an aristocrat herself. Her husband refused to take her family name, so in the end,
Liana
had no choice but to give up the Cranbell name.
Several children ran out to the second-floor balcony when they heard the
excitement.
They must’ve been Poliana’s nieces and nephews. The kids were followed by the
mistress of the castle herself.
“What the heck…!”
Poliana raised her eyebrows at her stepsister. It seemed that indeed, she led a
comfortable life. Liana didn’t change much at all.
Her definitely-not-blond light brown hair was up. She was still wearing that stupid
extravagant rode that dragged on the ground. Liana gaped and Poliana walked
towards her.
“Liana, I’m sorry I called you ugly that time.”
“What?”
“At the time, I just met his highness, so my standards were raised much higher all
of a
sudden. But now that I have gotten used to him, and had time to reflect, I have to
admit that you are indeed pretty. I heard you were able to seduce an Acreian
official.
Good job, It sounds like you did well for yourself, congratulations.”
As a late wedding gift, Poliana decided she should build her little sister a new
house.
Poliana continued, “His highness has gifted me Cranbell recently. I was rewarded
with
other better lands, so I will not be living here, but it would be unseemly for you
people to
be living in this castle since you aren’t the masters of this place anymore. I will
get
builders to make you a house fit for the managers of Cranbell, so you will live
there in
my absence.”
Liana became pale while her husband gasped in shock. Poliana noticed her father
standing nearby. He looked much older than he should have been. To him, Poliana
announced, “I will not be apologizing to you about what I said since it was the
truth.
Everyone knows you are impotent.”
“Y-you!”
The entire Cranbell family had been ignoring the stories of the emperor’s favored
knightess. They have been denying the possibility that it was Poliana, but now,
they had
no choice but to admit it.
Poliana was here, she was back.
Her father, stepmother, and Liana all looked ill. It made sense because, at any
moment,
Poliana could get her revenge against them in whatever way she desired, and they
would be helpless to protect themselves.
It was illegal for the lord of the land to punish the managers for a personal
reason but in
this case, it was different. Poliana used to be Poliana Cranbell. She could do
anything
she wanted to them and just say it was a family business.
Her family trembled in fear and Poliana’s men smiled evilly, realizing what was
going on.
“Sir Poliana, all you need to do is give us an order. We will do whatever you ask
of us.”
One of them suggested she should take her revenge right here and right now, but
Poliana was not interested. She wasn’t bitter about her past. She felt indifferent.
Poliana didn’t even miss her biological mother. She didn’t feel much for her father
either. Compared to what she felt for her emperor, Lucius the First, her feelings
towards
her family were minimal at best.
When her father tried to approach her, Poliana’s men stopped him.
She ordered her soldiers, “You may all go and rest. Just make sure not to stay too
far
away from this castle. When it is time to return, just come back to me and let me
know.
You are free to go.”
She didn’t need a vacation, but she got one. Poliana decided she might as well
enjoy it
and rest as much as she could. Her men cheered excitedly.
Poliana’s idea of a vacation was eating and sleeping. She walked into the castle to
find
a bedroom, but unlike before, she didn’t plan on finding just any empty room. She
was
the owner of Cranbell after all, so this was her castle. Why would she stay at a
guesthouse in her house?
When she stood in front of the master bedroom, the butler quickly came to her and
handed her the key. When she walked in and closed the door behind her, Poliana
suddenly realized her mistake.
‘Oh! I forgot to bring some snacks.’
She needed to go to the kitchen or the dining room to find something to eat, but if
she
left the room right now to raid the pantry, it would look ridiculous. She
contemplated
when suddenly, there was a knock on the door. A maid walked in with a tray full of
snacks and fruits. The first thing that caught her eyes was the dried cranberries.
Poliana grabbed a handful of it and emptied it into her mouth. A sweet and sour
taste
filled her mouth, making her salivate. Poliana didn’t like cranberries much, but
they still
tasted great to her. Perhaps it was because it had been so long since she tasted
her
hometown’s local specialty.
It was good to be home.
Chapter 95: Story 11. Improvement- Chapter 95
Story 11. Improvement.
Chapter 95
Lucius the First and his men reached the Acreian border without any incident. The
Acreian people were gathered together to greet their victorious emperor. The
welcoming ceremony continued all the way from the border to the capital Nanaba
where the royal castle was located. The Acreian people were so proud of their
ruler,
they cheered and threw flowers at his army too.
The emperor’s power was proportional to his soaring popularity among his people.
Lucius the First allowed many of the soldiers to skip this ceremony so they could
return to
their own hometown as soon as possible. Only those who lived near the capital
followed him to the castle. Some soldiers, who lived far away, wanted to follow the
emperor so they could enjoy being cheered by the people of the capital, but they
were satisfied with the welcome they received from their own villages.
Women came out to search for their husbands, sons, grandsons, brothers, and
fathers.
Babies and young children cried when their unfamiliar fathers held them. Everyone
else
was smiling and laughing.
“Sir Rabi, you may lead us at the front.”
“Thank you, your highness. I am truly honored.”
Before they reached Nanaba, Lucius the First and his knights stopped by a nearby
village and discussed the matter of a specific arrangement for their victory march
into
the capital. Usually, a war began with a march out of the castle and ended with a
march back into the capital but for this particular war, Lucius the First decided
to skip
the extravagant march out of the capital because he was planning a surprise attack.
They did, however, have a small and quiet ceremony inside the Nanaba castle. At the
time, Sir Rabi led the way, and this time, he was given the same privilege again.
It was a
huge honor to be allowed to lead both ceremonies.
This was the emperor’s way of appeasing Sir Rabi. Sir Rabi should have been given
the
position of deputy demander instead of Sir Bentier, but Sir Bentier had the support
of the
elders.
Everyone understood this, so no one protested over the emperor’s decision to have
Sir
Rabi lead the way. Sir Bentier was to follow next.
After all the major officers’ positions were decided, it was Lucius the First’s
turn. The
knights assumed that their emperor would be placed in the middle of the march, but
to
their shock, Lucius the First insisted on being the last one to enter the castle.
His men protested, claiming it was too dangerous. His personal guard Poliana was
the
loudest in her protest.
“This is too dangerous, your highness!”
No one would dare to attack the emperor in his own castle, but the world was full
of
unexpected dangers. What if one or more of the citizens came for him in excitement?
It
was very possible to be killed by a crowd unintentionally. In their history, one
king had
died when the happy crowd swarmed him in excitement.
Humans were fragile, they could die at any time.
But Lucius the First was adamant.
“You have all followed me from behind, so it is now my chance to stand behind all
of
you. This will be my only opportunity in my life, so please, let me do this.”
The men felt grateful for their emperor’s generosity, but they still couldn’t
accept his
proposal.
“It’s still too dangerous, your highness.”
In the end, they decided to compromise. The protection division was placed at the
end
of the march, and the emperor would ride in safety in the middle of the guards.
Lucius
the First wasn’t completely satisfied, but he had no choice.
After the meeting, the knights ran out to get to the dining room. There, the tables
were
set with abundant food and drinks!
Before Poliana could enter the dining room too, someone called her name from
behind. She turned around to find Sir Bentier.
“Sir Poliana, do you have some time you can spare?”
“Of course.”
Sir Bentier was responsible for communicating with Duke Luzo regarding the
specifics of
this upcoming ceremony. Poliana wondered, ‘Is there something the protection
division
needs to do for the march?’
Poliana and Sir Bentier weren’t close. They saw each other often enough, but she
found
it hard to befriend him like she did with Sirs Rabi, Baufallo, and Mahogal. When
Sir
Bentier asked to speak to her, she knew immediately that it had to do with work,
Probably something official.
And she was right.
“I would like to ask you to behave yourself when you are in Nanaba. You need to act
accordingly and appropriately.”
Appropriately… She remembered Sir Ainno asking her to look appropriate for her
position as the emperor’s guard. Sir Baufallo also told her to act appropriately as
a
knight.
There were countless times when she was told to behave appropriately as a woman.
“What do you mean by that, Sir Bentier?”
“I mean as the head of the guard division.”
Sir Bentier explained it carefully. Many of the elders and high-ranking officials
disapproved of Lucius the First ever since he became the emperor. Because the
former
emperor died at a young age, Lucius the First never had a lot of time to grow his
own
power when he took the throne. It was a very shaky relationship to begin with when
Lucius the First announced that he was going to set out to conquer the continent.
The
elders were inflexibly against it, but the emperor went ahead with his plan anyway.
This
caused their relationship to be even more fragile.
It was commonly known that while the emperor was away, the elders wanted Duke
Luzo to take the throne for himself. Of course, now, they had no choice but to
accept
Lucius the First as the returning emperor.
But…
Sir Bentier continued, “As you must know, Sir Poliana, old people can be very
stubborn
about the strangest thing. My grandfather is like that for one.”
Sir Bentier was the heir to one of the most well-known Acreian noble families.
Marquis
Seeze was his grandfather.
Trinta Seeze.
He was a 70-year-old man who had the greatest political power in Acreia. The Seeze
family could be the biggest threat to the emperor. Sir Bentier entered this war and
followed Lucius the First because his grandfather ordered it. Sir Bentier was the
direct
heir to the family even though his father and his uncles were still alive and well.
It was
because his grandfather favored Sir Bentier the most.
Sir Bentier himself had a mixed feeling for his grandfather. It was a complicated
love
and hate relationship.
His grandfather ordered him to hinder the emperor as much as possible, but instead,
Sir
Bentier did his best to maintain a neutral position. In the end, however, Sir
Bentier
realized that he needed to make a definitive decision and it was an easy one.
He needed to choose Lucius the First. It was the only choice.
The elders and powerful nobles were frantic to find a way to undermine the emperor,
and the most obvious and easiest means for them to do so was to use Poliana.
A female knight.
A knightess as the head of the emperor’s personal protection division.
It was going to be the first thing that the elders would make a fuss about.
Poliana didn’t care if they harmed her in any way, but she could not allow anyone
to
badmouth her emperor. Normally, she would find whoever insulted the emperor and
kill
him, but in this case… If that person was a part of the very important elders… a
marquis?
In this case, it was best for her to avoid it at all costs.
‘It has been a while…’
It has indeed been a very long time since she was going to face some people who
wanted to insult her for being a woman. Poliana had been too relaxed until now
because she was surrounded by a good emperor, good knights, and good soldiers. She
turned soft, and it was time to harden herself again.
Sir Bentier added, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Sir Poliana. We fought the war
together
and I would trust you with my life. However, this is going to be a different kind
of war,
the kind of a battle that you are not familiar with.”
Poliana hated going to a battle without being prepared, however, she grinned
because she knew she would survive.
Sir Bentier offered his hand first and she shook it. They fought together side to
side for the
past 10 years. They were on the same team.
Chapter 96: Chapter 96
Chapter 96
A few days after her conversation with Sir Bentier, Poliana had a similar talk with
the
emperor. When he warned her of the elders, Poliana clenched her fists and announced
bravely, “I will take care of them all, your highness!”
Sir Ainno, who was standing next to her agreed, “I will help her. I agree that this
would
be the best option for us.”
Lucius the First looked at his loyal knights proudly and answered, “Don’t bother.
They
are old and will die soon enough.”
Sir Ainno insisted, “But your highness, if they bother you, please let me know. I
can go
ahead and get rid of them. It’s no problem at all.”
“Inno, you are the best and the strongest knight I have. I can’t have you use your
skills
on something like this.”
“It’s ok. I am happy to do it for you, your highness.”
“Hahaha.”
Lucius the First laughed bitterly. He knew he was acting too hesitant when it came
to
dealing with the elders, but he couldn’t help it. Lucius the First did not like
them, but
they didn’t hate them. They were just old men, so how long could they live?
For example, his biggest problem Marquis Seeze was over 70 years old. Once he dies,
his entire forces will be weakened. It was only a matter of time and Lucius the
First didn’t
want to get his hands dirty at this point. Time was on his side.
The emperor said to Poliana, “And this is why I can’t take you with me to the
castle, Sir
Pol. Please don’t be too upset.”
“Not at all, your highness.”
“You must understand that I do not want to leave you behind, Sir Pol…”
Poliana wasn’t upset at all, but it seemed Lucius the First was the one who was
unhappy
about it. The emperor was still unmarried and having a foreign knightess by his
side as
he returned to the castle would cause an uproar. Lucius the First did not want his
favored knight to have to go through the trouble of being ridiculed and treated
unfairly…
Lucius the First continued, “I mean, I don’t care what they say about me, but I
would
never want people to talk badly of you, Sir Pol. What if it affects your chance of
marriage in a negative way…”
“I won’t get married.”
“Don’t say that. If you meet a decent man, you should get married. I will give you
more
lands and horses when you get married.”
But even though as the emperor encouraged her, his face clearly showed how upset
he was at the idea of her marriage.
“Ha!”
Sir Ainno smirked suddenly, making Poliana tense. Sir Ainno was laughing quietly
and
she became worried. Sir Ainno rarely smiled and always looked disappointed at
everything and everyone.
‘What is wrong with him?’
Poliana asked him, “Sir Ainno, are you ok? Are you choking or something?”
“Sir Poliana, when you get married, I will make sure to attend your wedding. Maybe
I will
stand as the best man for your husband. Hahaha.”
It was clear Sir Ainno found something very funny and ironic. Poliana wondered if
he
was laughing at her. Was he trying to pick a fight again with her? Besides, the
best man
was usually the groom’s best friend, so why would Sir Ainno think he will be given
the
honor? Why was he making the decision all by himself?
‘Bastard.’
Sir Ainno was indeed a jerk. He was over 30 years old, so one would expect him to
have
some maturity, but Sir Ainno lacked the most basic manners.
Lucius the First stopped him, “Inno, stop saying some nonsense.”
Sir Ainno finally closed his mouth. The emperor continued to talk to Poliana, but
he was
basically repeating himself over and over again. He continued to tell her how
unhappy
he was that she couldn’t accompany him. He seemed desperate for her to know that
this wasn’t what he wanted. The emperor told her he would miss her terribly.
Poliana listened patiently. This conversation was becoming boring, but she was
grateful
for her emperor’s thoughtfulness. She understood why he was worried about this
situation because it was unthinkable for the head of the protection division to
leave the
emperor’s side.
Poliana felt determined to overcome this problem. She belonged here behind the
emperor. She had no intention of giving up her position.
Lucius the First continued, “So, with respect to where you would stay…”
This was another problem. A powerful man providing a separate place to live for an
unrelated woman… This only happened when that said woman was his mistress. Having
Lucius the First provide her a place to live outside the castle would mark her as
his
mistress.
The emperor became angry at his uselessness. He couldn’t have her in his castle nor
could he provide her a place to live. What should he do? Poliana had no family or
friends in Acreia; Lucius the First was the only one she could rely on.
Another problem was that there was no empty house in Nanaba. It was the capital of
Acreia after all. All the inns were full because of the upcoming victory ceremony.
Lucius the First glanced at Sir Ainno knowingly, and Sir Ainno immediately refused
and
said, “No way.”
“You are an assho*e.”
“I don’t care, even if you order me, your highness. Besides, I am an unmarried man
as
well, so I can’t have her in my house either.”
Poliana quickly chimed in, “I don’t want it either, your highness. I can find my
own
place to stay, so there is no need for you to worry.” She felt confident because
she
knew plenty of men she fought with for the past 10 years. The first person she
thought of
was Sir Baufallo. He was her very first supervisor and he took care of her very
well this
entire time.
But to her disappointment, Sir Baufallo answered awkwardly, “I can’t…”
The first thought that crossed Poliana’s mind was that perhaps it was because Sir
Baufallo’s two sons, Donau and Sir Howe, were both unmarried. Having her in his
home
with his sons might damage their reputations but to her surprise, this wasn’t the
reason
why he refused her. Sir Baufallo explained, “My house is outside of the Nanaba
castle,
and it is unfortunately very small…”
There was no room for Poliana to stay. Sir Baufallo was only a knight from a poor
and
unknown noble family. There was no doubt that he would be rewarded greatly very
soon but for now, all he had was a small house.
Poliana frowned and replied, “I’m good to sleep in the living room or even in the
barn.”
“Those spaces have already been taken by my relatives.”
Suddenly, Sir Donau offered, “My brother and I can set up a tent in the garden and
stay
there while Sir Pol can take our room.”
But Sir Baufallo handed him the letter from his wife and replied, “Even the garden
has
been taken. We have no room to spare anymore.” Apparently, several tents have
already been set for his relatives to stay. Poliana realized that this wouldn’t
work.
But thankfully, she soon received many offers. Many of her guards from her division
came to her and invited her to their homes. The problem, however, was that they
were
all handsome unmarried noblemen. Having her in their homes could jeopardize their
potential marriage prospects in the future. Poliana had no choice but to refuse all
of
them.
“If I stay in your homes, you might have to marry me!”
“That’s ok, Sir Pol!”
“No way!”
‘This isn’t going to work. I can’t stay in an unmarried man’s home.’
Rumors could be vicious and damaging, and Poliana couldn’t risk it for any of her
men.
Her only option now was to find a married man and ask for a favor.
The first person she could think of was Sir Bentier.
Chapter 97: Chapter 97
Chapter 97
Poliana decided on a few conditions for an ideal person to provide her a temporary
place to stay. First, it had to be a married man. Secondly, the person needed to
have a
house big enough for her. Nanaba was the capital of Acreia, which meant that
whoever had that big of a mansion would most likely be a very rich commoner or more
likely a rich nobleman.
Sir Bentier was an ideal candidate, but when she asked, he seemed troubled. “There
are plenty of rooms at my place, but wouldn’t my place be considered an enemy’s
den for you, Sir Poliana?”
“Oh… yes, that’s right.”
Sir Bentier’s castle was also Sir Seeze’s place. Poliana was avoiding the royal
castle so
she wouldn’t have to face the elders. Going into Sir Bentier’s home would be like
entering a lion’s den.
‘Hmm… This is trickier than I expected.’
Would she have to camp outside the royal castle? Personally, she wouldn’t care but
it
wouldn’t look right. She was the emperor’s royal guard and therefore represented
him.
People would talk about her emperor because of this.
Just when she was about to give up, Sir Rabi came to her.
“Come to my place! You’re homeless, right?”
“I do have a house as well as a castle, Sir Rabi. I’m not homeless.”
“I have a castle too!”
It wasn’t just Poliana Sir Rabi invited. He allowed many of the knights, who didn’t
have a
place to stay in the capital, to stay at his home. It was a very generous gesture.
Poliana asked, “Would your wife be ok with it?”
Sir Rabi also had two young unmarried daughters. Would having so many men under his
roof be really a good idea? Wasn’t Sir Rabi worried about his daughters’ safety and
reputation?
But Sir Rabi said it was perfectly fine. He then called for Sirs Donau and Howe.
“Why don’t you two also come and stay at my place? Sir Donau especially should
come! Isn’t it hard to commute to the royal castle from your home?”
Poliana gasped and covered her mouth in shock.
‘Oh my god!’
She finally understood what Sir Rabi’s plan was. Before the arranged marriage plans
were announced between his daughters and Sir Baufallo’s sons, he wanted to have
them meet in a natural setting!
Poliana put on a serious face while Sir Donau seemed uncertain at his unexpected
offer. Sir Howe, on the other hand, grinned and thanked Sir Rabi.
Sir Donau turned towards Poliana and asked, “Hey sis, you’re staying at Sir Rabi’s
too?”
“Yeah, you should come too.”
“Alright. Thank you, Sir Rabi. I will accept your offer.”
Sir Donau would’ve loved to spend some quality time with his mother, who he hadn’t
seen in 10 years, but his house was also hectic and crowded with his relatives. He
knew
how tiring it would be to be surrounded by so many people, so perhaps it wouldn’t
be a
bad idea to stay at Sir Rabi’s for a while until things had cooled down.
***
Lucius the First gestured for Sir Ainno to come closer. However, Sir Ainno didn’t
approach the emperor. Instead, he raised an eyebrow as if to ask Lucius the First
what
he wanted. The tense and always-ready Sir Ainno was no more once the war was over.
Now that they were back home, the knight didn’t even move immediately when the
emperor, who was also his childhood friend, called for him.
When Sir Ainno refused to come, Lucius the First finally said to him, “Stop being a
jerk.
Because of you, Sir Pol was looking at me funny.”
“It was so hard not to laugh back there.”
“What was so funny? I know no one thinks my jokes are good.”
Lucius the First said to Sir Ainno that he was giving up on his love, all he wanted
was
Poliana’s happiness. He was an emperor, but he was just like any other man when it
came to the woman he loved. All he wished was her happiness.
But… If her happiness was with another man? Would he really be able to genuinely
congratulate her?
Sir Ainno didn’t think so. If Poliana ever got married, Sir Ainno was certain the
emperor
would do his best to ruin it somehow.
“You are too greedy, your highness.”
“I was a very good boy, you know.”
“Even a good boy can be greedy.”
Most kings were ambitious when it came to expanding their lands, but no one was as
greedy as Lucius the First, who conquered the entire continent soon after he took
over
his throne.
Poliana was nowhere close to getting married at this point, and that was the only
reason the emperor could remain cool for now. But knowing the emperor, who never
gave up, Sir Ainno knew this love story wasn’t over. This was the man who spent
years to
find a way to cross the Koemong River.
‘Wouldn’t it be so much easier to seduce a woman than uniting all of the kingdoms?’
Sir Ainno, who had zero experience in love and dating, thought to himself.
***
Lucius the First and the men practiced the victory march carefully. Sir Rabi, who
was to
lead at the front, was a very demanding boss.
“Get it right, you idiots! Can you guys do this or not?”
“We can, Sir!”
“Stupid bastards! The war may be over, but you are still soldiers. Have you already
forgotten how to be real men?”
“No, not at all! Sorry, Sir!”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it! Look at your lines! Do they look straight to you?! Idiots!
Are you all
blind?”
“No, Sir!”
“You all need to learn some serious lessons here!”
The men had to go through harsh training. Meanwhile, Sir Rabi’s beloved deer Rosy
stood nearby, grazing in the field lazily.
Chapter 98: Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Poliana wore her clean official uniform for the parade.
She hated having her hair sticky, so she rarely styled her hair, but today, she
used some
hair oil to make sure no stray hair stuck out. Her uniform was ironed extra stiff
and her
shoes were shined with a dry cloth. Instead of her usual leather gloves, she wore
the
official white cotton gloves that were given to her.
Standing in front of the mirror with her decorative sword and dagger, Poliana was
satisfied.
‘Good.’
She wasn’t pretty. In fact, she was ugly, but it actually made her look more
reliable and
dependable. She wasn’t actually a good swordsman, but she certainly looked like an
expert fighter, she looked menacing and competent.
She gathered her guards to check on them as well. The young men looked gorgeous.
Their hair and shoes were all shiny and their uniforms were spotless.
When they looked excited, Poliana warned them, “Don’t let your guards down. His
highness may trust Duke Luzo, but we can’t. We need to always be on guard and
distrusting!”
The possibility of Duke Luzo or the elders sending an assassin was not out of
question,
and it was her duty to protect him at all times.
***
The day of the parade.
Lucius the First smiled at his people of Nanaba brightly. The royal artists, who
were
commissioned to paint today’s ceremony, were troubled. How could they capture such
a scene?
So many people were there cheering and throwing flowers at the emperor. Those who
couldn’t get any flowers threw pieces of paper and clothes to celebrate. The gentle
wind made the pieces and flowers dance in the air. In the middle of the parade was
Lucius the First, looking more beautiful than ever.
The artists were especially distressed about how to express their emperor’s
inspiring
beauty. In the end, they left his face empty so they could go back later and do a
proper job in terms of drawing it.
Meanwhile, Poliana was frustrated. The flowers and the pieces of paper were
preventing her from being able to see her emperor clearly. They kept blocking her
eyes
and some were even poking it.
‘Dammit.’
The situation reminded her of the times when she was covered in dried blood during
the
summer battles and the flies hovering all over her. But despite her annoyance,
Poliana
had to admit that it was an unusually beautiful day. When she became old and
someone asked her about this day, she wanted to be able to give a decent answer.
She looked around and when she saw her emperor, she already knew what she would
say.
At the victory ceremony, Lucius the First was beautiful and beautiful, and simply
beautiful. When he smiled, the entire world lit up. He was wearing an extravagant
and
magnificent armor, but it was no match to his beauty.
When Lucius the First left the capital of Nanaba 10 years ago, he was called the
boy
king. But now, he returned as a man, a perfect well-built beautiful man. The armor
suited him very well.
Despite everyone’s warning, Lucius the First did not wear a helmet. His long golden
hair,
which reached past his shoulders, sparkled against the sunlight.
“YAAAA! Long live the emperor!”
Their plan was to march around the plaza before entering the royal castle where the
nobles awaited him. The people continued to cheer loudly, and among them, Poliana
heard two distinct and shockingly loud cheers. She saw two girls screaming.
“FATHER!”
“FATHERRRR!”
Sir Rabi swung his flag wildly at them when he spotted them. There was no doubt
that
they must be his children. Poliana wondered, ‘I guess they inherited some of their
father’s qualities too.’
When the Bika family called out to Sir Rabi, the others around them began to call
out to
their own family members rather than blindly cheering for their emperor. The
soldiers
and knights, who have been only focused on marching in straight lines, began to
look a
little more relaxed and excited as they heard their family members’ voices. The men
looked around and waved when they saw some familiar faces.
Suddenly, Poliana felt lonely. Did all the other foreign knights and soldiers feel
the same
way? No one waved at her or recognized her. She wasn’t alone since she had her men
and the other knights, but the fact that no one had been waiting for her return was
saddening.
Flower petals flew everywhere and one rose stem with an intact bud landed on the
emperor’s lap. Poliana flinched, worried that it might be a rock, but when she saw
that
it was just a flower, she relaxed. Lucius the First quickly picked it up and while
turning
towards her, he threw it at her gently. Poliana caught it by reflex and looked at
him in
confusion.
Lucius the First smiled shyly. There was no reason for him to be shy about it, but
he did.
Poliana didn’t understand why, but he looked so gorgeous that she smiled back.
It was indeed a perfect day. Poliana gave up being annoyed and studied the rose
happily.
Ever since she met Lucius the First, her every day had been precious and wonderful.
She
knew she would remember these days even when she’s older. She would brag to
people how she used to serve his highness when she was younger. She would tell
everyone proudly how she used to be the head of his royal guard division.
Before she met the emperor, Poliana never imagined herself as an old woman, but
now, she thought about it often. She could see her old self enjoying the luxurious
bathhouse in her castle.
The castle the emperor gifted her…
‘Hmm… And about this marriage business…’
The other knights dreamt of serving the emperor and his family for generations to
come,
but for Poliana, she didn’t know if that would be possible. It was because the
likelihood
of her getting married was slim, and the possibility of her having children was
even
slimmer.
But…
Losing the wonderful castle she received from the emperor to another man rather
than
giving it to her own children would be such a huge sham.
Chapter 99: Chapter 99
Chapter 99
In front of the castle entrance, the high-ranking official and nobles waited for
the
emperor. When Lucius the First approached them, one man suddenly appeared. He
was wearing a luxurious cloak and walked respectfully towards the emperor.
Duke Luzo, Lucius the First’s cousin and the man who took care of Acreia in the
emperor’s absence. If Duke Luzo betrayed the emperor, Lucius the First would have
never made it this far.
The duke bowed low and greeted, “Congratulations to your great victory, your
highness.”
“Please, Duke Luzo. There is no need for you to bow to me. You have done me a great
service during this war.”
Without Duke Luzo’s stable and loyal presence, Lucius the First would have never
been
able to unite the continent. When the emperor delayed entering the castle to praise
him, the duke seemed very grateful.
Meanwhile, Poliana looked around and relaxed when she didn’t see any potential
danger for the emperor.
‘Hmm… By the way, the duke looks older than I expected.’
Working on behalf of the emperor must’ve been a very stressful job, Or did he
naturally
have a high forehead? Duke Luzo looked much older than Lucius the First, and
Poliana
could see a clear sign of hair loss on his front.
‘Oh, it must be the hair loss that is making him look so much older.’
If Duke Luzo knew what Poliana was thinking, he would have fainted. What she didn’t
know was what the duke looked like 10 years ago. Although not as beautiful as the
emperor, Duke Luzo was considered one of the most handsome men in the kingdom. It
was such a shame that he was losing his hair.
Inside the castle was a huge feast ready to welcome the emperor’s men. Sir Bentier
attended the party while Sir Rabi was absent. Only a few of the personal guards
were
selected to stay inside the castle with the emperor and their numbers were
supplemented by Duke Luzo’s own guards.
The people were free to choose whether to attend the banquet or not. Those who were
tired were allowed to return home. Most who stayed, despite their fatigue, while
some
were mostly there for potential political gains by getting the chance to meet their
kingdom’s important figures.
The majority of the low-ranking nobles didn’t attend the gathering. They knew they
wouldn’t have much of a chance to be promoted.
Sir Rabi claimed, “There are so many greedy people in this world. All they want is
to get
more of everything.”
He took off his elaborate armor before leaving the castle. Even though he was
wearing
regular non-military clothes, he still looked like a soldier. The other knights
were the
same.
But when Poliana changed into something normal, the men looked at her awkwardly.
They were used to seeing her in her military or guard uniforms, or dirty tunics and
pants
on her days off. But she was a guest at Sir Rabi’s home, so she knew she couldn’t
wear
something dirty. Before the parade, Poliana purchased a few outfits and because she
found women’s robes uncomfortable, she ended up buying tunics and pants.
Sir Rabi’s home was located in a wealthy neighborhood, he was Count Bika after all.
Sir
Rabi owned a significant amount of land with a castle outside the capital, but he
chose
to have it maintained by a hired agent and live with his family in Nanaba. He found
this
arrangement to be the most convenient.
Not all nobles chose to live in the capital like Sir Rabi. It was a matter of
preference, and
Poliana thought she would end up doing the same thing as Sir Rabi and stay in the
capital.
In front of the Bika mansion, a crowd was waiting at the entrance. As soon as Sir
Rabi
dismounted his horse, two women ran towards him.
“FATHER!”
“FATHER!”
Everyone recognized their voices. They were the same ones that were heard so loudly
and clearly at the parade. As Poliana suspected, they were Sir Rabi’s daughters.
They were the daughters Sir Rabi bragged about so many times. His son, who was much
younger, seemed not to recognize him because he remained still and didn’t run after
Sir Rabi.
Sir Rabi picked up both of his daughters each in his arms. They were fully grown
and
therefore couldn’t be too light, yet Sir Rabi didn’t even seem to notice. The girls
screamed happily, it was so nice to see their happy family together.
“I’m home, girls!”
“Welcome home!”
“Welcome!”
Sir Rabi greeted his parents and then his wife. It has been 10 years since they saw
each
other, but they all seemed calm and collected.
Poliana was impressed.
‘I guess this is how a proper knight’s family behaves.’
But then, things changed quickly. After letting go of his daughters, Sir Rabi
hugged his
wife tightly. Lady Bika began to cry in happiness and relief as she whispered to
him, “I
thought of you every single day, I prayed for you every night!”
“It is all thanks to you that I was able to return home safely!”
During their last 10 years, Sir Rabi kept his family portrait in his pocket and
looked at it
every day. He also wrote letters to his family often. When he received some letters
from
his family, he read them over and over again.
All the knights that were invited to stay at Sir Rabi’s home were unmarried. The
servants
guided them to their rooms that were located in the separate guesthouse. Sir Rabi’s
place was huge, but it was still not big enough to give separate rooms for every
knight.
The men, however, were happy just to have a place to stay.
Poliana entered the guesthouse with the other knights. It’s interior wasn’t overly
luxurious, but it was warm and cozy.
‘It’s so nice.’
Poliana was impressed and envious. Coming home to a warm fireplace, good food
and drinks, clean clothes, and a welcoming wife who gives a loving smile and a hug…
‘I need a wife too.’
It wasn’t just Poliana who was thinking this thought. All the knights whispered how
they
needed to get married as soon as possible. They were all envious of Sir Rabi, who
seemed to have a wonderful life and family.
“Finally, we get to take our boots off!”
“I know! My toes were killing me!”
They have been marching all day, so the men were tired. When all the men took their
boots off at the same time, the place was quickly filled with an unpleasant odor.
It was
a bit chilly outside still, but Donau and Poliana opened the windows. Both of them
also
took their shoes off.
Poliana was sitting at the window when Sir Rabi entered.
“If any of you need anything, you can let the servants know. I didn’t get to have a
feast
arranged for you, but there is plenty of food for all of you here.”
“Your wife is so beautiful, Sir Rabi!”
“We are so envious!”
Some of the knights complimented Sir Rabi, but they were immediately kicked by the
other knights. Complimenting the man’s wife’s beauty was a normal courtesy among
knights and commoners, but not among high-ranking nobles. It was actually
considered
rude.
The Bika family was the official margrave, which was a title honored for the
military
commander assigned to maintain the defense of the kingdom’s borders. This meant
that the Bika family was old and powerful aristocrats. Just the size of their
mansion was
proof of their wealth.
Sir Rabi turned to Poliana and said to her, “Oh, Sir Poliana, we have arranged a
room
for you in the main house.”
“That is not necessary. I am perfectly fine here.”
“I know that, but my wife won’t let that happen. You need to come with me.”
Chapter 100: Chapter 100
Chapter 100
Poliana followed Sir Rabi into the main house. As she walked up the stairs and
passed
the hallway, she began to feel nervous. The wallpaper color changed and the carpet
on her feet felt much softer. She passed by fewer and fewer servants and she was
guided to a quiet place.
The area she entered seemed to belong to Sir Rabi’s daughters.
The lady’s quarters.
Poliana asked, “Isn’t this where your daughters stay?”
“Yes. When I told my wife about you, she prepared a room in this area for you.”
Sir Rabi seemed just as awkward as Poliana. His two daughters were already there,
ready to greet her. Even Sir Rabi’s wife was there, and the three women looked
curious
and interested in her.
Sir Rabi’s wife said to Poliana, “You may be a soldier, but you are still an
unmarried
noble lady and I cannot have you sleeping with the other knights in the guest
house.
My home is your home, so I hope your stay here would be comfortable.”
“T-t-t-t-this isn’t necessary. You are too kind.”
The two daughters greeted her as well, “Please let us know if you need anything.
You
can treat us as your little sisters.”
Sir Rabi’s daughters had very lively and loud voices, especially for women. Now
that she
saw them in closer proximity, Poliana finally realized the sisters were twins. They
were
dressed differently, and their hairstyle was very different too and that was why
she
didn’t notice it before.
Sir Rabi used to talk of them like they were little girls, but these women were all
grown
up. The oldest daughter was named Vaxi, while the younger sister was Vanessa. Like
their fathers, they were very slim.
‘Such loud voices from slim ladies…’
They resembled their father in terms of their slimness, they thankfully didn’t take
on Sir
Rabi’s sneakiness.
Sir Rabi’s wife was surprisingly sturdy, especially for a woman. Vaxi and Vanessa
had
their mother’s face, which was round and plump, and their body shapes resemble
their
father, which was slim.
When the twins smiled at her brightly, Poliana felt pressured to smile back. Sir
Rabi and
his wife left Poliana and the twins in the room. Poliana didn’t know what to do, so
she
stood there awkwardly.
The sisters offered, “We will show you where your room is.”
“Only women can enter this area so you can relax.”
“The windows also only faced a private garden, so there is no need for you to worry
about anything.”
Poliana sat down with them quietly. She was given the best seat, which was right
next
to the fireplace. Fancy snacks and mulled wine were served to her as well. Poliana
glanced at the twins and the room nervously. Expensive curtains and wallpapers,
luxurious carpet, instruments, books, and knitting and sewing gears decorated the
room. It was a perfect lady’s quarters.
A place where no man, except for their father, was allowed.
And Poliana was invited to this sacred place…
Poliana couldn’t relax or think clearly. Such a drastic change in her surroundings
was
causing her so much stress.
Any other woman would have felt comfortable and calm in this place, but Poliana was
much more used to the outdoors and open spaces. She felt more comfortable walking
on dirt than on expensive carpets.
Well, at least the air was cleaner here. She felt out of place here, but she had to
admit
that it was indeed a nice place. Would anyone hate to be in such a beautiful space?
She didn’t think so.
“You must be tired, so you’re welcome to retire to bed any time you wish.”
“We heard you will be staying at our place for a while.”
“So we have a lot of time to chat later if you want to sleep now.”
“We rarely get female guests, so we are so excited to have you. We hope your stay
here would be comfortable.”
Unmarried women rarely traveled alone, and it was even rarer for them to stay at a
place that did not belong to a family member or a relative. It was the women’s job
to
greet and take care of their guests, but it was rare for them to have a woman as a
guest.
This was why the current situation was unique. Poliana was also Sir Rabi’s guest,
not the
twin’s or his wife’s, but she was also a woman. Vaxi and Vanessa have never
entertained long-term guests before. This was an unusual and exciting experience
for
them.
On top of that, this wasn’t just any female guest. This was Poliana Winter, the
infamous
knightess who had served Lucius the First during his entire conquest.
The story of Poliana was now a legend. A woman who became a knight captured by
the enemy to be executed only to become one of the most trusted knights in the
emperor’s army… The female knight who became the head of the guard division…
The twins’ eyes shined excitedly as they explained what they heard on the streets
about
Poliana. Poliana was shocked, realizing that these ladies saw her as their heroes
and
idols.
And in a blink of an eye, she found herself in the guest bed. Even the bed felt
soft and
comfortable, probably because it was filled with cotton, not straws. The blanket
was
filled with feathers and there even was a comforter made of soft animal hide.
She should have fallen asleep immediately, but Poliana remained wide awake.
‘How strange.’
She knew her life better than anyone, but when she heard about it from another
person, it felt like a fairy tale.
Lucius the First’s conquest was definitely worth telling, but Poliana had no idea
that
there would be people talking about her too. Compared to Lucius the First’s
legendary
story, her life was boring and not worthy. She was certain there would be plenty of
people who would laugh at her story.
Suddenly, Poliana wondered how her story would end. Everyone died in the end and so
would she. Poliana was born, she lived her life, and she would die.
She lived her life as best as she could. She worked every day like her life
depended on
it, and this was how she survived. Even the emperor himself admired her effort and
resilience. There was nothing one couldn’t accomplish if they put their mind to it.
Well, except maybe love.
And perhaps death too, one could not avoid death even if one tried.
Until she met Lucius the First, Poliana never really thought about herself being
old but
now, she could see herself as an old woman. In romance stories, the legendary
knightess often ended up dying a hero’s death. A knightess getting married,
retiring
from her military life, and having a family was not a good or exciting enough story
to
sell.
‘So what about me?’
How would Poliana’s story end?
Sir Baufallo once warned her that as soon as she got married, the knightess Poliana
Winter would be no more, but Sir Donau told her that it would be possible if she
married
a good man who was understanding. Her emperor Lucius the First also told her that
he
would make sure that she could remain a knight, so she should find a good man and
get married if she wished.
Poliana realized that her situation had improved greatly. In the last 10 years, she
was
acknowledged and accepted as a knight. She was certain that if she got married, her
men and the other knights would still accept her as one of their own.
Of course, the only problem was finding this imaginary good and understanding man,
an idiot who would be stupid enough to marry her.
‘It would be so much nicer if I could just get a nice wife.’
It wasn’t that she liked women, she just needed a person who would greet her warmly
when she returns home.
Poliana had no family and the easiest way to make one was to get married. But would
there be someone for her in this world? And even if there was, would she want to
get
married? Poliana thought that at this point, she would prefer to just get a dog.
‘Sir Rabi has so many dogs…’
Indeed, there were many dogs in the Bika house. They were barking excitedly when
the
guests arrived today. The dogs that used to be puppies when Sir Rabi left were now
over 10 years old. They wagged their tails and cried when they saw Sir Rabi. One
dog,
which was over 22 years old, almost died of a heart attack from getting
overexcited.
Poliana had no idea that a dog could live for over 20 years.
Rosy the deer was placed in the private garden so the dogs couldn’t get to her.
‘Dammit.’
She couldn’t get to sleep because her mind was racing with useless thoughts. One
thing she felt for sure was envy. She was envious of Sir Rabi, who had such a
beautiful
wife, pretty daughters, and a cute son. On top of that, he had many dogs who loved
him as well as a pet deer.
There was no doubt his life was a huge success.
Chapter 101: Chapter 101
Chapter 101
Sir Baufallo stopped in front of his house and stood to watch. Even from the
outside, he
could hear people chatting from inside. It was clear his house was indeed full.
He left home 10 years ago and finally, he was back. There were no gifts in his
hands, but
there were four cats hanging onto him. Most people thought of horses as the
military
animal, but to Sir Baufallo, he thought of dogs and cats. The horses usually
belonged to
the kingdom, so they had clear owners, and the dogs often had masters as well but
cats… Most cats had no homes.
Sir Baufallo knew very well how important the cats were to the war. They killed
countless
rats and thereby saving and preserving their food supplies.
Someone inside the home finally noticed him standing outside. One by one, they came
out to cheer him. Sir Baufallo recognized some, but not all. He wasn’t sure if some
of
them were really his relatives. He knew that there would be plenty of people
approaching him and were trying to befriend him since they all knew that he would
be
receiving a significant title and wealth as a reward. But even though he knew that
some of them might not have the best intention, he didn’t dislike all the people
greeting him and cheering for him.
Sir Baufallo smiled faintly when he saw his wife peeking out from the kitchen. Lady
Ribo
glanced at him quickly and without a word, he went back inside.
“I’m home.”
Lady Ribo was still furious that her husband took both of their sons to the war.
During the
last 10 years, she only sent a few letters to her husband, and the letters only
asked how
her sons were doing.
It had been 10 years, but it seems that her anger hasn’t cooled at all.
“I’m home.”
When Sir Baufallo murmured, Lady Ribo asked angrily, “Where are the kids?”
The other men around them tried to take Sir Baufallo’s side.
“Lady Ribo, please be nice to the man. He came back from a war, for god sake.”
“Lady Ribo! You need to show your husband more respect!”
But Lady Ribo wasn’t going to let this go. She yelled, “I can’t even get angry
about
losing both of my sons for the last 10 years? I am their mother, aren’t I?!”
“But they returned alive, didn’t they? The older one got into that knight’s order
or
something, right? And I heard the younger one got into the guard division.
Obviously,
both of them did very well! You should be happy, Lady Ribo.”
“Who cares? What about the time I lost with them? I will never get back those ten
years!”
Sir Baufallo wasn’t angry or upset with his wife. Seeing her with more white hair
and
wrinkles told him how hard her life has been for the last 10 years. He knew it
wouldn’t
have been easy for a woman to live alone without any man left in the household. It
would have been better to leave at least one son behind, but both of them insisted
on
going. Their family wasn’t rich since he was a simple knight with an average
salary. He
knew how hard it would have been for her.
Sir Baufallo felt guilty, especially because he didn’t even bring his sons back
home right
away. Instead, he brought back four cats. He explained weakly, “You said in the
letter
that there wasn’t a lot of room in the house, so they decided to stay at another
knight’s
home. They promised to come home for meals, so don’t worry.”
Lady Ribo didn’t even give him a reply. Sir Baufallo placed the cats down on the
floor
and sighed. It seemed that his wife wasn’t going to feel better until Sirs Donau
and
Howe came home. The four cats sighed and watched the lady with interest.
***
Sirs Aeke, Beke, and Deke also returned to their home with heavy hearts. The two
oldest
boys were in much better condition than the youngest Deke.
When Deke insisted on joining his brothers to this war, his mother Lady Ingreter
and his
sister slapped him for his selfishness. As the brothers got farther away from
Acreia, it
became harder and it took longer for them to receive letters from home. There were
many times that the letters went missing as well. The messages from the wealthy and
important families usually arrived safely, but the Ingreter clan was a poor noble
family.
After crossing the Koemong River, the Ingreter brothers didn’t receive any more
letters
from home.
Their mother and sister obviously have been waiting for their safe returns
desperately,
but when the brothers actually showed up, they acted coldly. Deke asked his sister
awkwardly, “S-sis, where is your husband, my brother-in-law? Weren’t you going to
get
married after we left?”
Cekel, who would’ve been named Ceke if she was a boy, answered indifferently, “He
broke up the engagement.”
Men could easily get married at any age, but women were called spinsters once they
reached an age between late teens to early twenties. People called Cekel a spinster
too. There were many women in a similar situation, especially in poor or average
families nowadays. It was the side effect of a war. After many young men left
Acreia,
they had more women than men. The situation was a little better for the women who
still had at least one male member left in the family because there was a guarantee
that the male would inherit the family name, title, as well as the burden. The
women
who still had a male family member staying behind sometimes got marriage offers as
well, but the Ingreter family had no male members who stayed behind. If the three
brothers died or came home maimed, there would be no future for this family. For
this
reason, Cekel’s fiancé broke up the engagement.
Her ex-fiance ended up marrying a lady much higher than him thanks to the war and
the consequence of the lack of available men. Cekel decided to accept her fate and
stayed home to take care of her parents. She gave up on getting married.
Sirs Aeke and Beke, who was about to go out to beat up Cekel’s selfish ex-fiance,
became very quiet when they heard the reason why he broke up the engagement.
Sir Deke also didn’t say a word and began to eat his meal. It has been 10 years
since
they last ate a home-cooked meal. The brothers did their best not to cry from joy.
Chapter 102: Chapter 102
Chapter 102
Unlike the other families where they reunited in their own homes, Sir Ainno and his
family
met in the royal castle. It was fitting since the castle was Sir Ainno’s second
home since
his childhood.
Sir Ainno saw his younger brother, who was wearing his blue guard uniform and
standing behind Duke Luzo.
Sir Jainno.
He was three years younger than his older brother, Sir Ainno. Sir Jainno also
wanted to
join Lucius the First in his conquest, but in most cases, at least one male member
had to
stay behind. What happened in Sir Baufallo’s family, as well as Sirs Aeke, Beke,
and
Deke, was rare. It was especially considered a gamble at the time because many
thought this conquest would be a disaster.
But the risk-taking paid off for these families because Lucius the First was
victorious.
Those who entered the war were going to be rewarded richly.
But Marquis Seki’s family, where Sir Ainno belonged, did not give up all of their
sons.
They didn’t even give up their firstborn. Sir Ainno ended up joining the war thanks
to his
friendship with Lucius the First.
Seki family had a close relationship with the Acreian royal family for generations.
But
despite it, they refused to send two of their sons. If Sir Ainno didn’t insist on
going, his
younger brother Sir Jainno would have been allowed to join the war.
Instead, Sir Jainno ended up winning the honor of protecting Duke Luzo. With this
position, he didn’t expect to be remembered in history as a hero, but Sir Jainno
was still
satisfied with it since it was an honorable duty.
Sirs Ainno and Jainno weren’t very close, but Sir Jainno still greeted his brother
happily.
This was because he wanted something from Sir Ainno. As long as Sir Ainno remained
Lucius the First’s head of the guard division, Sir Jainno knew he would never take
that
position away from his older brother. But for some crazy reason, Sir Ainno gave up
this
greatest position to some foreign woman and returned home as the head of a new
order.
Sir Jainno served Duke Luzo faithfully during the last 10 years. He had no doubt
that he
would become the next head of the royal guard division. Based on his skills and
experiences, this had to be the case.
Sir Jainno lived his whole life under Sir Ainno’s shadow. Becoming the head of the
guard
team was his lifelong dream. Sir Jainno never expected Sir Ainno to die in war. He
expected his older brother to survive and return, but as the head of the guards.
It seemed, however, that something incredibly unexpected happened. Sir Ainno gave
up the position voluntarily, which meant that Sir Jainno had a chance.
Meanwhile, Sir Ainno was pleasantly surprised that his younger brother greeted him
with
a warm smile.
‘Hmm… I guess he liked me more than I thought.’
But Sir Ainno was not naïve. He knew that his brother, as well as everyone in the
banquet, was after something.
***
Lucius the First looked around the hall. It had been 10 years since he last saw his
home,
but he still didn’t feel much. Duke Luzo obviously spent a lot of time and care to
arrange this feast. Lucius the First smiled smoothly. The atmosphere was pleasant,
and
there were many nobles who looked up to him with pride and respect.
So far so good.
As they walked together to the banquet, Duke Luzo told Lucius the First a brief
summary
of major changes in Acreia. They talked about things they could not discuss through
the
letters during the last 10 years.
The castle itself didn’t look much different. Maybe there were more expensive
decorations? Lucius the First wasn’t sure. It was possible since the colonies
would’ve
sent valuables to Acreia as offerings, but overall, the emperor didn’t find a major
change in his home. The air especially still felt the same.
Cold northern air, it filled his lung as he breathed in deeply. Lucius the First
smiled and
greeted the elders. “I see that you all have gained more wrinkles. Time hasn’t been
kind
to you, anyone here closer to the ground yet?”
At the emperor’s rather crude joke, everyone laughed. Lucius the First was asking
why
none of the elders have died yet, and although they all understood it, they had no
choice but to laugh.
He was the victorious emperor after all.
Lucius the First continued to smile. He loved making the first attack like this. It
was even
more fun when his opponents couldn’t fight back.
‘You old bastards.’
It was clear the elders bullied Duke Luzo while he was gone. Duke Luzo’s receding
hairline said it all.
The elders laughed at the emperor when he announced his plan to conquer the world.
They told him he was being young and naïve. During the entire conquest, the elders
incessantly insisted he should return home immediately.
But look at them now…
Lucius the First returned as the emperor of the entire continent, and they were
looking
at him with proud smiles like they knew that he was going to succeed, like they
have
been supportive of him all this time. But even as they smiled, the emperor could
see
their wrinkles deepen and their mouth quiver awkwardly.
Duke Luzo stood next to Lucius the First and smiled gleefully. Despite his receding
hairline, Duke Luzo was still a very handsome man. Two handsome unmarried cousins
standing side by side made the unmarried ladies stare excitedly. The parents of
these
ladies looked ambitious and determined.
Marquis Seeze replied with a smooth smile, “We are so happy to see you return, your
highness.” As expected, these old men weren’t easy opponents. They got to where
they were because they were cunning and patient.
Marquis Seeze, who was over 70 years old now, bowed lightly. Lucius the First said
to
him, “Marquis Seeze, you look so much older now.”
“Hahaha, it’s my job to get older as an old man, your highness. How have you been?”
“You look like you should be resting at home. Why did you come?”
“I just wanted to come and make sure my grandson did a good job of protecting your
highness.”
“I will not forget what your family has done for this country.”
Lucius the First and Marquis Seeze smiled at each other. The emperor was a
beautiful
young man while Marquis Seeze, a 70-year-old man, looked very different. However,
they had one thing in common and that was that they hated each other.
‘Stupid old man.’
“Naïve little boy.’
If Marquis Seeze didn’t object to this conquest, the former emperor, Lucius the
First’s
father, could’ve been the one who began this journey.
Just then, a young girl appeared from behind Marquis Seeze and whispered, “Great
Uncle.”
She was young, but she was still a very beautiful lady. As soon as Marquis Seeze
moved
to introduce her, Lucius the First knew immediately what this was.
‘Already? I guess the husband-hunting begins now and I am the juiciest target.’
Chapter 103: Chapter 103
Chapter 103
Lucius the First expected this, but not this quickly. What a snake Marquis Seeze
was. The
emperor hid his disgust and greeted the young girl.
Tory Seeze bowed respectfully. She was a very distant relative of Marquis Seeze and
was adopted by his youngest son recently. Her bow was simple, yet she looked
elegant
and beautiful. The single knights nearby all gaped like idiots at her.
Tory blushed as if she was shy and disappeared with the other ladies. In the
northern
region, the nobles did not believe in occasions where young men and women spent
too much time together. They did not approve of the extravagant balls that the mid
and southern continents enjoyed.
But even so, it was odd how shy Tory Seeze appeared to be. While Lucius the First
was
away, Tory Seeze had become the most eligible and coveted bachelorette in Nanaba.
The emperor found it sad that he had to pretend not to notice what this old man was
trying to do.
Lucius the First said to Marquis, “What a polite young lady.”
“She is a good girl. My youngest son adopted her recently so we could arrange a
good
marriage for her. I am hoping to find her an appropriate husband.”
“Haha, she is beautiful and well-behaved, so I am sure you won’t have any problem.”
“I agree, your highness. Now, this old man is getting very tired, so I will be
going now.
Have a wonderful evening, your highness.”
When Marquis Seeze left, the other nobles surrounded the emperor like vultures.
Lucius
the First knew they were planted by the Marquis himself. The nobles said to the
emperor,
“Your highness! It troubles everyone in the kingdom that you do not have a wife
yet.
You need to get married as soon as possible for the health of this nation.”
Lucius the First glanced at Sir Bentier, who was standing nearby and talking to his
grandfather, Marquis Seeze. They looked like they were having a nice family chat,
but
in reality, this wasn’t the case.
The nobleman in front of the emperor added, “Don’t you think this is the most
important
task at hand, your highness?”
Lucius the First smiled and evaded the question easily. “Actually, I did hear about
how
the unmarried ladies of Nanaba have been complaining for the last 10 years because
I
took away all the eligible young men. Now that the men have returned, I am sure
things
will settle down.”
“Your highness, your own marriage is what we are concerned about! Not the other
men’s!”
“Haha, I am still very young, and I am happy to enjoy my life a little while longer
with
many different women. I am not in any hurry at all.”
In reality, the emperor should’ve been more worried about it. Lucius the First was
in his
early 30’s and he still didn’t have any children. If his mother was still alive,
she would’ve
been very upset. But Lucius the First feigned his ignorance, the emperor had no
intention of marrying a woman who had strong ties to any of the elders.
He would, of course, get married eventually, he had to. He was the ruler of the
entire
continent after all. Searching for an empress only from Acreia would be considered
unfair. The best thing would be to widen the search to include the entire
continent.
The emperor sat down on his throne and didn’t move. Standing behind him were Sir
Ainno and the commander of the guard division Sir Wook. Duke Luzo sat down next to
the emperor and chatted with Lucius the First, but he didn’t come down to the dance
floor either.
There were plenty of returned soldiers that the ladies didn’t lack dance partners,
but
the unmarried women were still very disappointed that the most eligible bachelors,
Lucius the First and the Duke, seemed to have no interest in any of them.
The emperor said to his cousin, “I think it would be best if I hold off on enjoying
myself for
now.”
“If you wish, you are welcome to go and dance with anyone here, your highness.”
“Here, I am prey, not a hunter. I am not scared of the ladies, but I am fearful of
their
fathers, grandfathers, and uncles, who are looking at me like I am a prized bull.”
Sir Ainno offered a solution, “If anyone tries to hunt you, your highness, I will
get rid of
him immediately.”
Duke Luzo said to the emperor, “Your highness, I wouldn’t mind being hunted, but I
waited this long so I could get the best wife I possibly could. Have you thought of
anyone for me by chance?”
Lucius the First patted Duke Luzo’s shoulder affectionately. He was thankful and
apologetic that men like Duke and Sir Ainno didn’t get married for the emperor’s
sake.
They also didn’t have control over who they could marry.
Lucius the First decided to be generous. He said to the Duke, “If you have a lady
you
like, I will let you marry her.”
“Do you mean it, your highness?”
“Of course. I am the emperor and I would never say things like this lightly. Of
course,
there are some obvious and common-sense conditions. She can’t be too young or too
old and she can’t already be married. She can’t be a widow either and she needs to
be a noblewoman. She couldn’t be from a family that has a criminal and she cannot
have any genetic disorders or illness. I will allow a barren woman, but that means
that
you will have to take in a concubine. Oh, and of course, she can’t be from a family
that
has a history of madness.”
Duke Luzo looked hopeful but when the emperor stated all those conditions, his face
fell. He sat down quietly. Trying to find a suitable wife was a lot of paperwork.
Usually,
there would be a need to go through the profiles of all their potential ladies, and
Duke
Luzo was too tired to do it. What he needed were rest and stability. He believed
that
once he got enough rest, his lost hair would come back and he would look his age
again.
In a high society, marriage meant business. It could be a business of finances,
politics, or
both. It was a very important matter and therefore, it needed to be done with the
utmost care.
When Duke Luzo looked disappointed, Lucius the First felt even more apologetic.
This
was what the emperor had been feeling towards his cousin ever since he returned
home, he felt sorry and thankful for him.
10 years ago, Duke Luzo was a beautiful young man. Not as handsome as the emperor
but still very good looking. Duke Luzo was also a great hunter, a horseman,
swordsman,
and an athlete. He had a great muscular body. But in the last 10 years, during the
time
when the emperor was at war, the duke was left behind to take care of the
administrative duties. It was a lot of work, and because of it, Duke Luzo lost his
looks. He
lost his hair and muscles. He gained more weight and turned into a round man,
rather
than a slim fit young man.
It was such a sad thing to watch.
Chapter 104: Chapter 104
Chapter 104
Lucius the First clearly looked like a young man, but Duke Luzo looked almost
middleaged.
The emperor said to his cousin, “Go ahead and enjoy yourself.”
“I don’t have the energy anymore. I am so tired because I wound up arranging this
banquet and the parade.”
The emperor felt so bad for the duke. The two most eligible bachelors of Acreia sat
on
their chairs and enjoyed their food and drinks. The only entertainment they allowed
themselves to was talking to a few people who approached them. Sir Bentier, who was
being harassed by his grandfather and relatives, finally escaped and walked towards
Lucius the First.
The emperor asked Sir Bentier, “Where is your wife?”
“Our child is still too young, so she decided not to come.”
Most noblewomen were not very hands-on mothers. They had nannies to take care of
the children, so it was an odd thing for a noblewoman not to attend the biggest
event
of the year. Lucius the First assumed Sir Bentier’s wife must have an unusually
close
relationship with her child.
The emperor himself had a close relationship with his own mother, the former
empress.
He lost his mother at a very young age, but he remembered the deep love his
beautiful
mother gave him when she was still alive.
Lucius the First said to Sir Bentier apologetically, “I am sure that as a father
and as a
husband, your wife and your child would be the first people you would want to see,
not
your old grandfather and your father. How sad your life must be.”
“I’m fine, your highness. It’s better than not having anyone who would wait for you
at
home,” Sir Bentier replied with a gentle smile.
“Are you referring to me and how I am still unmarried?”
“Of course not, your highness. I am only talking about the unmarried lonely knights
who
drink themselves to sleep.”
During the war, the soldiers and the knights didn’t feel lonely because they had
each
other. Everyone treated each other like family. But after the war, those who
weren’t
married couldn’t help feeling lonely. Most of the unmarried men came together to go
out and drink. This could turn ugly sometimes, so Sir Bentier voiced his concern.
Lucius
the First shook his head and explained, “I already thought of that and took care of
it.
They are probably all too busy having fun right now.”
Lucius the First turned to his cousin and told him to go and have fun. Duke Luzo
nodded
weakly and disappeared among the young people on the dance floor.
The emperor looked at the crowd and said to Sir Bentier, “It must be nice to be
reunited
with your grandfather after 10 years.”
“Yes, your highness. My grandfather is like my father to me.”
“You must have a lot to talk about. You are free to go back to him.”
“No, it’s ok, your highness. We will have a lot of time to chat later. We can talk
at
home.”
Sir Bentier chatted with the emperor for a long time before finally leaving. As
soon as Sir
Bentier left Lucius the First’s sight, he was again surrounded by his relatives.
Lucius the
First felt sorry for Sir Bentier. He knew Sir Bentier’s relatives would not leave
him alone for
a very long time.
After another hour, Lucius the First gave an excuse of being too tired and left.
Only Sir
Ainno followed him as his guard and the emperor returned to his room.
The emperor’s room.
In Acreia, the emperor’s room didn’t refer to the emperor’s bedroom. It referred to
the
room where the portraits of the previous emperors and empresses hung on the walls.
The room was also filled with the previous emperor’s mementos.
Sir Ainno stayed outside the door. The emperor entered the room alone.
If someone wanted to assassinate the emperor, this was the perfect chance for one
to
do so.
Because the room wasn’t visited by anyone, it smelled musky despite the fact that
the
servants cleaned it regularly. The emperor walked around the room slowly. He looked
at
the portraits one by one and made eye contact with everyone on the wall. He even
whispered out their names quietly. After he went around the room, he stopped in
front
of his parents’ portraits.
“I’m finally home.”
Lucius the First took off his crown. He was the emperor, the greatest being to
every living
person but here in this room, he was just one of their descendants. In front of his
dead
parents, Lucius the First was just their son and nothing more.
Below his parents’ portraits was a table and on top of it was a ring box. There
were two
rings, one for Lucius the First and one for his future empress. They used to belong
to his
parents. The small ring, which used to be his mother’s, while the bigger one used
to be
his father’s.
Lucius the First thought quietly. He already had a woman he wanted to give the ring
to,
but he could not. He would not.
“Long live Acreia,” the emperor whispered.
With a sigh, he put on his crown again. He wanted to enjoy his life, but he
couldn’t. He
wanted to go out dancing and drinking with others, but this wasn’t the time. There
were
many who deserved to get a break, but unfortunately, there was still much more work
to do.
‘I really hope Luzo’s hair can last a while longer.’
Baldness did not run in his family, so Lucius the First couldn’t understand why
Duke Luzo
was suffering from this condition. The emperor sighed again, feeling sorry for his
cousin.
But there was so much more left to do, this wasn’t the time to rest.
Chapter 105: Story 12. Why Don’t You Take a Little Break- Chapter 105
Story 12. Why Don’t You Take a Little Break
Chapter 105
The end of the war didn’t mean that it was time to rest. In fact, there was more
work
than before now that it was over.
The Acreian army was made up of professional soldiers. Even if there were peace and
no battles to be fought, these men needed to be paid and maintained. The military
was their livelihood.
And keeping an army was a very expensive business, and it was necessary to find
another use for the soldiers after the war.
Lucius the First already had a plan for this situation. The soldiers were to be
sent to the
colonies, however, the problem was that the men did not want to leave their home
again. They have been away for the last 10 years, and the soldiers didn’t want to
leave
their families again to go work in strange kingdoms.
When the former emperor was alive, he gathered the men for his army by offering
attractive contracts. At the time, no one believed in the emperor’s dream to unite
the
world, so it was difficult to get the men to join him. The noblemen wanted the
emperor
to fail because it meant that their power would rise. Only the poor and powerless
men
volunteered at the time. They needed the money for their family.
Thankfully, a few years of excellent training allowed the Acreian army to grow into
one
of the best on the continent.
Lucius the First offered the low ranking soldiers the contracts to be deployed to
the
other kingdoms, but he also didn’t stop anyone who wanted to stay home. But anyone
who was willing to go was offered a significant promotion and a raise. Many did
take
the offer and set out to create new lives. The majority of these men were unmarried
and came from families that had many sons. Those who were married with children
mostly decided to remain in Acreia, but a few chose to take their entire family and
move to the south.
Next was the higher-ranking soldiers and knights…
Lucius the First’s army was made up of unusually young men. And most of the
highranking officers were second or third sons of their families, which meant that
it wasn’t
too difficult for these men to accept the positions down south, especially with the
strong
possibility of a huge promotion. Some of them dreamt of becoming the viceroy of the
colonies.
It seemed that the emperor’s plan to repurpose his military force was working, but
he
found out soon enough that it wasn’t that simple.
The Acreian law stated that the nobles could not own a significant army of their
own.
And when Lucius the First was on the throne, this law was followed to a good
degree.
But during the last 10 years when he was away, things have changed. Duke Luzo still
enforced the same law, but it wasn’t followed as strictly. Many powerful noblemen
gathered young men to create their own private army.
And it was very easy to go around the law. As long as the noblemen didn’t call the
men
“soldiers” on official papers, they were ok. They were hired as “farmers,”
“hunters,” and
various other positions, and using this method, the nobles created significant
armies of
their own.
This was a problem for Lucius the First. He was trying to disperse the soldiers and
find
them new useful positions, but the other sneaky nobles such as Marquis Seeze was
also
offering his own soldiers to everyone.
Lucius the First murmured in annoyance, “That old bastard…”
‘Should I just kill him?’
The emperor gritted his teeth. It would have been so much easier and simpler to
have
this old marquis killed, but he knew this wasn’t the solution. Even if he somehow
made
his death look natural, there were bound to be rumors that the emperor secretly
killed
the marquis. This would cause even greater problems for Lucius the First.
It wasn’t worth it. The best and safest thing was to wait for Marquis Seeze to die
of old
age. Wasn’t a victory without any bloodshed the best kind of a win? Lucius the
First
knew he could be patient. These annoying old men would die one by one eventually
and when they do, their places will be replaced by new men, and the emperor has to
make sure that these new forces do not gain too much power too quickly. He had to
always be wary of everyone and stomp on anyone who showed the potential to
become problematic later.
Yes, the war was over, but this was only the beginning of a new kind of war.
Politics.
***
Despite still being a very young man, Duke Luzo suffered from chronic fatigue and
stress. His receding hairline was still a great concern to the emperor.
Duke Luzo firmly believed that the return of his cousin, the emperor, was going to
end
his misery. He was believing that once he was free of stress, his hair would
return.
But the reality was too cruel…
Duke Luzo said to Lucius the First, “Your highness, I think it is finally time for
me to return
to my home.”
“Luzo, my cousin.”
The emperor gave him a friendly smile. It was a beautiful smile, but Duke Luzo
didn’t fall
for it.
“You want something from me, don’t you?! I know you very well!”
“Luzo, I am so appreciative of your hard work.”
“I am aware of that fact, your highness. So I believe it is time for me to retire
to my
home.”
“Luzo, I want the same thing for you too! But only after all the work is done, of
course.
Hahaha!”
The emperor laughed loudly before grabbing his cousin. He grinned and said to Duke
Luzo, “We will all get to rest when it’s done. So let’s get to work again! Hahaha!
Together!”
“Nooo!!! You are too cruel!”
“Hahahaha!”
Duke Luzo screamed, but the emperor’s laughter was louder. Sir Jainno shook his
head
as he watched the emperor drag away the duke. Sir Jainno knew the hardship of
having a cruel older brother. Just as Duke Luzo was bullied by an older cousin
Lucius the
First, Sir Jainno suffered the same fate by his older brother Sir Ainno, especially
when
they were younger.
Sir Jainno was busy himself as well. He had to study the new members of his
division and
train them. He also had to continue reinforcing the defense of the castle.
There had been a significant increase in visitors to the Nanaba castle, and it was
Sir
Jainno’s job to screen them. He was short on men to do this job, and Sir Ainno was
away for the business of the knight’s order.
Sir Jainno thought to himself, ‘I am going to have to get more men for the royal
guard
division.’
There were only two royal members to be protected, but there was more work now to
protect the royal castle. This was a big job and he needed more men.
Sir Jainno was also concerned about the internal struggle between his own men and
the guards from the emperor’s division. The two teams were combined together, and
it
seemed that something might be brewing.
‘Idiots.’
Sir Jainno touched his own hair and sighed. After watching what happened to Duke
Luzo’s hair, Sir Jainno has developed a fear for his own hairline.
Stress was such a dangerous thing for men and their hair.
Chapter 106: Chapter 106
Chapter 106
Poliana woke up at a different time every day. When she was one of the royal
guards,
she used to work one of the three shifts per day beside the emperor. But since she
became the head of the guard division, this changed. Instead, she tried to spend as
much of her time as possible as Lucius the First’s guard.
This meant that Poliana’s work hour coincided with that of Lucius the First. The
emperor
was very careful with his health, but he was also a workaholic. When he was loaded
with work, with the kind of work he deemed important, he overworked himself until
it
was done. And when he worked, Poliana worked as well.
But there were also many times when the emperor took nice long breaks, which meant
that Poliana became used to the same thing.
Currently, the problem for her wasn’t the fact that she was on a forced vacation.
It was
the location where she had to spend her time. If she was at an inn or even the
overcrowded guesthouse where the other knights were residing, she would have felt
comfortable. She would have taken naps and eat whenever she wanted, but…
She was stuck in the lady’s quarters.
A lady’s quarters of all places!
She felt incredibly awkward here. Poliana sat down the book she was reading and
left
the room. The one-piece gown she wore was provided for her and it was made of such
a soft expensive material that it felt like she was wearing feathers.
Her meals were amazing as expected. Except for Poliana, everyone else in the house
was busy, so she made sure to stay as a quiet obedient guest. Poliana was slowly
getting used to the atmosphere of this noble household. Everyone was kind to her.
Sir
Rabi’s wife, Lady Bika, was especially thoughtful.
Lady Bika was only 7 years older than Poliana, but she was already the mother of
two
fully-grown daughters and the mistress of one of the most powerful families in
Acreia.
Sir Rabi used to be Poliana’s direct superior at one point, so Poliana made sure to
treat
Lady Bika with the utmost respect. In fact, she treated Lady Bika even more
politely
than how she treated the emperor.
Poliana also acted very respectful to Vaxi and Vanessa. They were 10 years younger
than Poliana, but they were very mature. They were calmer and more graceful than
the men 10 years older than them. It was obvious that their mother made sure that
they
were educated properly.
Lady Bika explained that the wife of a knight had to be able to carry on and
maintain
the entire household in her husband’s absence. Vaxi and Vanessa’s education was
extensive to satisfy Lady Bika’s very high standards.
Poliana wasn’t sure why, but she felt more comfortable around the twins than their
mother. She became closer to the girls much faster. Perhaps it was because Poliana
was unmarried and therefore she could relate more to the young ladies. Or maybe, it
was because Lady Bika treated Poliana almost like her own daughters.
Poliana and the twins became friendly acquaintances. They were curious about each
other. For Poliana, she was interested in the girls because she knew that they
might
become the wives of Sirs Howe and Donau. The twins were curious about Poliana
because she was the infamous knightess.
One thing Poliana enjoyed in Sir Rabi’s house was the library. Because Sir Rabi’s
family
had generations of knights, his library was filled with many military-related
books.
Poliana was a very well-read soldier especially regarding the art of war. In Sir
Rabi’s
household, the women were allowed in the library, so the twins seemed very
comfortable with books. They even recommended a few books to Poliana.
Poliana was reading one of those books when she decided to take a break. She had
been stuck inside for a long time, and she felt stiff and bored. Poliana needed to
exercise, but so far, she had been feeling uncomfortable about asking where she
could
go to do it.
But now, she needed to find a way. Poliana went to talk to Lady Bika. There was a
small
gym next to the guest house, but there was a strict rule regarding this place. Only
men
were allowed inside and even as a guest, Poliana wasn’t allowed to enter the gym
either.
‘It makes sense.’
Poliana understood the reason for this. Sir Rabi had two young daughters and this
strict
and well-known rule provided protection for their reputations.
‘I guess as the mother of two young ladies, Lady Bika feels strongly about this
rule.’
Lady Bika asked Poliana, “Exercise? But you are on a vacation, so you should be
resting,
Sir Poliana.”
“Well, I am used to exercising every day, so my body feels too stiff without it.”
“Hmm… There is an empty lot in the inner garden. You can use that area if you wish.
I
will order the servants to get you some of the practice weapons.”
Poliana bowed respectfully to Lady Bika.
***
One of the maids brought Poliana a more comfortable outfit. Poliana didn’t ask for
it,
which meant that the lady of the house ordered it. Poliana was impressed with how
efficient and meticulous Lady Bika was. As the lady of a large household, Lady Bika
must have a lot of things to take care of, and she did a great job of it. She made
sure
that all the guests were always comfortable and well-fed.
‘Some women were just born to be great ladies.’
While Poliana was changing into her exercise outfit, Vaxi and Vanessa appeared.
They
heard how Poliana was going to exercise, and they wanted to tag along.
“We won’t be in your way.”
“We just want to watch.”
Poliana asked the twins, “My Ladies, haven’t you ever seen knights training
before?”
“Yes, but not a knightess.”
‘That’s right. We’ve never seen a female knight train.”
The sisters asked her with their pretty smiles. Poliana had no reason to say no, so
she
nodded.
When they reached the empty lot, Poliana realized what the twins really wanted.
“Sir Poliana, can we touch the sword just once?”
“Please, Sir Poliana! Just once!”
Poliana became confused. This was a knight’s house, which meant the place must be
filled with various weapons. So why would they beg her to touch a sword?
There could be only one explanation for this. It was obvious that Lady Bika forbade
her
daughters from dealing with any weapons. The young ladies continued to beg
prettily,
“Please, Sir Poliana!”
“We will just try holding it for a second. We won’t swing it or anything.”
Poliana asked, “It sounds like you aren’t allowed to handle a weapon. I assume this
is
your mother’s rule?”
“Oh please! The daughters of other knights are usually allowed to train with small
daggers, but our mother won’t let us.”
“Please! If our mother finds out, we will just tell her we made you do it, Sir
Poliana.”
“No. Sorry ladies, but I cannot go against the lady of the house. I am only a guest
here.”
Poliana was firm in her decision. It was only a practice sword and therefore, it
wasn’t
sharp, but it was still a weapon. Poliana could never let untrained ladies handle
such a
dangerous thing.
To Poliana’s surprise, the twins gave up easily. And just as they promised, they
didn’t get
in her way. Vaxi and Vanessa sat on the garden chair and watched her quietly.
Just then, a pretty deer appeared in the garden towards them.
Chapter 107: Chapter 107
Chapter 107
It was Rosy, Sir Rabi’s pet deer. Rosy was wary of Vaxi and Vanessa since she
didn’t
know the sisters, but because Poliana was familiar to her, Rosy walked towards
Poliana
and waited to be patted.
This domesticated deer was very affectionate. It seemed that she craved to be
patted
because Sir Rabi hasn’t been around lately.
“Oh, the deer is coming towards us!”
“Whenever we try to touch her, she runs away!”
The twins exclaimed, making the deer jump. When they quieted down, Rosy walked
towards Poliana again, who stroked her back gently. The soft fur felt nice on her
skin.
Poliana was glad she didn’t insist on making gloves out of Rosy’s hide.
Poliana held on to Rosy so Vaxi and Vanessa could pet her too.
“Wow, what a pretty deer!”
“We always thought that the deer was large and scary-looking because they are like
that around here, but I guess there are prettier animals down south.”
“But we are worried about her. Our father thought to bring some dogs from the south
here too, but that didn’t push through because their hair was either too thin or
they
weren’t hairy enough. He was worried they might not survive the harsh northern
weather.”
“Sir Poliana, do you think this deer will be ok in the winter? I mean, she is so
small and
her hair is too short.”
Poliana then replied, “Wouldn’t it be ok if she lives inside the house?”
“Our mother will never let her inside.”
“But I saw the dogs being allowed inside the horse stalls…”
“Yes, but we can’t have the deer inside the barns because the dogs will attack
her.”
The Acreian dogs were hunters, which meant that they would kill Rosy instantly as
soon
as they saw her. The dogs and the deer could not live together. Even the oldest dog
tried to attack when he saw Rosy.
The twins, who were animal lovers just like their father, hugged the deer and
chatted
with Poliana. It was nice to see beautiful young ladies and the pretty deer
together.
Suddenly, Vanessa lifted Rosy up and gave her a big hug. Poliana couldn’t believe
her
eyes. The deer was on the smaller side for a wild animal, but Rosy still weighed a
solid 80
pounds and yet, Vanessa didn’t even blink as she easily lifted the deer.
“I want to hug her too!”
Vaxi exclaimed and when Vanessa handed her Rosy, she received the deer without a
problem. Vaxi didn’t look like she was strained either.
It seemed that the sisters didn’t only inherit their father’s loud voice, but also
his
herculean strength. These girls would make much better knights than Poliana. They
were stronger, which meant that they could wield heavier and more powerful
weapons.
Poliana felt a sudden disappointment in herself. Feeling defeated, Poliana finished
her
training very early that day.
***
The lady’s quarter was off-limits to men. Even the sisters’ father, Sir Rabi had to
be
careful when he enters this space. The only exceptions here were seniors and
children.
Bardo Bika, the youngest son of the Bika family, was free to roam around the house
including his sisters’ private areas. He frequented the lady’s quarter less and
less,
however, as he got older.
Bardo Bika grew up believing that he would become a knight in the future. This was
expected by everyone around him. Any sons born in a knight’s family were expected
to
become soldiers unless they had health problems. As the only son and the heir to
the
Bika family, Bardo was expected to become a knight.
For some reason, Bardo seemed to like Poliana. He visited her often to chat. Sir
Rabi was
very busy. Poliana didn’t know why, but he was, and yet the knight still spent a
significant amount of time with his young son. Poliana enviously watched the family
spend their quality time together.
“Hyaa!!”
“Bardo, you need to block your side, your front too, and your back of course!”
Sir Rabi was teaching his son how to fight with a sword. Lady Bika watched them
from
afar with a content expression. Poliana watched as well with a smile, while Vaxi
and
Vanessa clenched their fists and yelled, “Bardo, not like that! You need to attack
his
side!”
“No, lower your head, now!”
“Gosh, why are you so bad at this?! That’s not the right move!”
“Hold your sword straight and block him!”
“Father is trying to teach you, so you need to do better Bardo!”
“That’s right! Father is watching, so try harder!”
At his twin sisters’ nonstop screams, Bardo quickly lost his focus and stumbled.
Sir Rabi
helped his son so he wouldn’t fall and announced that it was time for a break.
“We’ve had enough for the day, I think.”
“But Father! I can go on a bit longer! I am not tired at all!”
“I’m sure you aren’t, Bardo, but it sounds like your sisters’ mouths need a break.”
Lady Bika quietly reprimanded her daughters, “Why can’t you girls watch quietly?”
“I’m sorry, mother, but it is so frustrating to watch Bardo do so poorly!”
“I’m sorry, mother. We won’t do it again.”
“Vaxi, Vanessa, you girls don’t know anything about swords! Don’t you know that
watching and actually wielding the weapon are two very different things?”
Sir Rabi walked towards his wife and said with a smile, “Go easy on the girls, my
love.
They were actually right about the moves. Bardo, I think your sisters have good
eyes
when it comes to sparring.”
The twins, who looked said at their mother’s words, smiled brightly when their
father
complimented them. Watching the family as they laughed and have fun, Poliana
nodded in approval. She wasn’t sure why she was invited to their private family
time,
but nonetheless, it was still very nice to see them happy together.
And although Poliana was alone and she didn’t belong to the Bika family, she didn’t
feel lonely. She was familiar with Sir Rabi, and the rest of the family kept her
pretty busy.
They were very thoughtful and kind to her.
Poliana knew that when someone asked how her stay was at the Bika house, she would
answer that she had the best time of her life.
Chapter 108: Chapter 108
Chapter 108
Marquis Seeze’s mansion, which was located in Nabana, was as luxurious as the royal
castle itself. He served the Acreian noble family since the time of Lucius the
First’s
grandfather, and it was clear that the family was compensated handsomely. Lucius
the
First’s grandfather died early, leaving two sons behind. Ever since, Marquis Seeze
became the real power and authority of Acreia. He arranged marriages of his
children
to powerful families and slowly but surely further strengthened his power.
After returning home, Sir Bentier had no time to rest. As the deputy commander of
the
army, he still had so much to do even after the war.
His home hasn’t changed at all in his absence during the last 10 years. It was just
as
luxurious, and his father and uncles still treated him like a stranger. His wife
still acted the
same way; polite and indifferent. His son, who was a baby when he left, was not a
young boy.
Sir Bentier patted his head and nodded to his wife, that was the end of their
greeting.
Nothing had changed, and the one who changed the least was Marquis Seeze, who
still didn’t know that his grandson had changed his mind about the emperor.
The old man didn’t show how he truly felt to his grandson. Marquis Seeze still
didn’t trust
his grandson completely, and perhaps it was because Marquis himself was always
ready to betray anyone if necessary.
All his life, Sir Bentier behaved accordingly to please his grandfather.
He stood outside Marquis Seeze’s room and waited quietly, Marquis was with the
other
elders in a meeting. When Tory came by with a tray of tea, she spotted Sir Bentier
and
bowed respectfully.
It was obvious that the elders were talking about something secretive. When Tory
walked inside and informed Marquis that Sir Bentier had been there waiting for a
long
time, the other elders left quickly.
Sir Bentier greeted them and walked into the library, which was spotless and well
organized. He found Marquis Seeze was sitting in his chair.
“You must be very tired, so you should be resting now. I am sleepy too.”
“Sorry to visit you so late, Grandfather. I was working and I forgot the time.”
“I’m proud of your hard work.”
“You have honored me with this position, so it is my duty to do my best and
Grandfather, I would like to talk about what would happen after the things had
settled
down.”
Sir Bentier did do exactly what his grandfather wanted him to do and now that the
war
was over, it didn’t make sense for Sir Bentier to continue to hold the title of the
deputy
commander.
Marquis Seeze answered, “Make sure to hold onto the military authority. It will
come
handy at some point. There is a rumor that Rabi Bika will be leaving the north, his
position should be your next goal.”
Sir Bentier was aware of this rumor, but he put on a mildly surprised expression.
Sir Bentier
was a very thoughtful and careful man. He always acted ignorantly so the others
would
underestimate him or make false assumptions.
Sir Bentier didn’t ask his grandfather about the private military forces he and the
other
elders must be working on. Instead, Sir Bentier said to Marquis Seeze,
“Grandfather, his
highness is a great emperor. He is wise and ambitious. He had turned Acreia into
not just
a simple kingdom, but the center of the entire continent. With his highness, Acreia
will
become stronger and more prosperous than ever.
“I know.”
Marquis Seeze never imagined that Lucius the First would really unite the
continent. This
was bad news because what he wanted was a stupid and naïve emperor. He wanted
Lucius the First to fail.
But the emperor returned a victor, and the marquis realized that he now had no
choice
but to acknowledge Lucius the First as the true and capable ruler of Acreia. This
meant
that Marquis Seeze had to treat the emperor differently.
Acreia was no longer a single kingdom. It owned the entire continent and therefore,
the Acreian nobles were going to gain the greatest wealth and power they could ever
imagine.
At this point, Marquis Seeze had no plans to go against Lucius the First.
“I won’t be antagonizing his highness, don’t worry.”
Up till the former emperor’s generation, the Acreian nobles and elders were more
powerful than the emperor himself but now with Lucius the First, things were
rapidly
changing. The current emperor was quickly gaining more and more power.
To maintain a fine balance, the elders needed to be smart. Keeping their private
armies
was one way to secure their authority over the government. It was insurance for
them.
The emperor didn’t think too much of it. He didn’t think this would give the nobles
enough power to become problematic in the future, but Marquis Seeze didn’t care. He
wasn’t going to let go of his personal army no matter what the emperor says.
And so far, Lucius the First hasn’t mentioned anything. What was he waiting for?
Marquis Seeze said to his grandson, “We will see what his highness does. For now,
don’t
worry too much about things. You should go rest now.”
Marquis Seeze laughed quietly.
***
Lady Bika banned the men from entering the lady’s quarters, but the knights were
still
allowed to enter the main house whenever they wanted. Of course, they rarely did
out
of respect. The knights only entered the main house when they needed something.
Of all the men, Sirs Howe and Donau were the ones who frequented the house the
most. It made sense because Sir Howe used to be Sir Rabi’s man while Sir Donau’s
direct
supervisor was Poliana, who was a guest staying inside the main house.
Sir Rabi made a point of inviting these two young men whenever he returned home
from work. He also invited the other knights from time to time for drinks and chats
so that
he would not look suspicious.
It has been a few years since Poliana heard the conversation between Sir Baufallo
and
Sir Rabi about their children’s marriages. And finally, Sir Baufallo told his
oldest son about
his plan. Sir Howe seemed very nervous about the prospect of his potential marriage
at
the time.
Today, Sir Rabi invited the two brothers again. This time, it was for dinner, and
to make
things less awkward, he invited Poliana as well. When she appeared in a woman’s
robe,
Sir Howe teased her, “Shall we dance?”
“I see that you are doing well now that you are free from Sir Ainno.”
“Absolutely, I love it!”
Unlike Sir Howe, Sir Donau was more genuine, “Sis, it’s true that you look really
good.
That outfit definitely suits you much better than the one you wore that other
time.”
This was true. At the Bikpa banquet, Poliana was forced to wear gaudy dress,
makeup,
and jewels. Now in a simple gown, she looked much better and more natural.
The rode Lady Bika offered was feminine, but still very comfortable and unlike the
other
noblewomen, Lady Bika didn’t insist on her wearing a wig or makeup. Before this
dinner,
Poliana was worried that she was underdressed.
‘Maybe I should be more dressed up?’
It was a formal dinner with the master and the lady of the house after all. But
when
Poliana asked, Lady Bika replied that it was going to be a comfortable informal
dinner
and that Poliana was dressed accordingly. In fact, Sirs Howe and Donau were also in
their work clothes.
Every time Lady Bika took care of her, Poliana was once again reminded of her need
for a wife.
“Thank you, Sir Donau. Now, how is everyone else in the castle? How are our fellow
guards?”
Chapter 109: Chapter 109
Chapter 109
Sir Donau replied, “Well, everyone is busy getting used to their new surroundings.
What
Sir Wook said in his report is pretty accurate. We have nothing more to report, I
guess.
Oh and Sir Jainno…”
‘Hmm… I guess he won’t admit that he is having a hard time…’
Poliana thought to herself secretly. Based on Sir Wook’s report, there had been an
increasing conflict between the guards that belonged to Sir Jainno’s team and the
guards who were back from the war. It was because many of the new guards
appointed by Lucius the First during the war were of lower ranks and births. Sir
Jainno’s
guards were all from wealthy powerful families and they did not look kindly on the
new
additions to their team.
Poliana suspected that Donau was one of the low-birth guards who were being
bullied,
but it seemed that he wasn’t going to say anything to his adopted sister. She
became
upset that he wouldn’t confide in her. After all, on top of being his sister-like
figure,
Poliana was also his direct supervisor. Shouldn’t he tell her if he was in trouble?
‘Gosh, he likes to pretend that he’s tough.’
They spent the last 10 years together. Poliana could tell what Sir Donau was
thinking. He
was trying to spare her from his problems since she was on a vacation. He was
trying to
be kind and considerate, but it only made her feel disappointed and left out.
Not knowing how Poliana was feeling, Donau continued to chat about Sir Jainno.
Donau claimed that he was initially worried about him since he was Sir Ainno’s
brother,
but to his surprise, Sir Jainno didn’t seem like an overly strange person. Compared
to Sir
Ainno, Sir Jainno was a real gentleman.
Donau explained, “Sir Ainno just hits first then explains after, but apparently,
Sir Jainno
hits you and explains things to you at the same time.”
Poliana asked seriously, “But then, how would you be able to hear his explanation
while
you are being beaten? Would you be able to hear him still?”
“I’ve never actually seen it happen, so I don’t know. I just heard about it, that’s
all.”
As Poliana and the Baufallo brothers walked towards the dining room, Poliana could
feel Sir Howe’s nervousness. Sir Howe always had a great respect for Sir Rabi, and
to
realize this man could be his future father-in-law was causing a lot of pressure on
him.
Poliana thought secretly, ‘I hope everything works out.’
Since the fathers were done arranging the details, it made sense to have the future
couples to meet like this, but the problem was going to be the fact that Sir
Baufallo’s
family was much poorer and less powerful than Sir Rabi’s. There was a good chance
that the elders of Sir Rabi’s family were going to object to their union.
Tonight’s dinner mattered. Sir Howe and Donau needed to make excellent impressions
on the seniors of Sir Rabi’s family.
The servant opened the dining-room door for them and Poliana was escorted to her
seat. The house belonged to Sir Rabi and his wife, but today, Sir Rabi Senior and
his wife
were present and therefore sat at the head of the table.
When the dinner began, it was Sir Rabi who led the conversation.
“So Sir Howe, how is the knight’s order going?”
“Very well, Sir. We are at the final stage of completing it. Sir Ainno will lead it
with Sir
Mahogal as his aide. I was told they are already in the process of producing the
flag for
the order.”
Sir Rabi Senior shook his head and murmured, “Hmm… A knight’s order…”
His voice was quiet, as if talking to himself, but it was still loud enough for
everyone to
hear. He continued, “Mimicking the useless and frivolous southerners is not a good
thing.”
Sir Rabi replied with a smile, “Father, this knight’s order will be the best on the
continent!
Especially with Sir Howe, he is an excellent fighter.”
Sir Howe added with an awkward grin, “Hahaha, I would never compare to Sir Rabi,
however. I am flattered, Sir Rabi, thank you.”
Poliana watched sadly at how Sir Howe was desperately trying to make a good
impression, his laugh sounded very uncomfortable.
‘This is not good…’
Sir Howe was indeed an excellent knight. Even Sir Ainno acknowledged Sir Howe’s
fighting skills. However, Sir Howe’s biggest weapon was his social nature. He could
easily
befriend anyone, yet tonight, it seemed that he was too nervous.
Sir Rabi Senior asked, “Alright. So I heard that your younger brother is in the
royal guard
division. Is this correct?”
“Yes, he has been honored with that great duty.”
Lady Bika, who had been quiet throughout the dinner, smiled and asked, “My, what
accomplished brothers, and what is your mother’s maiden name? May I ask which
family is she from?”
Sir Howe froze, so Sir Donau answered instead. When the name sounded unfamiliar,
which clearly meant their mother came from a modest noble family, Lady Bika’s smile
became rigid. Sir Rabi Senior said quietly, “Hmm… Yet somehow, you were able to
enter the royal guards.”
Was it a compliment, or was it sarcasm?
Thankfully, Sir Howe seemed to have relaxed a little. He then replied, “There is a
great
story behind it. You probably all know about the incident that happened in Bikpa
with
King Gali the Third. Inside the Yapa castle at the time of the fight, Sir Rabi and
many of
the knights, including myself, were trapped and unable to protect his highness.
Luckily,
the emperor still had a few knights with him and one of them was my younger
brother,
who protected his highness with his life. The emperor was very impressed with Sir
Donau.”
“Oh!”
Sir Howe further relaxed as everyone on the table seemed interested in his story.
When
they turned toward Sir Donau expectantly, Sir Donau said humbly, “Actually, it was
Sir
Poliana, who was the hero of that day.”
It would have been better if Sir Donau did not mention Poliana. Poliana wanted to
stab
Sir Donau with her fork for ruining the conversation.
Tonight had to be about Sirs Donau and Howe. This dinner was arranged by Sir Rabi
so
the brothers could make a good impression on the Rabi seniors. Poliana was only
here
so that there wouldn’t be any rumors about the ongoing marriage plan, which had to
remain a secret for now.
Poliana currently had the same rank as Sir Rabi, which meant no one on the table,
not
even Sir Rabi Senior could openly disrespect her. If the dinner was about Poliana,
Sir
Rabi would have made sure the conversation involved only the safest and most
mundane topics but of course, Sir Donau didn’t know about this. He only mentioned
her
accomplishment to show respect to her.
One thing Poliana didn’t know was how impressed the Acreian knights and soldiers
were with her that day. She not only had the sense to keep hidden weapons on her
but
also risked her life to protect the emperor even when everything seemed hopeless
and
they were fully surrounded.
When she came out of that banquet room, she looked devastating. She was covered
in blood and her dress was ripped to shreds. But her colleagues remembered her as
the
heroine of the day and even to this day, they talked about her with respect among
themselves.
Sir Donau explained that day with all the details he could remember. How her dress
was
ripped, how she threw away her wig, and how she ran around barefoot.
Sir Rabi and his father listened quietly, while their wives looked horrified.
When Sir Donau was finished, Sir Rabi Senior asked Poliana, “So did you bring any
hidden weapons to this dinner too? Do you have any daggers on you?”
Chapter 110: Chapter 110
Chapter 110
Sir Rabi protested, “Father! Sir Poliana is the head of the royal guards and my
honored
guest! You are being rude!”
Poliana calmly replied to Sir Rabi Senior, “I didn’t bring any weapons with me to
this
dinner, because I didn’t think it was necessary. These walls are covered in weapons
and
armors. I saw that the weapons are all well-sharpened too.”
Sir Rabi Senior’s question was indeed very rude. Poliana could have answered it
more
diplomatically, but she didn’t feel the need to do so. She also didn’t think she
deserved
such rudeness.
Besides, it was true that the walls were decorated with excellent weapons. Behind
her
were maces while the wall in front of her held two large swords. If necessary, she
could
take them down and use them rather than making an effort of bringing her own to the
dinner.
Poliana added, “I also trust Sir Rabi. He is one of the best and honorable knights
I have
ever met. He is also very kind and generous to his men. I have great respect for
him.”
This was the truth. Poliana did have great respect for Sir Rabi. She could
understand
why Sir Howe considered Sir Rabi to be his favorite superior. Sir Rabi looked sly,
but he
was actually a very honest man. He could also be very kind, although not during his
training.
It was clear that he loved his men, and everyone looked up to him.
Poliana asked Sir Rabi Senior, “I don’t know if you asked me that question to
insult me or
if you were truly curious, but it doesn’t matter. I felt insulted, so I would like
you to
apologize, Sir.”
Poliana looked like she was ready to duel the old man if necessary. Sir Rabi Senior
glared at her before stating, “Your eyes tell me that you have killed before.”
“Obviously.”
“When was your first kill?”
“When I was 12 years old, my teacher brought me a man on a death row so I could
practice.”
“Hmm… A wise teacher.”
The old man laughed and coughed before adding, “Not all murderers are knights, but
all knights are murderers. I couldn’t control my curiosity and ended up being rude
to my
guest. I apologize, and I apologize to everyone here.”
With the old man’s sincere apology, the conversation resumed naturally. Poliana
wasn’t
upset and she continued to enjoy her meal.
Sir Rabi’s family was frank and honest, and Poliana liked them. The twins were kind
and
beautiful, and she thought that perhaps they were too good for the Baufallo
brothers.
‘Hmm… But Sir Rabi must have a really good reason for pursuing this marriage plan.’
There had to be. There was too big of a gap between the families in terms of wealth
and position. The fact that Donau and Sir Howe were good men and that they had a
good future ahead of them wasn’t enough.
The conversation went on smoothly. When there was a pause, Lady Bika Senior asked
Poliana, “So are you retiring soon?”
“No. I am on a short vacation.”
“Oh, no. Then, when will you get married?”
Poliana knew the best answer here was a vague one, an honest answer would make
them nag.
“I will when I meet a good man.”
A man who would be willing to change his last name to his wife’s, a man who
wouldn’t
mind his wife working with other men, and a man who would be ok with his wife being
barren; that’s what she would consider as a good man.
The lady said to Poliana patiently, “It is best for any woman to get married as
early as
possible. That way, you would have a better chance of bearing many healthy
children.”
If Poliana answered honestly that she was barren, it was going to stop the lady
from
nagging, but she would have to go through the standard sympathy speech. Poliana
wasn’t in the mood, so she remained quiet.
The elderly lady continued, “My daughter-in-law here… She got married at a very
young age, but she had difficulty bearing a son. I am so thankful that she was
finally
able to have Bardo.”
Bardo Bika, the only son of Sir Rabi and the heir to the Bika family. If he wasn’t
born,
there was a good chance that Sir Rabi could have never joined the emperor in this
war.
If Sir Rabi wasn’t there… Things could have gone very badly for Acreia. Poliana
didn’t
even want to think about what might have happened if they didn’t have Sir Rabi with
them.
Thank god Bardo was born.
Lady Bika smiled kindly and said with a nod, “Yes, that’s right. A woman’s life
begins
only after she bears her sons.” She then turned towards her twin daughters and
added,
“You need to listen carefully, girls. A woman’s life depends all on the men around
her. A
lucky woman is born to a good father, is married to a good husband, and gets to
bear
good sons. You girls were very fortunate to have such a great father and he will
find you
good husbands. After that, all you have to do is bear good sons and raise them
right.”
“Yes, mother.”
“Of course, mother.”
Poliana turned towards Vaxi and Vanessa, who have been quiet the entire dinner. All
they did was smile blankly. However, Poliana noted that Sir Rabi wasn’t smiling. In
fact,
he looked upset, even more so when he had an argument with his father.
Poliana saw that Donau was about to protest to Lady Bika, but she glared at Donau
to
stop him. With her eyes, she ordered him not to say a word.
What Lady Bika said to her daughters could be considered rude to Poliana, but
Poliana
knew the lady had no intention of insulting her. All Lady Bika was doing was trying
to
teach her daughters a lesson she thought was very important, this was what Lady
Bika
believed.
A mother taught her daughters the wisdom she learned from her own mother; mother
to daughters, sister to sister.
Lady Bika didn’t mean to offend Poliana. It was obvious that the possibility didn’t
even
cross the lady’s mind. In her defense, this was all she knew. This was how Lady
Bika lived
her life.
The twins smiled in agreement. They were good obedient daughters, this was their
choice.
Just as Poliana didn’t choose to become a knightess, the twins didn’t have a choice
when it came to how they lived their lives. The only thing they could do was to try
their
best to enjoy whatever lives they were given and find any sense of happiness they
could so it would be bearable.
This was exactly what Poliana’s sister, Liana, did. Liana grew up listening to her
mother
who taught her a woman’s happiness was to find a good man and get married and
being an obedient daughter, Liana did just that. She made sure to spend her every
effort to make herself presentable and learn feminine skills such as music. Then,
when
she got the chance, she married the best man she could possibly find.
When Poliana was reunited with Liana, she didn’t think Liana was unhappy. Her
stepsister didn’t look overly happy, but there had to be a small sense of happiness
somewhere in her life.
‘Besides, I gave her a house as a gift too.’
Healthy children, a nobleman as her husband, healthy parents, and a free house.
Liana’s life sounded very decent. And because Poliana understood that way of life,
she
wasn’t offended by Lady Bika’s words. The lady didn’t mean anything by it.
Besides, Lady Bika has been very kind to Poliana throughout her stay. What she felt
was
her genuine kindness, and whatever she said tonight was just a simple mistake.
Poliana
could see that Lady Bika was nervous tonight, probably because she was sitting in
front
of her potential sons-in-law.
This made sense. Sir Rabi knew the men as well as their father, Sir Baufallo, very
well, but
Lady Bika didn’t know much about them other than what she heard from her husband.
Her daughters’ lives depended on what kind of men Sir Howe and Donau were.
Poliana glared at Donau again, silently ordering him to behave himself.
Thankfully, the dinner ended in a good mood. The elders left the room the earliest
and
next were the twins. Bardo wasn’t present at the diner because he was too young.
And finally, Sir Rabi turned to his wife and pointed out her rude mistake towards
Poliana.
Chapter 111: Chapter 111
Chapter 111
Lady Bika seemed surprised and confused.
“Pardon? What did I do…?”
“What you said earlier… You were being rude to Sir Poliana.”
“What did I say? Oh, wait… Oh no!”
Lady Bika suddenly realized her mistake. She turned towards Poliana and exclaimed
in
horror. Poliana was used to this kind of reaction. No matter where she went, it
seemed
that the people around her would always forget that she was a woman.
Lady Bika apologized sincerely, “I didn’t mean to offend you, Sir Poliana. I am
truly
sorry.”
“I know you didn’t mean anything by it, Lady Bika. You were only talking to your
daughters, not me.”
“Oh my goodness… I was so nervous that I didn’t think clearly…”
“It’s totally understandable. I’m fine, it’s alright.”
“You are so kind and forgiving, Sir Poliana. I can’t believe how nice you are.”
“It is all thanks to his highness, of course.”
A good knight never misses a chance to praise their emperor.
***
Poliana over-ate at the dinner so she decided to go for a short walk. She ended up
walking with Sir Howe and Donau, who were on their way to the guest house.
As soon as Sir Howe and Poliana saw that there wasn’t anyone around, they grabbed
Donau and kicked him. Donau screamed, but Sir Howe and Poliana had no mercy.
Poliana gagged Donau with the handkerchiefs she got from the twins and whispered,
“You are such an idiot, Donau!”
“That’s right, you almost ruined everything!” Sir Howe added.
“Arrggghh! …!”
Donau became upset. “What did I do? What are you guys talking about?”
Poliana then replied, “Why did you bring my name up when Sir Howe was talking about
the Bikpa incident?! He was trying to make you look good, and you almost ruined the
whole evening! Don’t you want to get married?”
Sir Howe too added, “I don’t care if you don’t ever want to get married, Donau, but
don’t ever be in my way to have a good marriage!”
“What are you guys talking about?!”
Poliana sighed in frustration. She thought Donau was a quick and smart young man,
but
obviously, she was wrong. Why was he having such a hard time figuring this out?
Sir Baufallo only told Sir Howe about the potential marriage deal because he wasn’t
sure if the double marriage was a good idea, but it seemed that this was exactly
what
Sir Rabi wanted.
Most men would have figured it out by now, but Donau seemed genuinely confused.
Poliana finally explained it to him, “Sir Rabi wants you and your brother as his
sons-inlaw.”
“WHAT?”
Sir Donau stumbled and fell on the ground. Sir Howe grabbed his younger brother and
helped him stand up.
Sir Howe exclaimed excitedly, “I know! I know! Sir Rabi! The man I respect so much!
That
man could become my father-in-law! He must really like me!”
Sir Howe jumped around happily. It wasn’t a done deal yet, but he couldn’t hide his
excitement. Poliana frowned at his loudness.
Donau still couldn’t understand the situation, “This can’t be! Our family is not
good
enough!”
Poliana replied, “It looks like Sir Rabi believes that you two will be promoted to
great
positions. He thinks you two have potentials.”
“But still, the difference between our two families is too big! I mean, we are so
poor, and
Sir Rabi is so wealthy.”
Poliana nodded. “Yeah, I kinda agree with that, the Rabi twins are too good for you
boys.”
“That’s not fair, Sir Pol! We aren’t that bad!” Sir Howe protested.
Donau, however, agreed with Poliana. “Right? They are too good for us!”
One brother was all for the idea, while the other was flabbergasted and adamantly
against it. But in the end, how the brothers felt about it didn’t matter at all.
The final
decision was going to be made by Sir Rabi, not the Baufallo brothers.
How funny an arranged marriage could be!
As the person who now knew both the twins and the brothers, Poliana had a clear
view
of the situation. Personally, she was on Sir Howe and Donau’s side since they were
her
friends, almost like brothers, but objectively speaking, she had to admit that the
Rabi
sisters were too good for the Baufallo brothers.
Sir Bika was a count while Sir Baufallo was just a knight. Even if the Ribo family
received
a title and lands, there was still a huge gap between a well-established aristocrat
and a
newly appointed noble. This was going to be a great honor for the Baufallo
brothers,
yet it seemed Donau was unhappy about it.
Poliana then asked, “Why are you complaining?”
“A marriage should be between two people who like each other…”
Before Donau could finish his sentence, Sir Howe and Poliana rolled their eyes and
replied, “What are you talking about? You’re dreaming!”
“You are such a naïve boy.”
Marriage was decided between the parents, not the actual people involved. It was an
arrangement and nothing more. A love marriage was just a dream; it was something
that one could read in a romance novel and if one wanted love, they could learn to
love their other half.
Poliana had no idea that her adopted little brother had such a dangerous idea about
marriage. She then muttered, “Wow. I had no idea you were so ambitious. A love
marriage?”‘
Sir Howe added, “I know! I’m shocked and a little scared. Who thinks like that?”
Sir Donau frowned and replied, “Whatever. All I know is that I am against this
marriage.”
“Donau, it’s not your decision! Sirs Rabi and Baufallo will be the ones who would
have
the final say here! Besides, I keep telling you that you are the one who will get
the most
out of it!”
“Even then, I don’t want it!”
Suddenly, Sir Howe’s eyes widened. “Donau, could it be… Do you have someone you
like? There many beautiful ladies in the royal castle… Is that why?”
When Donau looked at Poliana desperately, she frowned because she didn’t
understand what he wanted from her.
‘Is he asking me for help…?’
She didn’t get Donau sometimes and in this case, she knew that even if she asked
what
he wanted, he would deny that he was asking for help.
‘What a strange boy.’
When Donau remained silent, Sir Howe stopped teasing his little brother. He sighed
and
murmured, “I was always so envious of Sir Rabi, but I guess no family is perfect.”
Poliana asked, “What do you mean? They are a perfect family.”
“I’m talking about Lady Bika. To have your firstborn a girl is bad enough, but twin
girls?!
Then, she didn’t have any more children for years. Imagine how she must’ve felt
when
she heard about the upcoming conquest! Her husband might be leaving to follow the
emperor and she still didn’t bear a son… That sounds scary!”
Donau nodded in agreement, but when Poliana looked confused, Sir Howe explained
to her their customs.
Firstly, twins were considered unlucky. Poliana understood this part perfectly.
Since
women could not inherit family wealth, daughters were considered a burden because
fathers needed to pay a handsome dowry for their daughters. This meant that having
two daughters at once would be seen as an expensive burden. There was no doubt
that Lady Bika would’ve gone through terrible stress when she bore her twin
daughters,
and to not bear any more children for years afterward…
Based on what she saw today, Poliana could tell that Lady Bika’s mother-in-law was
not
a kind understanding woman. Poor Lady Bika…
Sir Howe claimed confidently, “I do think having a son is very important, but if I
could
become Sir Rabi’s son-in-law, I wouldn’t mind even if I only have daughters.”
Donau said quietly, “I don’t care about having children at all. It would be fine
for me
not to have any kids.”
Sir Howe turned towards him with a frown, “Hey! You can’t say that! One of us needs
to
have at least one son to carry on our family name!”
Poliana watched as the brothers argued. In Acreia, a woman could not inherit the
family title or wealth, which meant that a son was a must.
Every family needed to have a son.
Chapter 112: Chapter 112
Chapter 112
By the time Poliana returned to the lady’s quarters, Vaxi and Vanessa were both in
their
pajamas and chatting with each other. When they saw Poliana come in, they both
apologized to her for their mother’s mistake. Poliana bowed to them and explained
to
them that it was ok since Lady Bika already apologized to her.
“Our mother is just very worried about us. That’s all, Sir Poliana.”
“That’s right, Sir Poliana. She is very worried because we still aren’t married yet
and we
are getting old now.”
Even though Sir Rabi has been away for a long time, the girls have been getting
many
marriage offers. Their grandfather, Sir Rabi Senior, was still alive and well and
therefore
could have arranged good marriages for the twins, but apparently, Sir Rabi insisted
that
he would be the one picking out their husbands. This was why the sisters had to
wait this
long.
Noble ladies get married at an early age. Some even had a marriage arranged when
they were only one year old, though it was very rare. Usually, girls became engaged
after their first period and within 2 years, a wedding would take place.
On the other hand, considerably, any man could get married no matter how old they
were. In some cases, some men in their 50’s married teenage girls.
So for the Rabi twins to be still unmarried at the age of 20 was a surprise. One
saving
grace for them, however, was the fact that the Rabi family was wealthy and
powerful,
and Sir Rabi returned a hero. In fact, other noble ladies praised Lady Bika for
waiting
because now that men have returned from the war, there were many more and better
options for the girls.
The twins then stated, “We are so lucky to have such caring parents.”
“That’s right. We are very fortunate.”
“We are so happy.”
“Very happy indeed.”
The ladies in their pajamas held each other’s’ hands. They looked so lovely, but
there
was a hint of bitterness in them. Even throughout the dinner, Poliana could see
that they
weren’t perfectly happy about their lives as women, but nonetheless, the girls
seemed
content. After all, they grew up in a loving family. Everyone around them wanted
their
happiness. Sure, they were forced into a path that was set for them and they were
powerless to change it, but they knew their lives would be peaceful and
comfortable.
That was why the twins could smile.
Of course, they still wanted more from their lives.
The sisters asked Poliana, “When we heard about you from our father’s letters, we
were
so surprised.”
“That’s right! We thought all the stories about you were just false rumors.”
“A female knight! We never thought it was possible until we heard about you.”
“We heard that in some kingdoms, like Acreia, a woman can even inherit the family
name and their wealth! Is that true?”
“Yes. Aehas, Mongsheim, and other few southern kingdoms used to allow it.”
Poliana made sure to emphasize the past tense. As long as Acreia ruled the world,
every kingdom was going to follow the Acreian law. There were a few minor villages
in
the southern-most region that kept their own customs, but the majority of the
continent
was now under the Acreian law.
Poliana continued, “But even in the past, there weren’t that many knightesses.
During
this war, I was the only one, I think.”
Some knightesses other than Poliana existed, but all of them held a symbolic
knighthood. They were honorary knights, not like Poliana who fought alongside her
men
in real battles.
Poliana was a rarity indeed. Did this mean Poliana was unlucky? Or was she lucky?
She supposed that she considered herself fortunate because she survived. She was
victorious and she received a great reward. It was not an easy journey by any
means,
but it was all worth it.
Poliana added, “And there won’t be any more knightess in the future since, in
Acreia,
we do not have a concept of a knightess. It’s simply not allowed.”
“But Sir Poliana, you have been acknowledged by the emperor himself as a
knightess!”
“We heard that you will be rewarded with a title and lands, father told us so.”
Poliana nodded because it was the truth. The emperor wouldn’t lie to her, so she
knew
she would be richly rewarded.
“I am an exception, Ladies.”
The twins looked at her curiously. They had the exact same expression on their
round
faces, and they looked adorable. Poliana contemplated how to explain it. She had no
intention of bragging to these young naïve ladies, in fact, she tried to downplay
her
situation as much as possible.
“His highness will probably let me be an exception. An emperor must abide by the
law
just like everyone else, but since he is the one and only ruler who was able to
unite the
continent, I think he probably has the power to make an exception for me.”
Poliana expected that there will be many occasions when the emperor makes
exceptions to various situations to his advantage. He confided in her once that he
hoped to anger and frustrate the elders with his innovative ideas.
Poliana knew she was very lucky to have met the emperor during the war. Her
knighthood was only possible because its possibility appeared during such confusion
and an unruly time. Now that the war was over and the continent found its peace,
there will no longer be such shocking exceptions.
Those soldiers who wanted to make it big in this world needed two things; the right
timing and the right person to notice and recognize them. Unfortunately for those
people, their timing was off. Everything was stabilizing, and it seemed unlikely
that there
would be any more major wars for a very long time.
This meant that there will be no more knightesses…
Poliana asked the girls, “Are you ladies telling me that you wanted to become
knights?”
“No.”
“No, no way! Our mother would die if she heard something like that!”
“That’s right! Our mother would faint from the shock!”
“And our grandmother would fall ill.”
Vaxi and Vanessa looked at each other and grinned as if they found something very
funny. They then turned towards Poliana and added, “We are good daughters. We will
get married to whoever our father chooses. We will spend our lives supporting and
taking care of our husbands.”
“Yes, we will live a quiet peaceful life. We hope our husbands would just be like
our
father.”
“And of course, the more children we bear, the better. We need to have sons for
sure.”
“Oh my, I hated the time before Bardo was born! Our grandparents used to not even
look at us because they were so disappointed!”
“That’s right! We need to make sure we bear sons so our daughters would never feel
the sadness we had to endure.”
The twins laughed, but then, they flinched as they realized that the window was
open.
They quickly closed it and remained quiet. It was considered shameful if a loud
noise
was heard from the lady’s quarters.
Vaxi and Vanessa each retired to their bedrooms, and Poliana also went to bed soon
after.
Something didn’t feel right to Poliana, but it was none of her business. This
wasn’t her
family, so she had no right to voice her concerns.
Chapter 113: Chapter 113
Chapter 113
Many peaceful days passed by and finally, one day, it seemed that the twins were
informed of their potential marriage to the two young Baufallo boys.
The girls didn’t know that Poliana already knew about this plan. They obviously
wanted
to find out as much as possible about the brothers, their future husbands, so they
began
to ask Poliana indirectly about Sir Howe and Donau. Poliana smiled at the adorable
ladies and tried to tell them only the best things about the brothers.
“As far as I know, Sir Donau prefers ladies who are strong and can protect
themselves.”
Unfortunately, Poliana didn’t know much about Sir Howe’s type, so she only talked
about Donau. Strong wise women… It was very different than what most men wanted
in a woman. Vaxi and Vanessa exclaimed excitedly, “Wow! He sounds very special and
different!”
“We love it!”
In the world of aristocrats, there was no such thing as dating or love marriage.
All
marriages were arranged by the parents. Poliana thought it would be best for the
twins
to hear only about the positive aspects of the boys, and it seemed that Poliana’s
plan
was working. The girls seemed happy about the possibility of getting married to Sir
Howe
and Donau.
Of course, the bigger the expectation was, the bigger the disappointment was going
to
be, but fortunately, the Ribo brothers were genuinely outstanding people. Poliana
was
certain that Sir Howe and Donau would not disappoint the Bika twins.
Poliana was having a nice chat with the twins when a maid entered and announced
that there was a guest for her. Poliana nodded, realizing that it was about time
for her
to receive Sir Wook’s daily report through a messenger.
‘Just how long do I have to take a break like this… When can I go back to work?’
Sir Rabi was as busy as ever nowadays. Even the knights who were staying in the
guesthouse left one by one as they received new postings. Either they moved down
south or they were assigned to a new position in the capital. There were only a few
men
left in the guesthouse now.
Donau and Sir Howe both received good titles. Poliana saw them looking excited and
proud. They returned home recently, and they promised that once their relatives
were
gone and their house was empty, they would invite Poliana there.
Everyone was busy except Poliana. She was on an indefinite vacation, but at least,
she
got a report from Sir Wook every day, which kept her in the loop. Based on what she
heard from Donau, it sounded like everything was going ok at the royal castle. She
was
told that Lucius the First was even busier than Sir Rabi. He was so busy that Donau
rarely
saw him nowadays. Apparently, Duke Luzo was more overworked than before, and he
was often seen crying.
Because he was still unmarried, and he also didn’t seem to be in a hurry to find a
wife,
there was also a rumor that Duke Luzo might be more interested in men than women.
‘It must be hard to be a man too.’
When a woman wasn’t married by the time she turned 30, people would assume that
something was wrong with her. A woman over 30 was not expected to get married, so
there was no point in nagging her about it, but it was different for men. In a way,
a
woman became free of strange rumors once she was labeled a spinster, but not for a
man. For men, until they got married, people refused to stop speculating the
reasons
why they weren’t married yet.
Poliana shook her head.
‘People are so strange.’
Sir Rabi assigned a quiet room for Poliana’s use. She always received the messenger
in
this room. When she entered, she saw that the messenger was already here. He was
wearing a helmet and the blue guard’s uniform.
Poliana stopped when she saw the man. His body and the way he stood seemed too
familiar.
‘Who is this?’
What bothered Poliana the most was the way this man behaved in front of her. The
fact
that he was wearing the blue uniform meant he had to be her subordinate, yet he
didn’t salute her. He didn’t even straighten up or introduce himself.
Poliana decided that when she returned to her post, she needed to retrain all of
her
men again.
‘I can’t believe that the guards have relaxed this much since I’ve been away.’
The war may be over, but a soldier needed to always act like a soldier. This was
bad.
Poliana ordered coldly, “Straighten up.”
“…”
“Introduce yourself.”
“…”
The guard in the helmet remained quiet. Poliana couldn’t believe what was
happening. Was this guard purposely disrespecting her? If so, the best medicine she
could give to him was a kick in the nuts. Poliana clenched her fists and got ready.
But then… Something didn’t feel right. This man looked oddly familiar, so Poliana
stopped herself. Although he looked familiar, he also looked very strange in the
blue
uniform.
Perhaps he was Sir Jainno’s guard, in which case it made sense that he didn’t
recognize her. In fact, maybe this man was shocked and confused to see a random
strange woman walk in and order him around.
Yes, that made sense. It was especially plausible since Poliana wasn’t wearing her
military uniform. She was wearing a woman’s gown, so the messenger probably
thought that she was some mad woman.
‘But even then… He would’ve been told what to expect before being sent here… that I
was a woman… Hmm… He must be a little slow.’
Not the sharpest tool in the toolbox… Poliana shook her head sadly. With all the
patience she could muster, Poliana introduced herself, “I am his highness Lucius
the
First’s head of the royal guard division. My name is Poliana Winter. Now, tell me
your
name. I will count to three and if you refuse to answer me again, I will have no
choice
but to punish you as your superior. One, two, three…”
“W, wait! Wait! It’s me.”
Even his voice sounded familiar, but because of his helmet, the sound was muffled
and
Poliana couldn’t be sure.
“I don’t have a man named ‘Me.'”
“It’s your emperor.”
The man finally took his helmet off. His beautiful blond hair fell out and his
gorgeous
face was revealed. A pair of amazing green eyes looked at Poliana intensely. As
soon
as she realized who it was, her eyes widened.
The most beautiful man in the world…
Lucius the First.
Her one and only emperor was here, standing in front of her.
Chapter 114: Chapter 114
Chapter 114
Lucius the First explained, “I was just so shocked to see you in a dress.” This was
why he
couldn’t say anything at first. He would’ve been less surprised to see Poliana in
full
battle gears.
“Sir Pol… I see that you are wearing a dress… It looks amazing. It suits you! I
wasn’t
shocked because it doesn’t suit you because it does! I was just very surprised to
see you
in a dress, that’s all. Yes, you look wonderful. Beautiful… Yes… You look good in
both
armor and a dress.”
The emperor felt embarrassed and awkward, so he kept rambling. What shocked him
even more right now, more than the fact that Poliana was wearing a dress, was how
his
heart was beating so fast and loudly.
Thump! Thump!
Then suddenly, Poliana grabbed his arm and pushed him against the nearest wall.
SLAM!
Lucius the First was trapped between the wall and Poliana. Their eyes met and
Poliana
stared at him intently. She didn’t look away, but the emperor’s eyes wavered.
Instinctively, his lips puckered a little, but Poliana quickly turned away and
began to
close the windows and the curtains. She whispered anxiously, “Your highness! What
if
someone shoots an arrow at you through the window?!”
Her emperor seemed to enjoy shocking her and making her feel nervous. When she was
certain that all the windows were firmly locked, Poliana turned towards him again.
“Your highness!”
She ran towards him because she saw Lucius the First panting with his hand
clutching his
chest. The beautiful man was breathless, and it was clear that something was very
wrong with him. Was it his heart?
Poliana leaned towards him. She had him lean on her chest and exclaimed, “Your
highness! What’s wrong?! Are you ill?”
“My heart… My heart…”
“I heard you have been working too hard lately. Are you ok? Should I get a doctor?”
“I feel like my heart is going to explode.”
“Just lie down for a second. I will get a doctor right away.”
Poliana laid the emperor down on the floor and tried to leave, but Lucius the First
grabbed her hand.
“Don’t go! It’s nothing. I just need to rest a little. It will feel better soon.”
The emperor spoke coherently, and he already looked much better but even so,
Poliana couldn’t relax. Trying to help him breathe better, she began to unbutton
his
shirt.
Lucius the First then murmured, “Sir Pol, you shouldn’t be undressing a man like
this.”
“Your highness, please stop joking around. This isn’t the time.”
Poliana’s hand reached inside his shirt and beneath his smooth skin, she tried to
feel his
heartbeat.
“Oh my god! Your highness, why is your heart beating so fast?!”
“I was just surprised, that’s all.”
Suddenly, Poliana realized that it was she who shocked the emperor. She was the one
who slammed him against the wall! Poliana was only trying to protect him, but
unintentionally, she upset him.
“Your highness, please forgive me! It is all my fault.”
“No, it’s ok, Sir Pol. You were only trying to do your job.”
“I deserve to be punished!”
“No, not at all. You were so brave, slamming me and locking me in your arms. You
looked so brave and loyal that I almost wanted to kiss you.”
Lucius the First knew that he would never forget this moment. He almost died from a
heart attack. Poliana Winter was a scary woman, her presence alone was able to
cause him such a jolt. She was dangerous, and there could be no man in this world
who
could have her, other than himself of course. Poliana should never get married….
She
should always be by his side…
‘Stop! Stop, Lucius! You need to let her live a happy fulfilling life!’
Lucius the First could no longer think clearly, but at least, his heart was calming
down.
Poliana asked, “Your highness, who escorted you here?”
“I came by myself.”
Poliana staggered a little, feeling dizzy. Lucius the First reached out, trying to
hug her,
but before he could, she straightened up. Lucius the First’s arms hung in the air
awkwardly, but Poliana didn’t even notice it. She began to nag, “Your highness!
Just
because the war is over, it doesn’t mean you are safe! How could you roam around
the
city all by yourself?! Do the guards know about this? Are you feeling safe just
because
we are in Nanaba? Your highness, I have told you many times before that you can’t!
Does Sir Wook know you are here? How about Sir Jainno?”
Lucius the First grinned proudly.
“No. No one knows! I am a very resourceful man, Sir Pol. Everything probably thinks
I’m
sleeping.”
Indeed, leaving the castle without being caught was quite an accomplishment, but
such a skill wasn’t supposed to be used like this!
Poliana became frustrated and confused.
‘It’s the middle of the day… So…’
Then suddenly, she realized what must’ve happened. She was told by many people
that the emperor had been overworking lately. She could see that he really did look
very tired. The emperor took great pride in his beauty and made sure to maintain
his
looks. Even during the war, he spent plenty of time caring for his skin and hair.
Yet
today, here he was, looking not his best, and he came to see her.
There had to be a very good reason for this visit. The emperor Poliana knew would
never risk himself like this unless he had an excellent reason.
“Is there a reason why you came to see me, your highness?”
“No.”
Lucius the First shook his head confidently.
“Then why did you come here, your highness! It is too dangerous. You must return to
the
castle immediately! I will escort you myself. Please wait here while I grab my
sword.”
“Pol.”
“Yes.”
The emperor hasn’t called her by her nickname in a long time. When she heard her
name, Poliana turned around to face him again. The emperor continued, “On my way
here, I thought of so many excuses and reasons I could give you for my visit.”
Poliana didn’t know what to say, so when she remained quiet, the emperor held her
hand tightly and continued, “But now that I saw you, I forgot all of them.”
‘He must be really tired.’
Lucius the First had an amazing memory, so the fact that he forgot meant he was
truly
tired. Poliana became worried. The emperor looked deeply into her eyes and tucked
her now-shoulder-length hair behind her ear. His fingers tickled her cheek a
little.
His eyes looked a little red and his voice sounded husky.
“Pol… I… I came here because I wanted to see you. I wanted to see you and touch
you. When you are not around me, I feel anxious and worried. I know you aren’t by
my
side because of me… because I haven’t called for you yet, but… I couldn’t help but
feel disappointed that you didn’t write me a single letter.”
“I didn’t write to you because I heard you were very busy. I’ll right one right
away!”
“No, it’s all right. We will see each other very soon anyway.”
Lucius the First became quiet. When he didn’t move, Poliana followed suit and
remained still as well. In this quiet room, the two of them were alone.
Just the two of them…
Then suddenly, a piece of faint music was heard around them. The twins were
practicing their instruments in the next room.
The emperor grinned and said to her, “We didn’t get to dance together the last time
you were wearing a dress. I always thought that the next time you wear a dress
again, I
would dance with you all night.”
“If you aren’t too tired, I would love to dance with you right now. Shall we?”
Poliana curtseyed, and Lucius the First’s bitter smile deepened.
“No, it’s alright. If I begin to dance with you now, I don’t think I will be able
to stop.”
The emperor grabbed his helmet, and Poliana asked worriedly, “But you are tired…”
“No, I’m ok. Now that I saw you, I feel perfectly fine. I am glad I came here to
see you. I
had to crawl through a crawlspace to leave the castle, and I questioned myself why
I
was doing it… But now that I saw you, I know I made the right decision. I am so
glad I
came.”
Before opening the door to leave, Lucius the First said to Poliana, “I know that
you feel
disappointed and anxious about me not asking you to come to the castle. Everything
will be resolved very soon, so please trust me. You are my best knight, and I will
never
abandon you.”
“I’m your best? What about Sir Ainno?”
Poliana knew she was being petty, but she couldn’t help it. Lucius the First took
her
question very seriously and answered, “Inno and I… It’s more like a love and hate
relationship.”
They looked at each other with a grin.
Chapter 115: Chapter 115
Chapter 115
Lucius the First’s heart was still pounding excitedly. He only meant to see
Poliana’s face
today, but very unexpectedly, he ended up getting a powerful hug from her. She
slammed him against the wall, and just thinking about that moment made his heart
beat faster. He had never experienced anything like this before and he knew that
the
excitement of it was going to cause him many sleepless nights.
Meanwhile, Poliana was relieved by the surprise visit from the emperor. It was true
that
she had been feeling anxious lately, wondering if she was ever going to be called
back
to work. But Lucius the First came to her in person, and he reassured her that he
hasn’t
forgotten her.
‘Long live the emperor!’
He was indeed a wonderful sovereign.
Luckily, Lucius the First’s brief outing remained a secret. This was actually a
problem
because it meant that the emperor’s protection team wasn’t doing its job. Lucius
the
First wasn’t thinking clearly at the moment. In fact, even after he returned, his
mind was
wandering around. He couldn’t focus at all.
There were only three people who knew about the castle’s secret crawl space.
Lucius the First, Sir Ainno, and Duke Luzo.
The emperor didn’t mean to escape the castle. He didn’t plan this outing, but last
night
when he was in bed, he couldn’t sleep at all.
‘I’m so glad I went to see her.’
Lucius the First couldn’t stop thinking about Poliana’s brave eyes. She was the
woman
he loved. Giving her up felt painful, but her happiness also mattered to him
greatly.
The emperor was still thinking about how she slammed him to a wall even during a
meeting with Sir Jainno. Sir Jainno reported to the emperor that there was a need
to
expand and strengthen the royal guard division.
Lucius the First agreed.
‘Yes. That would be a good idea.’
Now that he had some time to think, the emperor concurred that it was a problem how
no one found out about his secret excursion. He even stole a guard uniform, but it
seemed that no one knew about it.
It was possible that the guard who lost the uniform didn’t report it to his
superior, but this
itself was also a problem.
The emperor was able to pass the castle entrance without being examined by the
gatekeepers just because he was wearing that blue uniform. They didn’t even check
his
personal ID. Lucius the First left the castle through the secret crawlspace, but
when he
returned, he used the front entrance without a problem.
The emperor was concerned about how weak the gate defense was. It seemed that
anyone and everyone was allowed into the castle. It was true that there had been a
significant increase in visitors to the castle, but this couldn’t be used as an
excuse.
It was partly because the gatekeepers were low ranking soldiers. Whenever they saw
the guards in their blue uniforms, the gatekeepers were too intimidated to search
them
since the guards were usually very high-ranking aristocrats.
This had to change. It was the gatekeepers’ duty to search and verify everyone
passing
through the gates. The gatekeepers needed to be retrained. There also had to be
many more of them as they were overworked.
Lucius the First decided that as soon as Poliana returned, he would discuss that
matter
with her.
***
The indefinite vacation was hell to Poliana. She laid on the sofa like a piece of
wet
cotton, feeling bored and useless.
But she quickly became alert and uncomfortable when Lady Bika came to her with
news. It seemed that the lady found a potential marriage arrangement for Poliana.
Poliana was considered an old woman, she was past the conventional “marriageable”
age. If she belonged to a normal noble family, she would’ve been hidden from the
public because her family would’ve been ashamed of her. If a woman of older age
was very beautiful, or if she belonged to an extremely prominent family, it was
still
possible for her to get married, usually to a widower, but this was rare.
Besides, Poliana was no beauty. Even the emperor, who was in love with her, could
not
call her pretty. He thought she was cute but not beautiful. She also didn’t have a
conventionally beautiful body. Men liked slim women, but not stick-thin women.
Poliana
had decent-sized breasts considering how thin she was, but her breasts were now as
hard as her muscles because of her military training.
On top of that, her personality didn’t make her obedient or docile. In fact, she
had a
rather bad temper.
And worst of all, she was a soldier. She spent the last 10 years in battles. This
fact was
considered a bonus for a man, since he would be rewarded with a title and lands,
but
for a woman, this was a huge negative. No men wanted a woman who spent her days
with so many other men for the last decade.
The only positive aspect of Poliana was the fact that she could potentially gain a
great
wealth and power. But… This was only as long as Lucius the First did not abandon
her
and remember her effort. Many believed that the emperor would eventually get tired
of her.
Who would want to marry a foreign woman of 30, who was ugly and had an even
uglier past? There was even a rumor too that she was barren.
Poliana haven’t been in Nanaba for a long time, so she wondered how any men would
come to offer her a marriage?
It turned out that it was all Lady Bika’s work and after a further explanation,
Poliana
learned that no one had actually offered her a hand in marriage. What Lady Bika
meant was that if Poliana was interested, she could arrange a meeting with a man
who
might be interested in marrying Poliana.
One positive thing about Poliana was that she was actually quite rich now thanks to
the
land she received from the emperor. This meant there could be many commoners out
there who would want to marry her. But Poliana was technically a noble lady, which
meant that she had to marry a nobleman.
So the potential husband Lady Bika chose was an aristocrat who was recently
widowed.
“This gentleman lost his wife very recently.”
Lady Bika explained that it was a man in his 50’s who had many grown children. She
praised him greatly. This man used to be in the military, which was why he was a
bit
gruff, but apparently, he was a very kind-hearted person. Lady Bika said that he
was in
fact not very interested in getting remarried again, but she thought Poliana would
be a
great match for him.
“This gentleman likes women who are active. In fact, his first wife used to ride
with him
often to hunt. I am certain that even after you get married, he will allow you to
hunt
and exercise as a hobby.”
“Thank you, Lady Bika, for your concern, but I am not interested in getting
married.’
“Aren’t you going to retire after you get your reward from the emperor?”
“No, I am planning to continue my duty as his highness’s guard. It is a very
honorable
job.”
“Sir Poliana, no nobleman would allow his wife to continue to work.”
“Yes, I know. That is why I won’t get married.”
“Please don’t say that! Everyone, whether you are a man or woman, needs to get
married. That is the only way you can live a stable and comfortable life. Can’t you
understand? Look at all the soldiers and knights who returned from the war. They
are all
looking to get married as soon as possible! Everyone knows how hard you worked for
the emperor to unite this continent. Everyone knows your achievements. My husband
told me that even if you get married, no one in the military will look down on you.
Sir
Poliana, you have lived a very hard life until now. I heard that you were thrown
into a
battle at a tender age. A young fragile girl in an army… ”
Lady Bika held Poliana’s hands warmly and continued, “Even a man finds it tough to
survive a war, yet you, as a woman, had to go through such a trauma. You have done
more than enough, Sir Poliana. It is now time for you to become happy. You deserve
it
and for your happiness, you need to get married.”

Chapter 116: Chapter 116

Chapter 116
Poliana focused on her hands, which were held by Lady Bika. Poliana
felt the kind warmth from the lady, similar to what she felt whenever she
entered the lady’s quarters.
These past days have been so peaceful, it was something Poliana had
never experienced before. This must’ve been the kind of life her
stepsister, Liana, lived all her life.
The life of a noblewoman…
Poliana never felt envious of such a life. She never even tried to
compare it to her own life. She didn’t try to analyze their differences even
as a young girl.
Poliana admitted that up until a certain point in her life, happiness was
not an option for her. She knew this very well, but after she met Lucius
the First, Poliana became closer to happiness.
The happiness she felt wasn’t the kind that a normal lady considered
true contentment, but nonetheless, Poliana was happy.
She was happy.
And she would continue to be happy.
Lucius the First visited her out of the blue with an excuse of wanting to
see her. He was worried that Poliana might have been feeling down and
uncertain. He wanted to reassure her. Sir Wook and Donau have been
reporting to her often, but the emperor wanted to talk to her in person.
Lady Bika wasn’t wrong in her reasoning behind Poliana’s marriage plan.
Most male soldiers considered their retirement starting at the age of 40.
Poliana was weaker than men, which meant that it wasn’t odd for her to
think about retiring at this age.
But this usually only applied to foot soldiers and low-ranking knights.
Those who were promoted to higher ranks, of course, were more of
administrators and this meant they decided when they wanted to retire.
They were usually not involved in physical training and fights, so they
could work even at an old age.
This was what Poliana wanted. She planned to stay by Lucius the First’s
side as long as possible.
Lady Bika must’ve assumed that Poliana was going to retire sometime
soon. Once a man retires from military life, they would return to their
home life. Lady Bika was being kind because she knew Poliana had no
home life to return to, but such kindness was useless to Poliana. Some
might have even been offended by such offers, but Poliana wasn’t
insulted.
In fact, the peaceful warm life she experienced in Lady Bika’s home was
enticing.
Just a little anyway.
Poliana said to the lady, “Lady Bika, I am thankful for your kindness, but
I am a knight. I do not plan to get married.”
It was true that Poliana felt envious of Sir Rabi’s warm family. And only a
few days ago, she accepted Sir Baufallo’s invitation and visited his
home. Recently, it was announced that Sir Baufallo was going to retire
this year, which meant that he received many guests lately.
Lady Ribo was much colder and gruffer than Lady Bika, probably
because she had been working hard through receiving so many guests.
But despite it, Poliana still clearly felt the peace and warmth of a family in
Sir Baufallo’s home.
She was envious. If she could, Poliana wanted to have it too.
But…
She didn’t want it at the expense of losing her knighthood.
Losing her name.
Poliana Winter.
Her emperor said to her once that her presence beside him was what
made him shine. If this was really the case, Poliana would gladly give up
her life for her emperor.
Poliana explained to Lady Bika, “I am a knight, my lady. I will live for the
rest of my life as a knight and die as a knight, that is my decision.”
“But why would you choose such a hard life? Sir Pol, you are still young!
You still have 40 years to live, and of that time, you will only be allowed
to live as a knight for a few more years from now. You know this. You
know how a knight’s career can be so short. You also know that a
woman can’t be a knight!”
“The Acreian law does not specifically prohibit a woman from being a
knight.”
“But think about it this way, there isn’t any law that specifically prohibits
men from having babies.”
On this continent, Acreia allowed the least amount of rights for women.
Because it was so common sense for a woman not to become a knight,
there were no such laws stating the obvious.
So, what if his highness rewards her accordingly but asks her to retire?
Poliana knew many people who were wondering the same thing, but she
wasn’t worried. She replied, “I understand that you are worried about
me, Lady Bika, but despite the impossibility of it, his highness still gave
me a new last name and allowed me to be an Acreian knight. I take this
as the greatest honor and luck in my life. Unless his highness throws me
away because he finds me useless, I cannot leave my position.”
“But Sir Poliana, his highness will understand if you retire.”
“I know. Of course, his highness would be very understanding of me, but
Lady Bika…”
Poliana had to choose her words carefully. She usually found it easier to
deal with people who were angry at her or who were trying to insult her.
When she was faced with people who were trying to be kind, Poliana
found it harder to respond to them. These kind-hearted people made her
feel like a poor unfortunate woman. These people, who meant well,
couldn’t understand the kind of happiness Poliana enjoyed as a knight.
They made her into an unhappy and hopeless woman who didn’t even
know that she led a miserable life.
Perhaps they were right, maybe Poliana really didn’t know how
unfortunate her life was because she was so used to it. She couldn’t
want what she never had. Many people have said to her that she had no
ambition.
But what these people didn’t know was that ambition was Poliana’s
middle name. She didn’t have the normal womanly ambition of being a
good wife and a mother, but she was greedy for power and control.
Poliana knew very well how sweet power could be. She could order the
sons of the greatest families to bow down to her. In her blue uniform with
the golden stripe, no one could disrespect her. Even those who used to
be kings had to treat her courteously.
Oh, the sweet sweet power!
Poliana loved it.
Poliana didn’t serve Lucius the First just out of loyalty. Her emperor was
truly wise and rewarded his loyal knights well. As long as she did her job
well and worked hard, the sky was the limit. Even if they said that a
sense of greed for power could be deadly, Poliana didn’t care. If she
could die as a powerful woman, she would consider her life very well
lived.
Just the chance of being able to climb the political ladder excited her.
Poliana said to Lady Bika, “So, I am very happy as I am.”
“But!”
“Lady Bika, you are happy with your life, right? I am too. I am very
content with the way things are. There are many different forms of
happiness in this world, my lady. Just because my idea of happiness is
different than yours, it doesn’t mean I am living an unhappy life. You are
correct in saying that I led a strange and traumatic life. But even I, who
are ignorant of the normal life of a lady, could see how content you are. I
am very certain that your life is the happiest one I have seen so far. So I
perfectly understand that you want to offer me the same kind of
happiness that you have, and I understand that such a life would be
welcomed by any normal woman. But Lady Bika, I am telling you that I
am happy with my current life.”
Poliana patted Lady Bika’s hands gently. The lady looked disappointed,
but she had no choice but to drop the subject.

Chapter 117: Chapter 117

Chapter 117
Poliana returned to her bedroom quickly after her awkward conversation
with Lady Bika. She would have preferred to go to the garden to relieve
her frustration, but there was a chance that someone might see her, so
her room was her only option.
She obviously couldn’t destroy the furniture, so she chose the wall. It
was covered with soft-colored wallpaper, but underneath it was stone.
Knowing she would hurt herself, Poliana still attacked the stone wall.
She punched and kicked it as hard as she could.
As expected, it hurt. She wished that she could assault a tree like she
usually did, not a wall.
‘A man in his 50’s! She said he was in his late 50’s!’
For a while now, Poliana had been considering marriage as a possible
option for her, but the reality was crueler than what she had expected.
She was thinking about marrying a man around her age, but in actuality,
the only men willing to marry her were going to be either old widowers or
very disfigured.
A powerful and wealthy man could marry any young beauty of his
choice, but it was different for women. It wasn’t that Poliana insisted on
marrying a younger man. She didn’t care if the man was poor or came
from a common family. She didn’t care if he lost all of his limbs from the
war. As long as the man was kind, she was ok with all that.
But a man in his late 50’s?! A man who already had grandchildren!
‘So he already has a grandson! And the man isn’t even interested in
getting remarried! Then why would Lady Bika insist on me meeting him?!
Why not just leave the man alone?!’
Poliana was furious. As Sir Rabi’s wife, she had to respect Lady Bika
and behave accordingly, but she couldn’t help feeling angry. Poliana
knew she wasn’t a looker, but she was still the head of the royal guards!
She was the emperor’s favored knight!
“Dammit… I will never get married!”
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Poliana punched the wall angrily. She no longer wanted to be married, if
the best she could have was a widower in his late 50’s. Lady Bika didn’t
know about Poliana’s infertility, and the best man she could find for her
was a widower in his late 50’s. If the fact was known to everyone…
Poliana didn’t even want to think about what kind of man would be
offered to her, if at all.
Poliana looked down at her hand, which was bleeding because of what
she did. She saw that there was a little bit of blood on the wall too, so
she tried to rub it off but by doing so, she saw that it left an even bigger
and noticeable smear on the wall.
‘Dammit.’
She meant to clean it, but it made it worse. She quickly grabbed a wet
cloth to wipe it, which helped. Poliana learned a valuable lesson today.
‘Next time I want to punch a wall, I better wear gloves.’
Just then, a maid knocked and entered the room. She relayed a
message that Sir Rabi wanted to meet with her.
***
When Sir Rabi saw Poliana, the first thing he did was apologize.
“I meant to provide you a place to rest, but I ended up making you feel
awkward.”
“Not at all. I have been treated like royalty here.”
The Bika family’s home was a wonderful place to spend one’s vacation.
The twins were kind and the house was spacious. Even the dogs were
nice. Both the hunting dogs and indoor dogs loved people, they loved to
be scratched.
The heir, Bardo, was adorable too.
And of course, the lady of the house was thoughtful and generous.
“Hmm…”
Sir Rabi hesitated. It seemed that he wanted to say more, but he
seemed uncertain. Poliana had never seen him like this before, so she
became nervous.
‘What is he going to say to me?’
“Sir Pol… To be honest, I agree with my wife.”
“Sir Rabi, I never thought you would think that way.”
Poliana felt betrayed. To control her emotions, she clenched her fists
hard. Sir Rabi was the most respected military man she knew, so for him
to tell her he agreed with his wife… She felt upset. Did she do something
to make him doubt her ability as a soldier?
Poliana thought carefully, and she couldn’t think of a single day she
didn’t work her hardest. Poliana asked, “Have I been lacking as the head
of the guard division?”
“That is not what I am saying. What I want to tell you is that you have
done more than enough.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You can ask any parents in this world if they would want their daughter
to live as a knight. What do you think their answer would be?”
Poliana’s parents wanted her to become a knight, but not because they
cared for her. It wasn’t their wish for her to become a famous and brave
knightess. What they wanted was for her to die in battle.
Normal parents would never give a sword to their daughter. Even if the
daughter wanted it, her parents would forbid it because they knew it
would be followed by hardships.
Sir Rabi continued, “There is an obvious path available for the women in
this world, it is the path that guarantees happiness, comfort, and peace.
So why would any parent want a harder and uncertain path for their
daughters? Sir Pol, I am not saying that your life is an unhappy one right
now. Everyone I know accepts you as a true knight. But you know the
truth, Sir Pol. If you had a daughter, would you ever ask her to become a
knight?”
Poliana shook her head. Just because she was a knight didn’t mean she
would ever want her own daughter to become one too. But if her
imaginary daughter asked to become a knight, Poliana would ask if she
was sure about it.
Poliana became a knight because she had no other choice. Would there
be any parents who would truly want their daughters to live the life of a
soldier?
She didn’t think so.
Indeed, Poliana was accepted by her men because they were together
for the past 10 years, but her case was an exception. The men had no
choice but to work with her.
Poliana was an unlucky exception. She was a victim of her cruel and
uncaring parents, who forced her to go down this path.
Poliana Winter was an excellent knight, but if she came from a normal
caring family, she would’ve never become a knight.
Poliana knew this very well. She also knew that others around her talked
about this, but she didn’t care. She was just happy that everyone around
her accepted her as she was.
What woman in this world would voluntarily want to become a knight?
Perhaps there were some silly girls out there who read a few romance
novels about an imaginary knightess. They might claim that they wanted
to become knights too, but Poliana was certain that as soon as their
training began, all of them would give up quickly.
But then…
She suddenly thought of two girls, the lovely twins who couldn’t even
dare to dream of becoming knights themselves.
Vanessa and Vaxi.

Chapter 118: Chapter 118

Chapter 118
The Bika twins, Vanessa and Vaxi.
These ladies were born to a wealthy family and a loving parent. Their
education was topnotch, and they grew up to become lovely and kind
women. These ladies had the potential to become great knights, but they
were never even given a chance. If they did become knights, they
would’ve never received any decent marriage offers.
Sir Rabi said to Poliana, “Sir Pol, you worked harder than anyone I
know, and you have received the proper reward for it. We all got the
honor to see the end of this land, remember? It was a long and hard war,
and we won. We all put everything into winning this conquest, and we
did it. What I’m saying to you is that you have done more than enough,
so it would be ok for you to rest now. If you continue with your career,
you will soon have to enter a new kind of war. Being a soldier during a
war is simple. You just have to follow the orders. The seniority in the
military world is clear and easy. But this new world you are about to
enter…. It is a very different realm. The enemies you will face in the
castle aren’t the kind you are used to.”
Poliana understood what Sir Rabi was trying to say. The reason why Sir
Rabi agreed with his wife was because he truly considered Poliana his
family. He cared for her, and Poliana replied quietly, “Sir Rabi, I am not a
tired knight who needs a break right now. I admit that my life has been
very difficult. I worked harder than anyone, and to you, I probably look
like I am tired of my life. But I am not. I am not tired, and I am not ready
to give up or rest. As you know, Sir Rabi, I am his highness’s knight, and
as long as the emperor allows me, I will remain his knight.”
Sir Rabi was suggesting for her to stop fighting so hard, but Poliana
couldn’t stop now. As long as she could, she would fight for her life. This
was the only decision she knew she wouldn’t regret. Sir Rabi shook his
head and smiled, “I have been your superior only for a short while, but
may I say that I am very proud of you? That was a perfect answer for a
perfect knight.”
“I am thankful for all you have taught me, Sir Rabi.”
“If I met you much earlier, I would’ve known that it was possible for
women to learn to fight. And if I knew… I would’ve taught my girls to use
swords.”
He smiled regretfully. When Sir Rabi murmured quietly, Poliana realized
that he was also aware of his twin’s unusual strength.
Incredible strength and speed, the girls indeed showed clear talents for
swordsmanship. They seemed very interested in learning it too.
But it was not possible for the twins to become knights. Any loving
parents would never allow their daughters to go down such a hard road.
Sir Rabi wanted his daughters nothing but happiness. This meant that he
couldn’t allow them to have what they wanted. Even if they had the talent
for swords… He couldn’t allow them to learn it.
Poliana wanted to tell him that it wasn’t too late. If he wanted, the girls
could still learn, but Poliana didn’t say anything. This was a family
business, which meant she shouldn’t get involved.
But there was something she was curious about and she felt comfortable
asking Sir Rabi…
Why did he choose Sir Howe and Donau as his sons-in-law?
This was also not her business, but they were her adopted brothers. She
also felt close enough to Sirs Baufallo and Rabi that she thought it would
be ok to ask him the question.
“By the way, Sir Rabi… I am very curious about something.”
“Ask away.”
“Why did you pick Sirs Howe and Donau?”
It wasn’t that she didn’t think they were fine young men. They had all
their limbs and they didn’t have any chronic illness. They also had bright
futures ahead of them.
Sir Howe and Donau were good catches, but they couldn’t be compared
to the Bika twins. Most fathers would try to marry their daughters to a
family that was wealthier and more powerful than his own.
Poliana didn’t think that Sir Rabi, who doted on his daughters, would
marry his twins to these young men just because they had good futures
ahead of them. There were plenty of other knights in the emperor’s army
that came from much better families.
Poliana even thought it was possible for Sir Rabi to be greedier. Why not
try to get one of the girls to marry the emperor himself? The Bika family
was that old and powerful.
‘I don’t think his highness would like that though…’
Poliana suspected Lucius the First would flinch at that idea. She could
picture him saying, “That’s gross! I remember carrying them on my back
when they were just babies! Those girls could be my own children!”
Sir Rabi’s answer was a surprise to Poliana.
“I chose them because they never went to visit the prostitutes like all the
other young men at the camp.”
That was it?!
Poliana knew for a fact that Sir Howe didn’t go because he was too
stingy and Donau didn’t go because his father ordered him not to. As the
head of the supply unit, Sir Baufallo was always deathly worried about
epidemics and other illnesses. He was especially grossed out by
sexually transmitted diseases. Poliana often saw Sir Baufallo yelling at
his men that if any of them was found to have crabs, he would shave
them completely.
When Poliana looked at him awkwardly, Sir Rabi laughed and asked, “I
guess you don’t understand my reasoning.”
“No, it’s not that. I do understand, Sir.”
She did understand. It was actually Sir Rabi who didn’t understand the
exact reasons why Sirs Howe and Donau didn’t visit the prostitutes. In
some cases, there were many other young knights who didn’t want to go
to the whorehouse but were forced to by the older knights. Poliana felt
sorry for these young men. They could’ve been Sir Rabi’s sons-in-law.
‘Poor bastards.’
Sir Howe was sneaky and always found a way to avoid being forced
while Donau had a good excuse; his father. There was a myth that it was
best for men to lose their virginities as early as possible, but Poliana
wasn’t sure about it.
Sir Rabi said to her, “It’s actually a very important quality in men for me.”
“Of course.”
Poliana nodded. It was true that she didn’t really understand at this point,
but perhaps in the future, she would, and it wouldn’t matter if she never
did. She didn’t plan on getting married, so it wasn’t going to concern her
at all.
Sir Rabi continued, “On top of that, I know Sir Baufallo and his wife and
they know me. I am certain that they will never mistreat my daughters.
And Sirs Donau and Howe would never be able to cheat on my girls
openly when they know that I am their father! Vaxi and Vanessa have
never been apart, and I thought it would be a good idea to have them
marry them. That way, they will always be close. And most of all, I have
been given the title of viceroy to a colony of my choice. I will ask for the
one next to where Sir Baufallo plans to move so we can be neighbors
and I can be close to my girls.”
Poliana’s eyes widened in surprise. She asked, “Where are you going,
Sir Rabi?! You’re moving?”

Chapter 119: Chapter 119

Chapter 119
Sir Rabi then replied, “To the southern region.”
The middle and southern regions were stable for now, but there was
going to be a very high risk of rebellions from the colonies for a while. In
addition, there was always an unspoken concern that the viceroys could
cause rebellions with their own soldiers once they became established in
their new colonies. Therefore, to be appointed as viceroy to these places
meant a great honor because it meant that the emperor trusted him.
Poliana was impressed. This confirmed her belief that Sir Rabi was
indeed a truly powerful and influential man. Poliana also felt
disappointed and sad. Both the Bika and Ribo families were going to be
gone, which meant she had to say goodbye to her closest friends too.
Sir Rabi told her that he was proud to have been her superior. Poliana
replied that she felt the same way that she was proud to have called him
her superior.
Poliana thought to herself, ‘I guess everyone is leaving.’
Some of her guards also came to say goodbye to her. Many were going
back to their own hometown or leaving Acreia altogether to move down
south, these were men that she considered her own.
Indeed, everyone was leaving to live their new lives.
Poliana asked Sir Rabi, “Do you know what the other knights are
planning to do?”
“I think Sir Bentier plans to stay in the capital.”
“Oh, Sir Bentier, is that so?”
Keep your friend close, but keep your enemies even closer.
Even though Sir Bentier claimed that he chose the emperor over his own
family, Marquis Seeze certainly wasn’t on Lucius the First’s side. So, if
Sir Bentier chose to stay in the main Acreian military, what position
would be given to him?
Poliana didn’t think he would be assigned to the royal guard’s division or
the defense unit.
Perhaps he would become the new military secretary, but that was too
big of a promotion even for Sir Bentier.
There were still so many uncertainties here, but at least Poliana now
knew Sir Rabi’s plan and intentions. High ranking aristocrats would not
send their sons to the south. If Vanessa and Vaxi married one of these
men, they would have to stay in the capital while their parents move
down to the southern region. The Ribo family served the royals for three
generations, including Sir Howe, and compared to the other older and
more powerful families, this was considered a very short service. Sir
Baufallo was beginning to be recognized by the former emperor, and if
the former emperor didn’t die so young, Sir Baufallo could’ve become a
very influential figure in their kingdom.
Thankfully, he was given another chance by Lucius the First, and Sir
Howe and Donau took their own chances in following the emperor to this
war. They made the right choice, and they were going to be rewarded,
but still, the fact that their family was not a high-ranking noble remained
the same.
Sir Baufallo was going to be given a new title, there was no doubt about
that, but it certainly won’t compare to that of Sir Rabi. This meant that
following Sir Rabi down south was going to be the best bet for Sir
Baufallo and his family to achieve the best status they could ever dream
of. To be in-laws with the viceroy was going to be a great honor indeed.
Based on how Sir Howe acted, it seemed that the marriage plan was
pretty much a done deal by now.
Sir Rabi’s love for his daughters was what made this arrangement
possible.
Poliana said to him, “Congratulations. When will you be moving?”
“As you know, his highness likes to carry out his plan quickly and
efficiently, so I am going to guess it’s going to be very soon. I wanted the
wedding to take place in Nanaba if possible, but I don’t think it will
happen.”
“That’s too bad. I would’ve loved to attend it.”
“I know. You would’ve been one of my most honored guests. As the
head of the royal guards, I doubt you will be able to leave his highness’s
side to attend my girls’ weddings in the south… But if you can somehow,
please come, I would be honored to receive you.”
“Of course, I will try my best.”
They grinned at each other.
***
It was a very long vacation, but finally, it happened. Poliana was officially
invited to the upcoming royal banquet at the castle by Lucius the First.
She received the message from the messenger even before an official
invitation arrived. As soon as she found out, Poliana began to get her
uniform ready.
‘Dammit.’
Her new uniform, which was made very recently for the march, felt too
tight.
‘I gained weight.’
She had been exercising daily, but this was definitely not like the war
times. She slept on her feather bed every night and her meals were
amazing and fattening.
The biggest problem was that she was too relaxed now. She regretted
her laziness and decided to get back to her old routine.
Until the day of the banquet, Poliana worked out like a madwoman. Lady
Bika worried that she was becoming too thin, and Poliana explained that
getting fat was not an option for a royal guard.
On the day of the banquet, Poliana was able to get into her uniform,
which now fitted her perfectly. When she wore her sword on her side,
Vaxi and Vanessa’s eyes filled with awe.
“You look so amazing!”
“You’re very handsome!”
“We are falling in love with you, Sir Poliana!”
Poliana chuckled and replied, “Haha, don’t flatter me too much!”
Poliana was used to being adored by the noble ladies. She was a rarity,
and the women loved it.
Vanessa and Vaxi had to get ready as well, so they returned to their
rooms. Poliana left the house on her own first.
Since she was their guest, Poliana could attend the banquet with the
Bika family, but she chose to attend on her own. As she rode her horse
towards the castle, Poliana could feel everyone’s eyes on her. People
easily recognized the stiff blue uniform with the gold stripe draped on her
body.
The head of the royal guards…
At first, the people assumed that the person in the uniform was a man,
but when they realized her gender, they gasped in shock. It was a wellknown fact
that the head of the royal guards was the infamous
knightess, but hearing about it and actually witnessing it were completely
different. The citizens of Nanaba stared at her, but Poliana ignored them
and rode up to the castle gate. When the confused gatekeepers asked
her to identify herself, Poliana announced proudly, “I am the head of the
royal guard division, Poliana Winter. Open the gate at once.”
She made a point of not getting off the horse, which was one of the
many special privileges she possessed. The gatekeepers opened the
door clumsily, and when Poliana entered, the guards and the soldiers
who recognized her saluted her.
“Sir Poliana, you finally came!”
“Have you enjoyed your vacation, Sir Pol?!”
“Sir Poliana, please come this way.”
The servant, who had been waiting for her, escorted her into the
banquet. While on her way, she saw Donau and her other guards, who
saluted her respectfully.
And when she finally entered the feast hall… Everyone’s eyes turned
towards her.

Chapter 120: Story 13. Seniority – Chapter 120

Story 13. Seniority
Chapter 120
The way people looked at Poliana was secretive and persistent, so she
ignored them like they didn’t even exist. The only reason she came here
was simple.
It was for her emperor, Lucius the First.
Two men stood as guards behind the emperor. One was Sir Wook and
the other one looked unfamiliar. Poliana assumed it was Sir Ainno’s
brother Sir Jainno, who spent the last ten years as the head of Duke
Luzo’s personal guards.
Before Poliana bowed to the emperor, Lucius the First stood up, making
everyone around them murmur in shock.
“My favored knight.”
“Your highness, I am so honored to be invited to your banquet.”
The emperor was greeting the knightess personally, and the other
noblemen watched in annoyance. But Poliana didn’t care; these people
couldn’t hurt her with their looks. They could glare at her all they wanted,
but they could never bring her down.
Lucius the First smiled brightly. He was the most beautiful man in the
room and Poliana felt proud that he was her emperor. The emperor said
to her, “Today is your last day of vacation, Sir Pol, so I have arranged
this banquet to celebrate your return to work. You are the heroine of this
night, so I hope that you will have a wonderful time.”
To arrange such a fest for a single knight, especially a knight who still
didn’t have an official title and rank, was unheard of. Poliana knew that
there were still ugly rumors going around about her. Some still believed
that she was the emperor’s mistress. Some called her ugly as well, but
these people didn’t matter.
Only her master mattered to her and as long as he was happy to have
her here, she would stay and serve him. She would follow him
anywhere. To hell or to another war, she would go if her emperor
commanded it. The only place for her was by Lucius the First’s side, and
to be his shadow was her choice.
***
Sir Wook greeted her and moved aside as soon as she approached him,
“Have you had a nice vacation?”
“Yes, I did.”
Sir Jainno bowed slightly to acknowledge her. His eyes refused to leave
from the golden stripe on her blue uniform. When Poliana remained
standing behind the emperor, Lucius the First turned towards her and
nagged her, “I told you to enjoy the night! So go out there and have fun.”
“I am the happiest when I am by your side, your highness.” Poliana
became curious as well, so she asked, “Why aren’t you dancing, your
highness?”
“I feel the same way. I enjoy myself the most when I am by your side, Sir
Pol.”
Poliana took it as a joke and with a grin, she thanked him. Lucius the
First, who realized she took his sincere words as a joke, coughed to hide
his awkwardness. There, he said to her, “I wasn’t joking.”
“Yes, I know, your highness, I understand what you are saying. If you go
out there, you have to mingle with people, which means you have to talk
to them. It can be very tiring.”
“Umm, that’s not what I meant.”
“I am well aware of how important mingling and conversing with people
are, but I am technically not on duty until tomorrow, so I think I will just
rest by your side, your highness.”
Standing behind her emperor as his guard was a pleasing duty. When
Poliana smiled happily, Lucius the First looked away and murmured,
“You make it so hard for me to give up…”
“If you want to dance, please don’t give up! Go out and dance!”
“It’s alright. Duke Luzo is out there dancing, so that is enough for me.”
Indeed, Duke Luzo was dancing the night away. He seemed very
determined to find a wife as soon as possible. Did he think that the
emperor would stop making him work so hard once he was married?
The emperor shook his head. Of course, he was going to keep his
cousin working even after he got married.
Lucius the First fought the urge to grab Poliana’s hand and begin
dancing. Since he couldn’t confess his love for her, he said to her
instead, “Sir Pol. You need to be happy, that is an order.”
Poliana didn’t show it, but she was surprised and confused. ‘Did Sir Rabi
tell him something about me?’
No, it couldn’t be. Poliana realized that her emperor was just a great
thoughtful man who cared about her happiness. What a great emperor
he was!
So many people in the world wished her happiness. She was glad to be
still alive. Poliana replied quietly, “Your highness. I am already very
happy.”
Lucius the First smiled brightly, making her feel even happier.
***
Poliana’s old homeland Aehas allowed women to inherit family wealth
and title. If a noble family didn’t have a son, their daughter would inherit
everything but in Acreia, this was not allowed. A woman could not legally
inherit anything. The only thing she had in her name was the dowry she
received from her family when she got married, but if she got herself
divorced, she had to return the money to her family.
If her husband died, the wife could inherit his wealth but only if they had
a son. And the wife was allowed to act only as a temporary guardian of
their wealth until her son became an adult.
But although the Acreian law did not allow a woman to inherit wealth and
title, there was no specific law that stated that a woman could not
receive rewards or gifts. Lucius the First used this loophole to officially
reward Poliana a title and lands. Since this wasn’t an inheritance, it was
considered a legal transaction.
However, the elders, who were still very old fashioned, adamantly
protested.
“A woman getting a title! This can’t be!”
“And a marquess?! That is way too generous, your highness!”
“Your highness, you can’t reward her that many lands! This is not
appropriate!”
“We cannot believe you are doing this… This loophole needs to be fixed
immediately…”
“Who knew anyone would ever allow a woman to become a knight and
enter the war? Those Aehasian idiots!”
“Those cowards! They let women fight for them?”
When protesting didn’t work, the elders chose to approach this problem
in a different way. Marquis Seeze said to the emperor with a smile, “It is
indeed very impressive that a mere woman was able to achieve so much
during this war. I was very surprised, your highness.”
Lucius the First waited quietly as the old man continued, “But… If we
allow the existence of Marquess Winter, what will be next? Don’t you
think there will be more wise women who might try and succeed in
making great achievements? And these women will receive titles and
wealth just like Marquess Winter… But your highness, have you
considered what will happen to their properties after these women die?
Who will inherit them?”
“I would like to hear your opinion, Marquis Seeze.”
“I am not trying to suggest anything, your highness. I am genuinely
curious. When a nobleman dies, his heir inherits everything. But what
would happen if a married noblewoman, who received her own title and
land, dies? Who will inherit her personal properties?”
Lucius the First thought about all the possibilities quickly. He knew what
the marquis was suggesting. If the married woman’s properties were
allowed to be inherited to her husband, a case where a husband would
kill his own wife for wealth would appear.
After a brief contemplation, the emperor decided, “If a woman can’t
inherit her husband’s properties, then we need to be fair. Let’s make the
law so that the husband also cannot inherit his wife’s properties.”
The elders had no choice but to accept the emperor’s decision. This was
how the new law was created for the women who received her own titles
and lands.
Of course, the elders were confident that Poliana Winter would be the
only exception. They didn’t believe that there would ever be another
woman who could achieve enough to receive their own titles and lands,
and the elders already have heard of the rumor that Poliana was barren.
This meant that the new inheritance law for the women didn’t really
matter. Even if Poliana got married, she wasn’t going to have an heir,
which meant her lands would be returned to the kingdom.
And if she adopted an heir, it had to be a noble male. This meant that
her title and lands would go to a man eventually. All the elders had to
endure was one generation of a single female marquess, they were ok
with it.
But the elders weren’t done. The next topic they brought up with the
emperor was the amount of lands Poliana received.

Chapter 121: Chapter 121

Chapter 121
Lucius the First was annoyed. This land was his, not the elders’. It
belonged to the emperor, which meant he had all the right to decide
what he wanted to do with it. No one could tell him what to do. The
elders didn’t help him in any way during the war, yet here they were,
telling him what to do.
If the elders agreed and helped the emperor with the conquest, they
would have been rewarded just like everyone else.
Lucius the First was deeply in love with Poliana. Despite his personal
feelings, the emperor was being fair and only rewarded her of what she
deserved. The emperor glared at the elders. It wasn’t like they received
nothing. For example, Sir Bentier was richly rewarded, which meant that
Marquis Seeze was rewarded as well. Lucius the First hated how the
elders acted so childishly as if they were victims.
‘I can see how they are going to go crazy when I begin reorganizing the
noble titles and ranks.’
This was next on the emperor’s agenda. Lucius the First was successful
in reorganizing and repurposing the Acreian military. He also began the
same process for the aristocrats, but he was only half done.
The only lands the Acreian royalty had an absolute control over were the
new colonies the emperor conquered. The Acreia itself was not
something Lucius the First could command, this was the same for the
Acreian aristocratic system.
There were five levels in the Acreian noble structure.
Duke, marquis, count, viscount, and baron.
Unlike in the southern and mid-continent colonies, which had clearer cut
and sensible systems, the amount of power and influence were not
accurately proportional to their ranks in Acreia. In addition, Lucius the
First was able to order around any of the nobles, old or newly appointed,
in the colonies, but not his own in his capital.
The emperor now had many more nobles to maintain and deal with. To
make his job simpler, and also to strengthen his authority, Lucius the
First planned to clarify the definition of each rank, just like in an army.
The emperor also wanted a law that allowed him to promote or demote
any noble’s rank based on their behaviors. This rule was already in place
in the colonies, but the problem in Nanaba was whether the elders would
accept it or not.
Lucius the First suspected that the young aristocrats would be all for this
new idea since they would get a chance to become promoted. But the
elders, who had nowhere to go but down…. They were going to be
against it.
‘I’m getting a headache.’
But he couldn’t show any weakness in front of his enemies. Lucius the
First flashed them a kind smile instead as if he had no worries.
***
Whenever the emperor was burdened with new concerns, it seemed that
Poliana also was faced with new challenges. When she returned to her
position, there was so much work for her. She couldn’t believe the
amount of work left for her to do, so she grabbed Sir Wook and asked,
“Did you not do any of these works when I was away?”
“No way! Sir Poliana, I worked very hard with Sir Jainno to do as much
as possible.”
“Then how come there is so much left to do?”
Their first priority was the expansion of the royal guards and the
strengthening of the castle’s defense. Because the emperor planned on
moving the capital city, he ordered for the expansion to take place after
they made the move, but everyone thought it would be prudent to at
least have selected the list of potential candidates as soon as possible.
The problem was that… there were too many applicants.
The royal guards who followed the emperor on his conquest and the
royal guards who stayed behind were combined together. This meant
that Poliana now had twice as many men and ten times the work
compared to before. She was glad that the emperor suggested the
detailed organization should take place after they had moved because if
he hadn’t, she would’ve had even more work to do.
She was already swamped, and Poliana realized that she needed
another assistant to help her. She felt confused at the amount of work
she faced.
‘This is so strange… An aristocrat usually doesn’t work this hard, yet
why am I slaving away like this?’
What troubled Lucius the First was the fact that Poliana chose to live in
the castle. She decided to stay in the royal guard’s quarters. She could
purchase a house in the capital, but it was going to be an unnecessary
waste of money. The houses in the capital were very expensive.
Besides, when they move the capital, she would have to move anyway.
Plus, it was better to use her extra money on charities so that her
reputation would improve.
***
“Oh, who do we have here?! Marquess Winter!”
Sir Howe saw Poliana, who was on her way to her room and greeted her
loudly with a grin. Poliana replied, “Hmm! It hasn’t been officially decided
yet that I will become a marquess, so hush!”
Because Lucius the First was trying to reorganize the aristocratic ranking
system, Poliana and many others still haven’t officially received their new
titles. The fact that the emperor was trying to emphasize the five-level
scheme meant that the title of marquess was a very generous reward.
Poliana laughed quietly and added, “As the heir of Count Ribo, you
should be careful of what you say!”
There was a rumor that Sir Baufallo was going to become a count. The
count was lower than marquess, which meant that Poliana was going to
have a higher rank than Sir Baufallo. This wasn’t because of Sir
Baufallo’s achievement during the war was smaller than Poliana’s. It was
because their starting point was different. Poliana was already an
Aehasian noble, and Lucius the First accounted for this fact and ended
up awarding her with a much greater title.
The Ribo family could’ve felt offended, but Sir Howe wasn’t upset. He
was a quick thinker.
‘I just have to make some notable achievements, and then, I will be
promoted to a marquis too.’
If the emperor had the power to promote or demote the noble’s ranks,
his men were going to work harder to please him. This was going to
work perfectly for Lucius the First.
Sir Howe asked Poliana, “Did you hear what they decided regarding
women with their own noble titles? If you don’t get married soon, your
title will disappear after you’re gone, Marquess Winter. It won’t be
inherited to anyone.”
“It’s fine. I’m not going to get married.”
“Then?”
Poliana didn’t feel possessive of her new title and lands, but… She did
feel disappointed that her last name given by the emperor would be
gone with her.
Lucius the First gave her the name of “Winter” to remember the day
when she became his knightess.
Poliana suggested to Sir Howe, “If you think your second or third child
has great potential, then maybe you can consider giving one to me to be
adopted.”
“Oh, that sounds really tempting.”
When Sir Howe seemed interested, Poliana warned him, “I don’t want a
mediocre child. I better tell everyone I know about this idea and make
the same offer. That way, I will have a good chance of adopting the best
child possible.”
If she could adopt a child and not just any child, then she could inherit
her name as well as her title and lands. Sir Howe nodded in agreement,
“Of course. It makes sense. And a kid needs to work for things like that.
If things are given to them, children would grow up selfish and entitled.”
“My last name was given personally to me by the emperor himself, which
means I can’t give it to just anybody. It would have to be a child who has
decent looks, good personality, and excellent talent. The child would
also have to come from a good family.”
“Oh, that means Donau’s and my children would be perfect for you!”
They chatted amicably. Then, Sir Howe said to Poliana, “By the way, I
am planning on quitting the knight’s order.”

Chapter 122: Chapter 122

Chapter 122
Poliana asked Sir Howe, “Hmm… But won’t you miss it, or feel like you
are wasting a great opportunity?”
“There will be plenty of new opportunities in the south. Besides, I want to
escape from Sir Ainno as soon as possible.”
Poliana guessed Sir Mahogal, who became good friends with Sir Howe,
was going to be very sad to see his friend go.
“I see… So you guys are all going down south… I assume Donau is
going too?”
“Of course, he will. Both of our parents are going, so why wouldn’t he?”
Poliana expected this. She felt disappointed and sad, but there was
nothing she could do about it. When she expressed her feelings, Sir
Howe patted her shoulder and replied, “Don’t be so sad. You will be so
busy that you won’t even get the time to miss us.”
He was right. Sir Jainno’s men were expecting either Sir Jainno or Sir
Wook to become the new head of the royal guards. When Poliana
appeared, there were many who protested.
A knightess? How could they, strong men, follow the lead of a mere
woman?
Poliana’s own men, who have been serving her faithfully, became angry
at the castle guards’ insults.
“What’s wrong with our Sir Pol? She is much better than your own boss,
Sir Jainno!”
Thankfully, they didn’t get into any physical fights yet, but Poliana
witnessed them arguing many times so far. She needed to gain firm
control over her men, all of them, as soon as possible. But the problem
was, she was too busy with other matters. Sir Jainno also had many
complaints against Poliana, but he was keeping himself quiet because of
all the work they had to complete. The only thing Sir Jainno did from time
to time was to glare at the golden stripe on her uniform.
***
Poliana spent a lot of time exploring the castle walls to find the hidden
crawl spaces. The emperor didn’t mean to tell her about them, but he did
and Poliana was determined to get rid of these weak spots in the royal
castle defense.
“I can’t believe how well hidden these crawl spaces are… Look here.”
“Sir Poliana, you are amazing. How did you spot them? How did you
even think of the possibility that there could be holes in our wall
defense?”
“Just an instinct, that’s all.”
“It must be your woman’s sixth sense.”
Sir Jainno’s men have been claiming that the castle walls were solid.
They believed that there were no holes in their defense, so when Poliana
found these crawlspaces, Sir Jainno’s men, who had been loudly
doubting Poliana’s abilities, became quiet. Poliana’s own men became
excited at their boss’ findings.
Poliana was just happy to be here. She then ordered, “There could be
more of these, so keep searching.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“And change the gatekeepers from low-ranking soldiers to knights.
Because the current gatekeepers’ positions are so low, they seem to feel
intimidated to search aristocrats and other knights.”
“But we can’t have the knights doing such menial jobs!”
“A gatekeeper’s job is to protect the emperor, so it can’t be considered a
lowly duty.”
There were two sides to the knights. One agreed with Poliana’s orders
quietly while the other side grumbled loudly.
The royal guard unit was known to have the strictest rules. Grumbling or
protesting to the head of the division was unheard of, yet here in the
royal castle, it seemed to happen often.
Poliana had so much work to do, even more than when she was in the
war. She had more areas to protect and guard.
She also had more men, which meant that she should’ve had more help,
but instead, some of these men refused to follow her orders. Her
annoyance increased daily; the only thing that made her happy was
Lucius the First’s smile, which she got to see every day.
‘He is so handsome.’
It has been 10 years since she first met her emperor, but she could see
the clear difference in him now that he was back home. Lucius the First
took great care of his beauty during the war, but it couldn’t be compared
to the amount of care he received from his servants. He grew even more
beautiful every day, making his knights feel prouder.
One day, Lucius the First asked Poliana, “What do you think of my face?
How does it make you feel?”
“You are very beautiful, your highness!”
The other knights in the room nodded emphatically. The emperor
seemed to be unsatisfied with the answer, so he asked again, “Anything
else?”
‘Is he unhappy because I said he is beautiful? Is it because he thought I
meant that he was feminine?’
Poliana decided to change her compliment.
“You have a very strong and manly chin! You have grown very
masculine since the first time I saw you, your highness! Your wide
shoulders and muscular back are amazing!”
“And when you look at such a handsome man, how do you feel?”
“I feel honored to be serving you, your highness!”
Lucius the First did his best to hide his disappointment. Poliana meant
well, but it was clear that she wasn’t interested in him as a man. What
made the emperor even angrier was the fact that Poliana sometimes
blushed when she was with other men who were uglier than him.
There were many good-looking men in the guard unit, and some of these
knights sometimes teased Poliana, treating her like a proper lady. Lucius
the First could see that Poliana enjoyed this kind of interaction and it
made him furious.
Poliana Winter did not see Lucius the First as a man. This was the
problem. The fact that the emperor gave up on marrying her didn’t
change the fact that he still wanted her to see her as a man. This was a
huge problem indeed.
Lucius the First knew he was not making any sense, but he couldn’t help
feeling frustrated and upset. He was especially furious when he heard
about how Sir Rabi’s wife tried to arrange a marriage for Poliana. He
thought he was going to have a stroke from the news, but thankfully, he
was a good actor, and no one noticed it.
‘And she wanted her to marry a man in his 50’s who already has
grandchildren! I would rather have her as my concubine then let her
marry someone like that!’
The emperor contemplated day and night, and finally, he decided that
perhaps it would be easier for him to give up if Poliana did get married.
If she married a good man, a man even he had to admit was a good
match for her… Poliana would become happy, and Lucius the First also
would be content that he could finally give her up. It was still going to be
very hard, but as long as Poliana lived happily… The emperor knew he
would live a sad life, but at least, he alone would be sad.
Now that he decided on his course of action, Lucius the First began to
discreetly ask around to see if there were any good potential matches for
Poliana.

Chapter 123: Chapter 123

Chapter 123
The answers the emperor got were not what he wanted. It seemed that
the only men who may be interested in marrying Poliana might indeed
be old widowers.
Lucius the First became visibly upset. He finally called Duke Luzo, who
was buried in an incredible amount of work and asked him to make a list
of potential husbands for Poliana. Duke Luzo frowned in frustration, but
being a good cousin, he did what he was asked.
A few days later, Duke Luzo handed the list to the emperor. Lucius the
First then asked, “What is this?”
“This is the list you asked from me. The list of potential husbands for Sir
Poliana.”
“But I asked you to find a list of GOOD men.”
“These are the men who may be willing to marry Sir Poliana without
being forced into it.”
“What?! But these men on the list are all old or widowed! And most of
them are poorer or lower ranked than Sir Pol!”
“Your highness, thanks to your generosity, there aren’t many men out
there who are wealthier than Sir Pol. And besides, if a man was that
wealthy, why would he voluntarily marry a woman like Sir Poliana?”
Lucius the First became livid. He thumped his chest in frustration. Sir Pol
was so adorable! Why couldn’t other people see it? Were they all blind?
The emperor said to the duke, “But I will be awarding her even more
lands and a better title! She is my favorite knight after all!”
“The man who marries her will be called a gold digger. Who in his right
mind would want to be called that?”
Lucius the First rubbed his forehead. He always thought that wealth and
power were the two most attractive things in the marriage market, not
the person’s looks. He thought Poliana was quite a catch, but it seemed
that no one agreed with him. There had to be a young man out there
whose ambition would entice him to propose to Poliana…
Lucius the First asked the duke, “But don’t you think Sir Poliana is a
pretty good catch? She is favored by the emperor and… I just don’t
understand. If she was a man, she would be getting hundreds of
marriage proposals by now, yet all the qualities that make a man a good
husband material seem to work against her favor in the marriage
market… Just because she is a woman… How strange.”
“It can’t be helped, your highness.”
“Well, isn’t there a good-looking bastard who is greedy or ambitious
enough to take her?”
“I’m sorry, your highness, but… There is a rumor that Sir Poliana is
barren.”
“…”
When the emperor became quiet, Duke Luzo realized the truth. This
rumor… It wasn’t just an empty story. It made sense since Poliana has
been involved in battles for many years. It was a known fact that she
was injured many times before.
Poliana herself admitted that she didn’t have her monthly bleeding, and it
was only a matter of time before this became public knowledge.
In Acreia, an infertile woman lived her life alone or as a prostitute. If a
noblewoman was barren, she had an option to become a concubine to a
nobleman, who already had a male heir. This was the best and most
stable life a barren noblewoman could hope for.
An ugly woman would be accepted instead of an infertile woman. Even
being the emperor’s favorite knight could not mask this flaw. Besides,
this was one of the reasons why Lucius the First also couldn’t take
Poliana as his empress, even if she was willing.
Poliana’s fellow knights also wanted to help in finding her a decent
husband. Everyone agreed that marriage and forming a family was the
only way to true happiness.
The knights who considered themselves to be her friends could not
accept the fact that Poliana was being treated poorly in the marriage
market. Objectively speaking, she was indeed an unmarriageable
woman, but they still couldn’t accept this reality. So finally, some of them
even began to offer their own brothers.
What if Sir Poliana dies a virgin? She will forever haunt Acreia as a
ghost.
Poliana couldn’t believe what was happening around her. She was so
busy, yet she had to waste her precious time dealing with the other wellintentioned
knights, who seemed to have nothing better to do than
meddle in her business.
When she flat out refused the blind dates with her potential husband
materials, some even offered to create a “coincidental” meeting with
these men. This did happen rarely, but most of the time, these
“coincidental” meetings didn’t go so well. Poliana ended up agreeing to
one, but the man refused her as soon as he saw her face. She became
furious, and when she seemed upset, some knights began to propose
themselves to help her.
“There is no other way, Sir Poliana. It can’t be helped, so I will take you.
Let’s get married.”
Poliana punched whoever proposed to her. Some even offered to marry
her just for a year because they pitied her. They suggested they should
get divorced afterward. It was an odd thing, but in the Acreian society, it
was better to be a divorced woman than a spinster for a noble lady.
But still…
These knights were being ridiculous. Just for a moment, Poliana did
consider that perhaps it was a good idea, but she shook her head.
“Just stop! All of you! I can’t take this anymore!”
“But, Sir Poliana!”
“No, no more! We need to stop talking about this! Who cares if I get
married? Who cares if I never have children?! It is none of your
business!”
They needed to stop nagging her, these knights were worse than Lady
Bika!
Meanwhile, many single knights continued to get married quickly,
especially those who were planning to move down south. They had an
option to marry the local noble ladies in the southern colonies, but most
of them chose to marry an Acreian woman. As more and more men got
married, the pressure for Poliana to get married as well continued.
She felt like she was about to suffocate from everyone nagging her
about her own life. On top of that, Sir Jainno made sure to annoy her
whenever he got the chance. It was clear he did not approve of her, and
he made sure to make a big deal about her smallest mistakes.
When she first arrived, Sir Jainno made a fuss about how she was a
woman and he could not work under one, but as soon as his brother Sir
Ainno returned, it stopped. It was clear that Sir Ainno accepted Poliana
as his colleague, so Sir Jainno could no longer complain about her
gender.
But now, he treated her as his rival, the rival who took away his chance
to become the head of the royal guards.

Chapter 124: Chapter 124

Chapter 124
One day, Poliana saw Sir Ainno while walking. A lot had happened since
he left. While he was gone, the knights of the knight’s order were having
a comfortable time while annoying Sir Mahogal.
No one seemed to know where Sir Ainno had been all this time or what
he had been doing. He didn’t even report to the emperor in detail, but he
still looked as confident and as entitled as ever.
Even now, Sir Ainno looked at Poliana arrogantly as he said to her, “You
should have better control over your division.”
‘What a jerk.’
Sir Ainno frowned at her, and Poliana did the same. They glared at each
other with their face deeply wrinkled. Poliana finally replied, “I wanted to
tell you the same thing myself, Sir Ainno.”
Sir Ainno chose his knights based on only their skills and nothing else.
These knights followed Sir Ainno’s orders, but not Sir Mahogal’s. While
Sir Ainno was gone, Sir Mahogal had a tough time controlling these
men. He was so busy that he never got the chance to return home even
once.
Poliana couldn’t just play defensive, so she asked Sir Ainno, “Aren’t you
going to get married, Sir Ainno?”
“I can get married whenever I want and whoever I want.”
Sir Ainno answered comfortably. He added, “I can even play around until
I am 40 years old, then get married.”
Getting married to a young girl at 40? He was such an assh*le. And
when Lucius the First heard it, he had the same reaction as Poliana.
“Inno, are you serious? That is so gross, don’t be a pervert. Think about
it.”
This was especially a problem in Acreia. Men only tried to marry young
women, which meant that there were many spinsters unable to get
themselves married. Lucius the First was told that this wasn’t a huge
problem among the high-ranking aristocrats, but it definitely was among
the lower-ranking nobles and commoners. Everyone thought the
problem of unmarried women would be solved once the men returned
from the war, but it seemed that every man wanted to marry only young
girls.
Having too many unmarried men and women was a huge problem for
the kingdom. It was considered unlucky. Of course, the emperor himself
was not planning on getting married any time soon, but he was adamant
it was only because he was too busy currently.
Lucius the First was asked to approve a marriage between a nobleman
in his 30’s and a young lady of 13. The emperor shook in anger. He
announced, “We will create a law that disallows young girls from getting
married. A marriage between two parties with an age gap bigger than 20
years will be denied as well. I had no idea there are so many perverts in
this world.”
There was no place for love when it came to a marriage between the
aristocrats. The only things that mattered to them were wealth and family
name. It was one thing to have two children engaged to be married when
they were older, but the emperor could not allow old men to take young
girls as their wives. It was just wrong.
As he created new laws, Lucius the First became frustrated. He already
had so many things to do, yet every time he finished one task, he was
burdened with ten more.
The emperor said to Poliana, “I am not being lazy about siring an heir. I
just have so much to do for this kingdom.”
“Indeed, your highness. You are working so hard, and what you have
accomplished so far is very impressive.”
Whenever the emperor became frustrated or upset, all she had to do
was to praise him. This seemed to be enough to cheer him up and get
him back to work.
Poliana added, “But not all of them are perverts, your highness.”
She was correct. There were many young soldiers who married a widow
with children who lost their husbands to the war. There also were many
who offered to marry their fellow soldiers’ spinster sisters and daughters.
Lucius the First praised them and awarded them wedding gifts.
After a nice chat with Poliana during his break, the emperor called for
Duke Luzo. The duke was working while sitting outside because the
healers claimed that the sun was good for hair loss. Looking tired, Duke
Luzo appeared in front of the emperor, who looked at him fondly and
apologetically.
“Luzo, I promise you that after we get most of the work done, I will let
you go.”
“Do you really mean that?”
“Of course. I am the emperor and I would never make a promise I can’t
keep.”
Duke Luzo yelled at the scribes, “Everyone, write everything we say
down accurately! Do it! Make sure you do a perfect job!”
Poliana watched the two men working hard for a short while before
leaving the room.
‘How is it that there is so much to do for all of us?’
Poliana recently saw the portrait of Duke Luzo when he was younger.
She was shocked to realize that he used to be a beautiful young man
before the war began. She felt sympathetic towards him, and she felt
ashamed that she had been complaining about the amount of work she
was burdened with.
‘Even the most important people like the duke and the emperor are
working so hard… I shouldn’t be complaining at all.’
She also felt embarrassed that Sir Ainno pointed out how uncontrolled
her division was. Too much work was not good enough as an excuse,
she needed to get this problem fixed as soon as possible.
Poliana immediately called for an emergency meeting. Every guard,
except the ones who needed to stay with the emperor, gathered around
her. Her own men, who were familiar with her style of training and
lecturing, looked up at the sky in fear.
‘Because of Sir Jainno’s stupid men, we are all going to be punished…’
Poliana’s guards glared at Sir Jainno’s guards angrily. It was Poliana
who was going to punish them, but they weren’t upset with her. Her men
knew that Poliana had to be extra strict and harsh in order to control this
division because she was a woman and a foreigner. This was the only
way to gain a firm unwavering loyalty from her unit.
Today was going to be the day when Poliana would show them who’s
boss.
It was a beautiful sunny day out in the castle training area. Anyone who
defied her even the slightest was going to be dragged to the jail cell and
whipped mercilessly.
Poliana announced forcefully, “I guess you all think it’s ok to relax and
live a little just because the war is over, huh? Do you think you can
disrespect me and get away with it? Do you know who told me how I lost
my control over my own men? It’s Sir Ainno, he told me I lost my touch!
Shall I get you, men, to join the training with the knight’s order? Would
you like to be trained by Sir Ainno? Is that what it’s going to take for you
to listen to me?”
“No, ma’am! It won’t happen again!”
“We apologize, Sir Poliana!”
Poliana nodded and continued, “If you have a complaint against me, just
say it and I will consider it. If having a female superior is a problem for
any of you, you can come to me. I will remove your balls and make you a
woman so you won’t have any more problems with me. If having a
foreigner as your superior is a problem, tell me. I will fix it by having you
executed for defying the emperor’s order, which was to consider
everyone on this continent as an Acreian. Anything else? My title? My
strength? If you have any more issues, you can complain to the emperor
himself and see what happens! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!”

Chapter 125: Chapter 125

Chapter 125
Poliana knew that she was being petty. A few years ago, Lucius the First
taught her that fear and force alone were not enough to lead people. She
knew that this wasn’t the best way, but she had no other choice,
considering the fact that she needed to get things fixed as quickly as
possible. She had so much to do and so little time.
The guards replied in fear, “We won’t do it again!”
“Do you think that is enough?!”
“Please give us one more chance! We will do our best!”
“Your best may not be enough, but I will give you one more chance,
nonetheless. If I hear about any more problems, that will be the end of all
of you, got it?”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
Every guard, both her own men and Sir Jainno’s replied wholeheartedly.
Sir Wook bowed to her apologetically. Poliana felt guilty; Sir Wook was a
good knight who had been loyal to her, yet she was forcing him to
apologize to her along with everyone else. It didn’t seem like anyone
was disappointed in her behavior, however, and she felt relieved.
When she turned around, she heard Sirs Wook and Jainno reprimanding
all of the guards for their mistakes.
‘Dammit…’
Poliana felt frustrated at this situation. She left the men and went to the
nearby garden. She began to assault a tree. Right kick, left kick, right
punch, and left punch… If the gardeners saw her, they would’ve cried at
how their plants were being treated.
Just then, someone asked her from behind.
“Sir Poliana, do you have a moment?” It was Sir Jainno. When she
turned around, he took off one of his gloves and offered it to her. Sir
Jainno continued, “I have a problem with you.”
It was very obvious that he was not pleased with her. Every time they
faced each other, Sir Jainno glared at the golden stripe on her uniform.
At least, he was very clear about what he was unhappy about.
‘What’s with the glove…’
Poliana thought highly of Sir Jainno mainly because compared to Sir
Ainno, he was a gentleman. Having Sir Ainno as an older brother
must’ve been horrible, but Sir Jainno seemed like a decent person.
She couldn’t understand what he meant by offering her his glove.
‘… He can’t mean…’
It couldn’t be, the Sir Jainno she knew would never dare to act in such a
way. She was certain that he had a brain.
‘No way… He can’t mean that…’
Poliana flinched, slowly realizing that perhaps he did mean what she
thought couldn’t be possible. She then asked him cautiously, “What are
you doing?”
“I have no complaints about your gender, strength, or title. But I do have
one problem with you and that is your military experience. I have just as
much, if not more, experience than you, Sir Poliana, and that is why your
position as the head of the guard division is unfair. So I challenge you to
a duel, Sir Poliana, like a knight to another knight.”
Sir Jainno was as old as Poliana, and he did indeed have about the
same number of years in the military as Poliana. His service to the
Acreian army was, of course, much longer than hers.
Sir Jainno felt certain that if he joined the conquest like his brother,
which was exactly what he wanted, he would’ve been appointed as the
head of the royal guards. He didn’t say anything during Poliana’s
announcement just a moment ago because he didn’t want to ruin her
moment but the truth was, he did have a problem with her.
Big time…
Poliana flinched again. ‘Dammit.’
She was right, he was asking her for a duel. Poliana took his glove with
a serious face and Sir Jainno nodded firmly. He said to her, “I have no
intention of damaging your reputation, Sir Poliana. I also do not assume
that I will win without a doubt. Sir Wook and the other knights told me
that you fight with everything you have, using every possible method that
you could utilize. Our duel will have no rules so you can use anything
you… Gyaa!”
Poliana slapped Sir Ainno’s face with his own glove. Sir Ainno stepped
back with a flinch, afraid that he might lose his eyes from being hit by the
glove. Poliana had no mercy for him. She immediately went after him
and continued to attack him.
Just as the other knights told him, Poliana fought with everything she
had. Her hands never stopped as she kicked and punched him
constantly.
This was so disappointing. Poliana thought Sir Jainno was one of the
normal ones, but apparently, she was very wrong. Poliana screamed at
him, “Are you seriously suggesting we should fight for my position? Do
you think this is a joke? This position was appointed by the emperor
himself. Do you know what the emperor’s favorite saying was during the
conquest? ‘Stop reading stupid romance novels! Get some common
sense!’ So I ask you, Sir Jainno. Do you think I’m a joke? Do you think
this whole thing is a joke? Do you think this job can be just won by a
mere fight? Huh? Answer me!”
“Gya!!! I, I’m sorry!”
Poliana successfully cornered him. Sir Jainno couldn’t say anything
other than an apology to her because she was absolutely right. All he
could do was block Poliana’s attacks as best as he could.
Left kick, right kick, right punch, and left punch…
And finally, Sir Jainno surrendered and Poliana ordered him to give her
ten push-ups. He had no choice but to drop down to the ground and
follow her order.
Poliana watched Sir Jainno sweat when suddenly, she felt someone
approach them. Sir Jainno noticed them as well, and because he
couldn’t show any kind of weakness to other men, he stood up quickly
and pretended that nothing happened.
The man who came to them was one of the royal guards. He announced
hurriedly, “Sir Poliana! You need to come right now! Something bad has
happened!”
“What is it?”
“Sir Donau apparently assaulted Sir Navkin!”
Poliana shook her head in frustration. What was going on around here?!
Was everyone trying to give her a heart attack?
Suddenly, Poliana regretted not retiring just like Lady Bika suggested. If
she did, she could’ve been home in her own castle now, enjoying a
peaceful life.

Chapter 126: Chapter 126

Chapter 126
Poliana and Sir Jainno ran to the scene as soon as they heard of it.
Even though they arrived within a few minutes, things have progressed
quickly. Rather than a one-on-one fight, it was now a full-blown group
fight.
“What was going on here?”
The royal guards were divided into two groups and they were fighting.
Sir Jainno couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“You idiot!”
Poliana screamed as well, “Everyone freeze!”
Her husky piercing voice was enough for everyone to pause. They were
too furious to realize the consequences of their fight, but now that
Poliana was here, they froze in fear.
This was very bad.
Some of the knights tried to explain their situation to her, but Poliana
didn’t even give them a chance. With the leather glove still in her hand,
she began to slap them one by one.
Slap! Slap!
The loud painful noise that came around them made everyone flinch.
Poliana then ordered, “Everyone involved in this fight will be arrested
and sent to the prison immediately. I’ll get myself a detailed report about
this incident later.”
No one protested. The men involved knew what they did was wrong, so
they lowered their heads in shame and lined up to walk into the jail cell.
Sir Jainno kicked them one by one in annoyance, but he froze when
Poliana said to him, “You too, Sir Jainno.”
“… Are you talking to me, Sir Poliana?”
“Yes, you bastard.” Poliana continued to glare at him, daring him to
protest. If he did, she was ready to kick him in the crotch.
Sir Jainno was smart, however, he saluted her and replied, “Yes, Sir
Poliana. Right away!” He glanced at her hand, which was still holding his
leather glove. When Poliana threw it at his face, it fell to the ground and
without a word, Sir Jainno picked it up.
Sir Jainno looked apologetic and guilty, which was enough to make her
feel less angry. Poliana turned around and asked one of the guards
where Sir Wook was.
“Sir Wook went to work his shift. He is guarding the emperor right now!”
“Alright. Now, you know where Sir Ainno is, right? Go tell him I have a
favor to ask. Once you relay the message, you will go to the jail cell as
well.”
The knight’s eyes wavered. “M-me too?”
This was the knight who reported the fight to Poliana immediately after it
broke out, so he couldn’t understand why he had to be jailed as well.
When he looked at her in confusion, Poliana said to him coldly, “This is
the military, you’re in a single unit. One soldier’s mistake will cost
everyone in the unit to be punished.”
‘Dammit!’
The knight frowned and ran to find Sir Ainno.
***
One-third of the royal guards were in prison now. Even Sir Ainno was
shocked to hear it.
“I didn’t mean that she should send everyone to jail… Did she
misunderstand me or something?” Sir Ainno became worried that
perhaps Poliana thought he meant her to be this crazy and hard on the
guards. All he wanted her to do was to get a better grip over the division.
When he heard his own brother was in jail, Sir Ainno didn’t react much.
‘Oh well, going to jail isn’t that big of a deal anyway.’
To Sir Ainno, all the other knights looked weak and soft. To him, Poliana
actually behaved tougher than his own brother Sir Jainno. Sir Poliana
was the head of the royal guards. There was no question about it, and
Sir Ainno had no complaints against her.
When one of her men came to him with a message, Sir Ainno visited
Poliana and asked, “What kind of favor?”
“I was hoping you could work as the emperor’s personal guard for a little
while.”
Sir Ainno agreed to do it without hesitation. He was the leader of the new
knight’s order, but this was still an unofficial unit. Everyone in the order
including Sir Ainno didn’t have much to do.
A soldier needed to always be busy, Sir Ainno was glad to finally find
something that he could do.
***
Poliana ordered every single guard, even the ones that weren’t involved
in the fight, to be imprisoned. The good-looking young noblemen entered
the jail cell in a single file with a confused frown on their faces. The other
soldiers and knights came to watch them as this was a very unusual
occurrence.
“Sir Poliana, we don’t have enough room in this jail to accommodate all
the royal guards…”
“Then start digging.”
One basic principle of any military unit was self-sufficiency. If they lacked
something, all they had to do was make it. This was the most important
notion in the military supply division, and it was taught very well to
Poliana by Sir Baufallo.
If they didn’t have enough room in the jail, all they had to do was make
another jail.
An underground prison.
The guards began to dig a hole to create their own jail cells. Was this a
living hell?
Poliana didn’t question the guards right away. Instead, she gave them
some time to reflect on their behaviors.
They were given three days, and during this time, they were given the
bare minimum to eat. They also weren’t given much time to rest as they
were ordered to dig their own jail cells. They slept in the cold and
discomfort.
After three days, the first thing Poliana did was give them proper meals.
Then, she allowed them to report to her about the details of what
happened three days ago.
“So what was that fight about? What happened?”
Each guard stood in front of Poliana and reported individually and
privately. Afterward, they were ordered to decide if they deserved to be
punished. Whoever said yes were sent back to jail.
Poliana announced to them, “Those who do not think they are guilty of
anything don’t have to go back to jail. Even if I find out you were lying
and you were actually guilty, I won’t put you back in the cell. I will count
on your honesty.”
Most confessed that they were guilty and returned to jail. Poliana got
them to stay at the regular jail rather than the underground one. After
listening to about twenty guards, Poliana figured out what happened that
day.
When Poliana, Sir Wook, and Sir Jainno left after reprimanding the
guards, the guards decided to go for a drink. While they drank, the men
began to talk about women as usual. They also talked about Poliana and
the jokes began.
“Gosh, Sir Poliana has quite a temper, doesn’t she?”
“Well, she is a spinster, after all. She is definitely a fierce one!”
“I know! She can be a real b*tch!”
Some of them began to tease those who offered to marry her out of pity.
These guards who proposed to her shook their heads, claiming that it
was a mistake. Then suddenly, Sir Navkin commented, “But it might not
be the worst idea. I mean, she is the boss of all of us, but if she becomes
my wife, I would become her boss as soon as we go home at night.”
Sir Navkin should’ve stopped right here, but he continued, “Maybe I
should really propose to her, right? I can f*ck her while she moans my
name every night.”
His inappropriate joke made everyone freeze. Before someone could
protest, Donau moved quickly and without a warning, he punched Sir
Navkin’s face with all of his strength.
Sir Navkin kicked Donau in response. Donau ended up falling on the
ground, taking two knights with him as he collapsed.
The other guards protested to Sir Navkin, “What the hell! What was that
for?”
“Sir Donau hit me first! You all saw it!”
“But that was because your words were unacceptable, Sir Navkin!”
The guards quickly divided into two groups. One that believed Sir
Navkin’s joke was unforgivable and the other that claimed it was wrong
for Sir Donau to punch Sir Navkin like that.
Donau quickly stood up and slammed himself against Sir Navkin. This
was how the fight began. At first, there were two clear groups, but within
a few seconds, it became an unorganized and confusing brawl.
When it was Sir Navkin’s turn to report to Poliana, he couldn’t look her in
the eyes. Poliana shook her head.
‘Stupid boy.’
If he couldn’t even face her like a man, why did he bother making such a
ridiculous joke? When Sir Navkin offered to stay in jail indefinitely,
Poliana agreed and sent him back for now.
And when it was Donau’s turn, Poliana studied him quietly. It was clear
that Donau was in a worse condition than Sir Navkin. It made sense
because Sir Navkin was bigger, stronger, and older. He had much more
experience than Donau.
Sir Donau limped towards Poliana, making her upset. His eyes were
black and blue and the rest of his face wasn’t in much better condition.
He also lost a canine, making him look ridiculous every time he opened
his mouth. He was covered in blood.
Poliana then ordered him, “Tell me what happened in your own words.”

Chapter 127: Chapter 127

Chapter 127
Donau refused to report to Poliana. He remained silent.
“…”
“Donau, tell me what happened.”
“…”
“Would you like me to kick you a few times to jog your memory?”
“I have nothing to report.”
Donau didn’t sound remorseful. He wasn’t saying that he was sorry; he
was telling her there was nothing to tell her. Poliana became frustrated.
What was wrong with him? Why wouldn’t he tell her what happened?
“Donau, why did you do it?”
“…”
“I am thankful that you became angry on my behalf, but the way you
handled the situation was still very wrong. You know how to act like a
gentleman, right? Why didn’t you just throw your gauntlet or glove at
him?”
“I just got really mad.”
“It’s not like that was the first time I was insulted.”
“Why do you think it’s ok that you got used to being insulted?!” Donau
screamed at her angrily. Poliana’s eyes widened in surprise as Donau
continued, “Do you enjoy being insulted? Is that it? Wow, that must be
great, huh?! Are you proud of yourself, huh? You like people talking bad
about you?”
“Donau, you know how people are. Gossiping is a normal part of our
lives. People even gossip about his highness sometimes. After I became
the head of the royal guards, I have been making examples of a few
people making inappropriate comments about me, so things have been
okay. You know that.”
“But why should people insult you? Why would other men talk about you
like that!?”
Donau continued to yell, and Poliana was impressed. She knew he
hadn’t eaten much during the last few days, yet he seemed as strong
and energetic as ever. How wonderful it must be to be so young!
Suddenly, Donau grabbed Poliana’s hands and shouted, “Please marry
me!”
The other soldiers who were waiting outside all coughed loudly when
they heard Donau’s proposal. Donau, however, ignored them and
continued, “You don’t have to treat me with respect, even at home! I will
treat you as my superior even after work! You can remain a knight as
long as you want, and I will never make a fuss about you being my boss!
I don’t care if I don’t have any children, and I can change my last
name… Gyaa!”
“You crazy bastard! What the hell are you talking about?! Have you lost
your mind?”
Poliana punched the top of his head. Donau fell to the floor and rolled in
pain. Glaring at him, Poliana ordered the nearby guard, “You there! Take
this idiot back to jail!”
When the guard tried to drag Donau away, Donau reached out to grab
Poliana’s hands again and protested, “But it’s not a bad offer for you!”
“Ha! Like Sir Baufallo would allow something like that!”
“I will convince my father!”
“You’re planning to marry a lady from a very good family, so what are
you talking about?!”
“I don’t like that lady, so it doesn’t matter!”
“Then what about me? Are you telling me that you like me?”
“Huh?”
Donau’s face became blank. The fact that he couldn’t answer her
question made it even more offensive. She understood why men liked to
talk about women, but she couldn’t understand why Donau would
propose to her, especially when he knew without a doubt that something
like this would harm her relationship with Sir Baufallo.
Poliana ordered them again, “Take him away!”
Before Donau was dragged away, Poliana announced, “For mocking
your superior, you are sentenced for a week in the underground jail cell.”
Poliana then called for the next soldier, who appeared with curious eyes.
Before she could ask him any questions, the soldier asked excitedly,
“Which family were you talking about? The one Sir Donau is going to
marry!”
Poliana thumped her chest in frustration.
“Maybe I should really retire and go back home.”
“No, Sir Poliana! You can’t! I’m sorry! I won’t ask again!”
Poliana suddenly felt a huge headache coming on. Would this nightmare
ever end?
***
The story of Sir Donau’s proposal spread like a wildfire. The guards and
the other knights who were present told their friends, who told their
families. Most thought of Donau as a kind thoughtful young man who
wanted to help his superior, Poliana.
People praised him for trying to rescue the ugly spinster. What a true
gentleman he was!
The shocking story reached even the emperor. When Lucius the First
heard about it, he exclaimed, “What?! Sir Donau proposed to Sir Pol?”
Sir Ainno, who was next to him, whispered, “Your highness, control
yourself. Don’t show any anger. There are other people here.”
The emperor was about to burst out the door, but Sir Ainno was able to
calm him down.
‘He is still into her, I guess.’
This was a problem. Sir Ainno looked at Lucius the First, who had the
saddest expression a man could have. Sir Ainno thought things would
improve over time, but apparently, the emperor’s feelings have
deepened instead.
Sir Ainno ordered all the servants to leave. The emperor’s expression
still looked upset. Sir Ainno had never seen Lucius the First looking this
displeased. The emperor told him before that he gave up on Poliana, but
Sir Ainno could tell that this wasn’t the case. In fact, it seemed that
Poliana was slowly becoming the biggest part of his daily thoughts.
Sir Ainno even saw the emperor murmuring to himself about being
slammed against a wall. He grinned as if he was remembering
something and then, he told Sir Ainno that if he fell in love with someone,
he should slam her against a wall.
‘What the heck is he talking about? Why would I slam a woman against
a wall if I liked her?’
Why indeed? Shouldn’t he propose to a woman he loves, rather than
slam her against a wall?
Sir Ainno couldn’t understand the emperor.
Lucius the First continued to mutter, “Pol… Pol is getting married…”
Sir Ainno shook his head. ‘This is very bad…’
The emperor still looked so devastated, so Sir Ainno insisted, “Your
highness. You need to read the rest of the report. Sir Poliana refused Sir
Donau and even sent him to jail for a week.”
Suddenly, the emperor smiled widely. He looked so happy, and his smile
looked so beautiful. Sir Ainno asked in annoyance, “I thought you said
you wished her happiness.”
“Of course, I do!”
But the emperor’s grin became wider after he learned that Poliana
wasn’t going to get married. Shaking his head again, Sir Ainno brought
the emperor a mirror and informed him, “Your highness, you used to be
so great at hiding your emotions. But look at you now…”
Lucius the First looked at himself in the mirror and saw the crazy smile
on his face.
‘This is wrong…’
An emperor needed to be able to control his feelings. He took a deep
breath and put on a blank face. Sir Ainno finally removed the mirror and
asked, “Are you calm now?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, you must realize the fact that the main point in the report isn’t how
Poliana received a marriage proposal.”
“Yes, I know.”
The main problem the report was trying to relay was the fact that the
entire royal guard unit was imprisoned per Sir Poliana’s order. The
guards’ families, most of them very prominent nobles, were protesting
angrily. They even began a petition, asking Poliana to be removed from
her position.
Lucius the First had been refusing to meet these nobles in person,
claiming he was too busy, but eventually, he would have to hear them
out. The emperor glared at the report. When he first heard about the
group fight, he let Poliana take care of the situation. He was going to do
the same this time too, he trusted and believed in Poliana.
What distracted him was Donau’s proposal.
‘I can’t believe this bothers me this much.’
Poliana was constantly bothered by the people who believed she should
be married. This meant that if she got married, then this problem would
be solved.
‘So… Maybe he should propose to her!’
It bothered him greatly that Donau wanted to marry Poliana. He was only
a little boy, but he grew up quickly and became a man…
‘Wait a minute!’
Lucius the First frowned in shock, making Sir Ainno annoyed again. The
emperor suddenly wondered, ‘What if Donau actually loves her too?’

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Chapter 128
Lucius the First’s heart fell. He froze for a second before asking Sir
Ainno in a trembling voice, “What if… What if Sir Donau has real feelings
for her?”
So far, it was only the emperor who knew that secret.
The secret that Poliana was, in fact, an adorable woman.
But what if the other men, Sir Donau in this case, found out the truth
too? Lucius the First has been claiming that he would be ok for Poliana
to marry a man who appreciated her, but now that it could really be
happening. Lucius the First didn’t know what to do. He asked Sir Ainno,
“Inno, what should I do?”
“… make a scene?”
Lucius the First threw the ink bottle at his friend, who caught it easily and
placed it back on the table. Sir Ainno continued, “Your highness, please
calm down. This isn’t like you at all. You need to control your emotions
better.”
“And what kind of behavior would be considered ‘like me?!'”
“Not saying things you have been telling me so far, your highness.”
Why? Why did he have to act in a certain way just because he was the
emperor? Why couldn’t he feel what he felt? Why couldn’t he say what
he felt?
The two men remained silent for a long time. After 30 minutes of silence,
Sir Ainno finally said to the emperor, “If you can’t accept this situation,
then why don’t you just have Sir Poliana as your concubine?”
“No, I can’t. She was offered a marriage opportunity by a perfectly good
young man, so how could I offer her something less than my proper wife
and empress?”
“Are you saying you will have her as your empress if that was possible?”
“Hahaha.”
Lucius the First laughed, he was clearly not himself at the moment. Sir
Ainno asked, “Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?”
“Just think about it. Imagine Sir Pol standing beside me as my empress.
It’s a ridiculous picture, isn’t it? It wouldn’t suit her at all. It can’t look any
worse than her as the empress.”
Slowly, his laughter turned into a groan, almost a sob. Lucius the First
covered his face with his hands and ordered, “Get out, Inno.”
Sir Ainno ignored the order and stayed. He couldn’t understand his
emperor at all.
“Your highness, if you are that distressed, then just seduce her. You are
the emperor, so why are you so afraid? There is nothing you can’t do. Sir
Poliana doesn’t see you as a man probably because she knows she has
absolutely no chance with you but if you tell her how you feel, she will
jump on the chance to be with you.”
“And then what? What would I do then? Make her my concubine, huh?!”
“Why are you getting angry at me?”
Sir Ainno was always on the emperor’s side no matter what, but this
time, he frowned in annoyance. Lucius the First felt remorseful when he
realized how unfair he was to his friend. The emperor coughed to hide
his awkwardness, and Sir Ainno also looked at the mirror to put on a
blank expression.
Sir Ainno said to the emperor, “Just tell me what you want. Are you
giving her up, or are you not? It is very hard for me to support you when I
don’t know what you want to do.”
“I want her to be happy.”
“Then you are giving her up…”
“So you are saying she can’t be happy if she is with me, Inno?”
“You are very quick, your highness.”
Before Lucius the First became depressed again, Sir Ainno changed the
subject quickly, “Don’t you think Sir Donau would make a good husband
for her? Isn’t he an excellent candidate?”
“Sir Donau…”
Lucius the First tapped the table with his finger, which was his habit
when he was thinking. Sir Ainno continued, “I mean, he would be better
than some random young man who only wants to marry Sir Poliana to
satisfy his greed, right?”
“Inno.”
The emperor looked at him and continued, “That is precisely why I am
very unhappy about it.”
Sir Ainno didn’t know how to react, so he looked away. Feeling
embarrassed, Lucius the First coughed again.
‘There is no answer to this.’
There was never a right answer for love. Lucius the First remained
troubled, and Sir Ainno watched him in frustration.
Indeed, there was no answer to this problem.
***
Lucius the First called for Poliana. When she heard the order, she
clenched her teeth, thinking that she was going to be reprimanded. As
the head of the guards, anything that goes wrong with the unit was her
responsibility. The recent fight and the fact that most of the guards were
imprisoned couldn’t be a good thing for her.
She thought she wouldn’t be surprised if she was removed from her
position. Her precious blue uniform with the golden stripe could be taken
away from her. Today might be the last day she might get to wear it.
She bowed to the emperor. “Poliana Winter, your highness.”
Her mouth was dry; she felt a sudden thirst. She expected the emperor
to scold her, but instead, Lucius the First asked her, “I heard someone
proposed to you.”
“Yes, that is correct, your highness.”
Poliana thought to herself, ‘I guess he is trying to be gentle with me, he’s
starting with a lighter topic.’
She thought that he was trying to make her feel relaxed, which meant
that even if she lost her position, the emperor still trusted her. Poliana
felt relieved because losing her position was going to be devastating, but
as long as her emperor still believed in her, that was all that mattered.
The emperor asked her, “Don’t you think that Sir Donau would be a good
man to marry?”
He was being serious, but Poliana thought he was joking. Meanwhile, Sir
Ainno watched the whole scene while trying very hard not to burst into
laughter. He covered his mouth and nose so Poliana couldn’t see his
expression.
‘I can’t laugh!’
Meanwhile, the emperor was trying his very best not to show how
jealous he was. Lucius the First knew he had to be objective and think
positively of Sir Donau’s marriage proposal. In truth, Sir Donau really
was an attractive marriage material. First of all, Sir Donau was the
second son, which meant that he wasn’t burdened with siring a male
heir, or any children at all. Sir Donau also claimed that he was ok with
taking Poliana’s last name as his own, which showed what an
understanding man he was. On top of that, Sir Donau considered
Poliana his family. He knew her very well, and so there was no way he
would betray her in the future.
Sir Donau was the perfect match for Poliana. They would make a good
couple, and this upset Lucius the First greatly.
The emperor’s facial expression kept changing to that of sadness and
relief, which confused Poliana. Watching the scene, Sir Ainno finally
burst into laughter.
Poliana turned around in surprise. She asked the emperor, “What’s
wrong with Sir Ainno?”
“He has been working too hard on his new knight’s order so his brain
isn’t working correctly at the moment.”
“Oh… I guess it was wrong of me to ask him for a favor then.”
Sir Ainno shook his head as he continued to laugh, “N, no… I’m not
busy… at all… Hahaha!” Sir Ainno couldn’t even look straight into
Poliana’s eyes. He also refused to look at the emperor. Poliana frowned
in confusion, ‘Why is he so happy? Maybe he heard a really good joke or
something?’
Ignoring his friend, Lucius the First turned towards Poliana and asked
again, “Pol, tell me. It’s a… good marriage proposal, I think. So… are
you sure you want to refuse it? Is the answer still a ‘no?'”

Chapter 129: Chapter 129

Chapter 129
Poliana answered adamantly, “Of course, my answer is no.”
Lucius the First felt relieved at her answer, but he also felt disappointed
in himself.
‘I hate myself.’
Sir Ainno was still laughing hard, and the emperor then remembered
what his friend told him before. Sir Ainno said many times that he
thought Lucius the First might sabotage any of Poliana’s potential
marriage prospects.
‘Inno’s right. I… I can’t say I won’t.’
The emperor knew that he would use any excuse that he could think of
to make sure Poliana didn’t get married. He felt disgusted with himself.
He had all the power in the world and because of this, he needed to
think and act objectively. It was especially frustrating because the
woman he loved was standing in front of him and looking at him with
admiration.
“Sir Pol, I… I told you b-before that if you meet a decent man, y-you
should get m-married.”
Lucius the First stammered out the words he didn’t mean, and Poliana
wondered if the emperor was overworked again. Was he so tired that he
couldn’t even speak well? Or did something happen?
Poliana then replied, “But don’t you think Sir Donau is being
unreasonable and ungrateful?”
“Ungrateful?”
“There is an arranged marriage being planned for him with an amazing
woman, so how could he propose to me? And when I asked him if he
even loved me, he couldn’t even give me an answer. He flinched and
couldn’t say anything. He couldn’t even lie and say he loved me, which is
what a proper nobleman would do. How rude! Besides, he proposed to
me in the heat of the moment. If I accepted it, I know he would have
regretted it. Besides, I can’t do this to Sir Baufallo and Sir Rabi.
Therefore, Sir Donau would not make a good match for me, your
highness.”
“Maybe Sir Donau really loves you but couldn’t admit it because he was
too shy or too surprised at his answer.”
“Even then, my answer would still be no. A marriage needs to be
approved by the parents first. Since I consider myself an orphan, I
suppose I can marry anyone I want, but this is not the case for Sir
Donau. His parents are alive and well.”
This was true. Most noble marriages were arranged by the parents, and
most noble children did not object to it. Because Poliana was also an
aristocrat, she did not expect to marry someone for love.
There were rare cases when a nobleman and woman married for love,
even if it meant going against their parents, but Poliana wasn’t one of
these crazy people.
Lucius the First had to try his best not to grin widely. His face spasmed
uncontrollably as he asked, “Wouldn’t it be a good thing for you to marry
Sir Donau?”
“I may end up marrying someone, but I would never marry Sir Donau or
Sir Howe.”
“Why not?”
“I would never be able to face Sir Baufallo if I did. Besides, those two
young men are more like my younger brothers.”
She considered them her family, and that was why she refused to
become their legal family by marrying one of the brothers. Poliana’s
adamant decision made the emperor smile, but he tried his best to look
serious.
“So, your answer is a definite no.”
“Without a doubt.”
Poliana couldn’t believe what Donau did to her. How could he propose to
his own sister, to his family? This could never happen.
She was, of course, thankful for his kindness, but the best thing Donau
could do for her was to marry that nice lady.
‘I guess this must be how a parent feels about his or her child.’
Poliana realized that her thoughts were similar to those of Lady Bika and
Sir Rabi. Just like them, she wanted the people that are important to her
to have a happy and safe life. Nothing good would come from Sir Donau
marrying someone like her!
Poliana was also angry at him, and that was why she ordered him to a
week of imprisonment.
Lucius the First said to her, “Well, I guess we can get to the main topic
now.”
Poliana straightened up to listen. The truth was, Lucius the First brought
her here mainly for this topic of Poliana and Donau, but he hid it well.
Only Sir Ainno knew, and he continued to cover his mouth so he could
not laugh out loud again.
***
In Nanaba castle, there were no separate guardhouses, which was a jail
specifically for the soldiers. Therefore, the castle’s underground and
aboveground cells were used for everyone.
Most guards were moved to the aboveground jail after their meeting with
Poliana, but a few, including Sir Donau, were sent back to the
underground cell. No jail cells were comfortable, but the underground
ones were especially horrible. Sir Donau made sure to move around as
much as possible so he wouldn’t get a frostbite.
He was just thankful that he received regular meals. Normally, the
prisoners were forced to make their own meals or pay for them. Even
though he ran and walked around the cell as much as possible, he could
never get himself warm and at night when he slept, the temperature was
so cold that it was becoming unbearable.
During the week of his time in jail, Donau had a lot of time to think. At
first, his brain refused to work, but soon, he felt regretful.
‘But about what?’
He was regretful, but he couldn’t figure out why. He felt emotional; he
had so many different feelings, but his brain refused to understand what
they were and what they meant.
For a while, he just ignored them. He kept running around the cell and
told himself that after a week of this hell, he would just go back to his old
life. But he couldn’t stop thinking about that moment…
That moment when Poliana asked him if he liked her…
Why couldn’t he answer her?
Donau liked Poliana. Perhaps not as a woman, but definitely as an
adopted sister and also as his superior. He admired and respected her.
Marriage proposals based on this kind of feelings weren’t unheard of. In
fact, many knights dreamt of marrying the sister or the daughter of
someone they admired. Of course, this was a slightly different situation
since Donau proposed to the actual person he admired because she
happened to be a woman.
If he just gave Poliana that yes, that he did like her, he wouldn’t have
been sent to this prison. And if he had said yes, Poliana would’ve
understood what he meant, that he liked her as his adopted sister and
his superior.
So why couldn’t he just say yes?
Donau began to feel confused. It was partly because he was so cold and
tired. He wasn’t afraid that he was going to die. Besides, the prison
guard came down often to check on him. There was a good chance that
he might get a frostbite, but that wasn’t a big deal. Many Acreians
weren’t new to frostbites since they lived in such a cold climate. If it
became so bad that he might have to lose his toes or fingers, the guard
would do something.
Donau began to hallucinate a little and his mind was filled with Poliana,
who was smiling happily.
‘Why do I always picture her smiling?’
Donau couldn’t understand. He had no idea that this was his first love,
and it was never going to work out.
“…Donau!”
“Sir Donau, are you ok?”
“Get up! Get up! Donau! We are here for a visit!”
Suddenly, loud noises began to wake Donau up. He still felt fuzzy, but
he slowly regained his consciousness.
‘Wait a minute… No one is allowed to visit the prisoners in the
underground cell… So how could this be? Did… Did I die?’
With a shudder, Donau opened his eyes, and what he saw confused him
even more. Outside his cell, two ladies stood and looked at him
anxiously.
The Bika family’s twin ladies, Vaxi and Vanessa, sighed in relief as they
saw Donau wake up.

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Chapter 130
“Oh, you’re finally awake, Sir Donau!”
“We were so worried, Sir Donau!”
“Sir Howe! Your brother is awake! Come!”
Donau looked at the twins in surprise. He murmured, “How… How did
you ladies come here…?”
Donau could feel Vaxi and Vanessa holding his hands. This was
definitely not a dream. He saw his older brother appear as well.
Sir Howe wanted to punch his younger brother, but he was in the
presence of two important ladies. He controlled himself and asked
Donau in his fake worried tone, “Are you ok, my brother?”
Donau felt nauseous listening to his brother’s fake gentlemanly behavior.
The twins, however, didn’t notice anything. They said anxiously, “Maybe
we need to get the healer.”
“You don’t look so good, Sir Donau!”
Sir Howe jumped and announced, “I will go get a healer right away, my
ladies!” He obviously was still doing his best to make a good impression
on the girls. Donau was impressed at what kind of effect the ladies had
on his older brother. Sir Howe and Donau shared the same look since
they were brothers, but their personalities were very different. Sir Howe
was sneaky and lazy without appearing so. He knew how to get out of
work he didn’t want to do and yet, in front of these ladies, Sir Howe
seemed eager to work.
Donau always was annoyed at his brother’s cunning mind, and he was
always envious of how talented Sir Howe was with his sword. What
annoyed Donau the most, however, was how he could never hate his
older brother because no matter how much Sir Howe teased and bullied
him, he was also the one who supported him the most.
Initially, Sir Baufallo was not planning to take Donau as his personal help
to the war. The Ribo family was not wealthy, so it was going to be very
hard to support both of their sons to become knights. On top of that,
Donau did not show as much talent as his older brother with his sword.
Donau was more suited to become an administrator, so his father
suggested that he should give up becoming a knight.
It was Sir Howe who came to Donau’s rescue. Sir Howe convinced his
father that they should do whatever it took to make Donau’s dream come
true, even if they went into debt. Sir Howe promised that he would make
it big and pay back everything for their family.
The twins offered Donau a drink. “Please drink this, we brought it for
you.”
Vaxi watered down the wine a little and gave the cup to Donau while
Vanessa wiped Donau’s face with a wet cloth. Donau knew that these
ladies shouldn’t be here. They weren’t allowed in here. He then asked,
“How were you able to get here?”
This question had two meanings. One was the fact that high born ladies
weren’t allowed in such a place. Secondly, the marriage arrangement
wasn’t complete yet. It wasn’t even official, which meant that the ladies
should not be visiting a random young knight like this. It was especially
the case because even unofficially, the marriage was being planned only
between Sir Howe and one of the twins.
Unmarried ladies visiting young men in a jail cell… This could damage
their reputations.
Vaxi and Vanessa smiled prettily and replied, “We heard Sir Howe
planned to visit you today, so we begged him to let us go with him.”
“This was our only chance to ever see the underground jail cell, so we
insisted on coming!”
Most ladies would never want to visit a place like this. The underground
jail was filthy. The edges of their long dresses were already soiled, and
the place was crawling with cockroaches and other bugs. Even Donau
sometimes retched at the smell, but it seemed that the twins didn’t even
notice it.
Donau decided that perhaps he had been wrong about these girls. They
were definitely not like the other ladies he knew. He said to them, “Your
dresses are getting ruined. Thank you so much for visiting me, and now,
I think it’s time for you to leave…”
“It’s fine, we can wash them later.”
“And if they still smell after being laundered, we can just throw them
away.”
The twins were here for a reason. They both grabbed Donau’s dirty
hands and whispered, “We heard why you were imprisoned.”
“We heard you proposed to Sir Poliana!”
“Oh…”
Donau finally realized what was going on. He had to apologize to them.
Feeling a bit awkward, he tried to pull his hands out from their grasps but
for some reason, he couldn’t.
‘Huh?’
Donau was surprised, but he tried to calm down. Perhaps he must’ve
been much more tired than he thought. Why else would he not be able to
escape the twin’s holds?
Donau asked for another sip of water and Vaxi quickly offered him a
bottle. After a big gulp, Donau said to them, “I apologize, my ladies.”
The marriage talk wasn’t official yet, but still, both parties were aware of
it. The fact that Donau proposed to another woman when he fully knew
about the talk between Sir Rabi and his father, was unforgivable. He was
being disrespectful to his potential future wife, who was standing right in
front of him.
But Vaxi and Vanessa shook their heads eagerly. It seemed that they
didn’t care at all about what he did.
“Not at all, Sir Donau. We understand why you did it.”
“No one thinks badly of you, Sir Donau.”
“In fact, everyone is very proud of you. We are all impressed.”
“Even our grandfather praised you.”
This made sense. Everyone, especially the elderly, liked to hear about
upstanding loyal young men. Donau’s proposal was considered a
refreshing and wonderful story and everyone was talking about it. Sir
Rabi laughed and said he understood why Donau did it because he
knew how men talked inappropriately about women. Lady Bika also
didn’t think much of it, saying that a young man could be rash
sometimes.
Vaxi and Vanessa, on the other hand, were very curious.
“So she refused you?”
“Oh, no! But you meant well!”
“Why couldn’t you say you liked her when she asked you?”
“I know! Even if it was a lie, you should’ve said yes.”
Donau contemplated deeply. He knew the right answer would’ve been to
tell Poliana that he liked her, even if it was a lie, but he didn’t say
anything, he couldn’t.
When he looked pensive, the twins asked, “Is it because you hate Sir
Poliana?”
“You hate her so much that you couldn’t even lie?”
Sir Donau immediately rejected that idea.
“That’s not it at all. Why would I hate my adopted sister?!”
The girls then asked, “Then why couldn’t you answer her?”
“That’s right! Why couldn’t you answer her?”
“Well, even if you tell us, Sir Donau, it’s too late.”
“That’s right, Sir Donau. Even if you tell us, it’s too late for us to relay the
message to Sir Poliana.”
Donau decided to tell them the truth. He explained that he did like
Poliana, but only as an adopted sister and as his superior. He couldn’t
answer Poliana at the time because he didn’t like her as a woman.
The twins had strange expressions on their faces. Donau asked, “Why
are you looking at me like that?”
“Do men usually propose to a woman they don’t even like just because
she was insulted?”
“Do men get angry when a woman they don’t even like get insulted?”
Donau replied quickly, “As I said before, I only like Sir Poliana as a
superior. I respect her, and that is all.”
“Sir Donau… I don’t know how to tell you this…”
“That’s right… Sir Donau… This is awkward, but we think that you are
very confused about your own feelings.”
“Based on your behavior, it is very clear that you are in love with Sir
Poliana, Sir Donau.”
“That’s right… You love Sir Poliana, didn’t you know that?”

Chapter 131: Chapter 131

Chapter 131
Donau replied angrily, “That can’t be!” Frustrated, he tried to take his
hands out from the twin’s grasps, but they were too strong. He had no
chance against them.
The ladies then asked, “Why couldn’t it be?”
“Are you not allowed to like her?”
Donau then replied, “There is no way I like Sir Pol like that! It can’t be
because…”
“But you spent a lot of time with her, right?”
“And you know each other very well.”
“It makes sense that you would feel deeply for her.”
“It’s not strange at all.”
“My ladies! That isn’t true! I like her only as a sister and as my superior.
It is more like respect than anything.”
Donau felt anxious to convince the twins that he wasn’t in love with
Poliana. He needed to prove that he didn’t have romantic feelings for
her, so he began to tell them the history between him and Poliana.
Things that happened between them, the times he spent with her, how
he thought of her; he told them about everything they went through
together.
In the beginning, when they first met, Donau was a bratty young man,
but now, he was a proper knight just like Poliana. They were friends and
he considered her his family, which meant that there couldn’t be any
romance between them.
Vaxi and Vanessa listened to him carefully and immediately, they knew
that Donau was only making cowardly excuses.
“Sorry to interrupt you, Sir Donau, but…”
“It sounds like you are telling us that you aren’t allowed to love Sir
Poliana.”
“Why can’t you? Why is it not allowed?”
“That’s right. Why can’t you love Sir Poliana?”
The girls were now focused not on the question of whether he was in
love with Poliana, but why he thought he wasn’t allowed to love her.
Donau tried to answer them angrily, but suddenly, he couldn’t speak. His
lips and tongue refused to work. Watching him becoming speechless,
Vaxi and Vanessa consoled him, “How sad, Sir Donau. You didn’t even
know how you truly felt about her.”
“You didn’t even know you were in love with her, Sir Donau.”
Donau’s face turned into a sad frown as he realized the truth. Slowly, he
began to confess, “I guess… I guess I thought I would become a burden
to her… I would make her feel uncomfortable…”
Why did it take him so long to figure this out? Donau felt so embarrassed
that he wanted to hide. It took the twin’s intense questioning for him to
realize his own feelings.
Donau was in love with Poliana Winter. He loved her as a family, his
superior, a fellow knight, and as a woman.
It wasn’t important when he fell in love with her. What troubled him was
why he thought he would be a burden to her if he fell in love with her.
Why would a man loving a woman be a burden? Why?
Donau thought that perhaps he felt this way because he witnessed how
hard Poliana worked to be acknowledged as a knight. He thought that
feeling this kind of love for her meant that he saw her as a woman, and
that would be an insult to Poliana, who tried so hard to be recognized as
a knight rather than just a woman. Donau believed that confessing his
love to her would make Poliana think he didn’t accept her as a knight.
Donau then murmured, “I thought she would be offended if she knew… I
think that is why…”
“That doesn’t make sense, Sir Donau.”
“I agree, Sir Donau.”
Shaking their heads, Vaxi and Vanessa said to Donau at the same time,
“No one would take the feeling of love as an insult or a burden. As long
as it is not forced on them, such a feeling would flatter anyone. Sir
Donau, you need to remember that Sir Poliana may be a knightess, but
she is also a lady.”
Indeed, Poliana Winter was a woman. Poliana Winter was also a knight.
Donau spent so much time by her side, but he had never seen Poliana
as both. The result of his mistake was an angry “no” from Poliana. He
was rejected and he had no excuse for it. He was indeed guilty and
deserved to be in prison.
He should’ve realized and accepted his feelings for her before proposing
to her. Instead, he ended up proposing to her first. He made a huge
mistake.
Donau became very pale, but he also became hopeful. He exclaimed, “I
should go confess my feelings to her! It’s not too late!”
He needed to fix this situation. Poliana clearly misunderstood his
intention, and he needed to let her know the truth. He needed to do it as
soon as possible because the more time passed, the harder it would be
to convince Poliana about his true feelings.
Donau tried to stand up, and the twins looked at him sadly.
“It’s too late, Sir Donau.”
“That’s right, Sir Donau. It’s too late.”
“Pardon?”
Donau looked at the ladies in confusion, and the sisters explained to the
young man kindly.
“Your father, Sir Baufallo, sent official marriage proposal papers to our
father.”
“And our father accepted, which means that we are officially engaged.”
This was how they were allowed to visit Donau in prison. Vaxi and
Vanessa continued, “Proposing to another woman is fine before you are
officially engaged, but…”
“But you must realize that proposing to another woman after you are
engaged wouldn’t be a good idea, right?”
Vaxi and Vanessa smiled like angels, and Donau felt a sudden chill. He
tried again to pull his hands out from their grasps, but all of his strength
was not enough to free him. He stared at Sir Rabi’s daughters, who had
the same strong and loud voices as their fathers.
And suddenly, Sir Donau realized that the ladies, one of them now his
fiancé, inherited more than just their father’s boisterous voice.

Chapter 132: Story 14. Concubines’ Knightess –

Chapter 132
Story 14. Concubines’ Knightess
Chapter 132
Poliana Winter was dismissed from her position as the head of the royal
guards due to recent events. The fact that the royal guards were
involved in a group fight among themselves and being sent to the prison
could not go unpunished.
Sir Wook, Sir Jainno, and some of the other royal guards also resigned
voluntarily. Many believed that these men, as well as Poliana, lost the
emperor’s trust and favor.
Around the same time, the law was finally passed to allow women to
hold a title, and Poliana Winter officially gained the title of marquess.
Marquess Winter.
No one congratulated her on her new nobility. When she walked around
the castle, the other noblemen tried their best to avoid her. She might
have been a marquess now, but there was no telling when she might
lose her title. People believed that she would eventually lose everything,
her title, wealth, and the emperor’s favor, just as fast as she gained
them.
Because she was no longer a guard, she did not wear her blue uniform
anymore. When she walked around in her regular tunic and pants, the
people gasped at her in shock and disgust.
“How dare she wear something like that to the castle?”
“She’s going to lose her title soon, I’m sure of it.”
“This is why a woman should not be allowed to have anything, especially
her own title.”
“Hmm, I wonder who will become the next head of the royal guards.”
Marquis Seeze was especially happy about the recent event. A foreign
woman as the head of the royal guards? Seeing Poliana in such a high
position has been bothering him, and now, she was finally gone. He was
one of many who insisted on her removal after the fight occurred. When
things went according to his plan, he was extremely pleased. He gifted
his close friends who sided with him a few bottles of special ice wines
that were produced only in his land.
The men drank and laughed together.
“I think his highness must’ve finally realized what is right and what is
wrong.”
The elders could not stop the emperor from awarding the noble title to
that woman, but they were certain she would lose it soon. Marquis
Seeze smiled coldly. His grandson, Sir Bentier, only ended up being
rewarded with lands. He didn’t receive any titles because he was going
to become a marquis anyway.
On the other hand, Marquis Seki became a duke and Duke Luzo
became a grand duke.
‘Whatever.’
It was clearly unfair that his grandson did not receive a title, but Marquis
Seeze decided to be patient. Soon, the emperor will realize that they
weren’t enemies. They were on the same side, and Marquis Seeze felt
disappointed that the emperor was still blind to this fact.
But soon… Things were going to change. The best way to make friends
was through a marriage alliance. Marquis Seeze smiled like a snake that
found its prey.
***
After being dismissed from her post, Poliana was no longer allowed to
live inside the castle. Without a delay, she quickly packed her things and
moved into an inn inside the capital city.
She was a soldier who was used to moving around, and this meant she
didn’t have much to pack. The gatekeepers watched her leave and
shook their heads as if they fully expected this to happen.
From her room, Poliana looked through the window and saw the royal
castle.
‘I guess I will never be allowed to work there anymore.’
She had no regrets, but she knew she would miss it. Poliana never
imagined that this was how her career as the head of the royal guards
would end. She only had it for a very short while, but she loved working
in the castle. And now… It was now time to say goodbye.
***
One day, Lucius the First wore a simple outfit and left the castle. Only a
few men who were the closest to the emperor were allowed to follow
him, which included Sir Ainno. The people wondered if he was going on
a hunting trip.
Everyone was aware of how overworked and tired the emperor was. It
made sense that he wanted to take a break and hunting was a great way
to relax and have fun. Why else would he leave the castle with so little
men?
It wasn’t just the number of men Lucius the First took with him. Their
outfits were also very simple. Each man wore a simple and plain outfit,
and they only carried the basic necessities. It almost looked like they
were going on a picnic.
Lucius the First and his men did not return after 24 hours, but the people
in Nanaba did not worry. They didn’t get concerned even though they
had no idea where he was, and he hasn’t been spotted by anyone so far.
Acreians were familiar with hunting. They knew that hunting did not take
place inside the capital city, or even in the nearby woods. Proper hunting
occurred in the deepest parts of the forests.
A good hunting trip also lasted many days. They would spend a short
period of time if they were hunting small animals like rabbits, squirrels,
and birds but it would a different story of they were going for the larger
ones. Hunting deers, bears, and wild boars would cost them a few days
and that’s just to track them.
The people of Nanaba remained calm after many days have passed.
They were very understanding.
Then one day, they received a carrier pigeon from the emperor. It was a
message directly from Lucius the First.
“From this day forward, the capital city of Acreia will be Yapa.”
It was a sneaky and devious act, and the news was not received well by
the people of Nanaba. How could their emperor do this to them?
The elders and the noblemen contemplated. Some elders even fainted
at the audacity of their emperor. Marquis Seeze, realizing he lost this
battle with the emperor, grinned bitterly.
Those who opposed the emperor’s decision protested angrily, but Lucius
the First refused to budge. He had been overworking all this time to
achieve this plan. The emperor decided that the best way to change the
capital was not to ask for permission from the elders and the noblemen
but to announce it to them after it was done.
Lucius the First said to them, “The capital of this kingdom is where I
reside. I will reside in Yapa, and therefore, it will become the new capital
of Acreia.”
Moving the capital was obviously a huge event. Normally, the proper
process would’ve been to move everyone slowly to the new capital and
then declare it the new capital with the emperor being the last to leave
the old capital city.
Instead, Lucius the First did it backward. He moved first and declared
Yapa the new capital, giving the protesters and opposers no option other
than following him. Some high-ranking civil servants still opposed and
sent their resignation. Nanaba had been the heart of Acreia for
generations, and they claimed that they could not abandon it. But to their
shock, Lucius the First accepted their resignations without a word. He
said to them, “There are plenty of people here in Yapa who would love to
take your positions.”
Most of the noblemen who moved were young. They knew they had no
choice if they wanted to keep their positions in the government and have
a chance to become promoted. Many of the older noblemen decided to
remain in Nanaba because it was their home. Even though Nanaba was
no longer the official capital of Acreia, it was still going to be a very
important place, especially for the northern region.
Most senior elders had a decision to make for themselves. Many top
lands in the mid and southern continent conquered by the emperor were
awarded to those who followed and supported his conquest.
Unfortunately for these elders, they did not help the emperor at all when
he set out to unite the continent, and therefore, they were not favored by
the emperor.
In the end, most of the elders decided to remain in Acreia where they felt
most comfortable, which was exactly what Lucius the First wanted. The
elders were furious, realizing that they had been duped by their emperor.
Lucius the First only took a few people with him when he moved to
Yapa. These people were the ones he trusted the most, and one of them
was, of course, Poliana.

Chapter 133: Chapter 133

Chapter 133
People had no choice but to accept that Poliana was a close and trusted
knight of the emperor. When her acquaintances arrived later to Yapa,
they complained to Poliana, “How could you keep this a secret to us?”
“I am disappointed in you, Sir Pol!”
“I can’t believe the emperor took you and not me, Sir Poliana! He is so
mean!”
“Sir Pol! You should’ve stopped me when I bought my house in Nanaba!
I put all of my money in it because I thought its price would go up! But
now that it’s no longer the capital, I am going to lose my money!”
She did feel sorry about not stopping those who bought some houses in
the old capital city, but she had no choice. What could she have done? It
was top-secret and only those closest to the emperor were allowed to
know.
Thankfully, Poliana had an excellent excuse. Although she knew the
emperor was going to change the capital city at some point in the future,
she had no idea when it was going to happen until it happened.
She explained to her those who complained to her, “I am sorry, but I
myself had no idea until the day we moved.” This was the truth. A lot of
people guessed that the emperor would attempt to change the capital
city someday in the future, but everyone thought it would happen at least
a few years from now.
On the day of their move, Poliana was asked to meet the emperor
outside the castle. They rode together and she was told after they left
the city that they were moving to Yapa. She was shocked to hear it, and
when she asked the emperor why he picked that day of all days, his
reason was even more shocking.
“Why did you pick today, your highness?”
“Today is considered one of the lucky days in Acreia.”
Poliana shook her head in disbelief. Her emperor was certainly one of
the most superstitious men she had ever met. She had to admit,
however, that most northern men were superstitious. Perhaps it was
because the weather and the landscape in the northern region were
harsh.
Lucius the First and Sir Ainno were especially superstitious. She then
asked, “Don’t you think you read too much into superstition, your
highness?”
“What’s the harm in it? I had to pick a day, so why not one of those lucky
days?”
Lucius the First looked at various areas carefully, and after a cautious
consideration, he chose Yapa, which was the capital of the old
conquered kingdom Bikpa. Remembering what happened in the Yapa
castle, Poliana teased the emperor, “Aren’t you worried that the ghosts
of the Bikpa king and the princess will haunt you?”
Gali the Third and the nobles of Bika were hung naked and upside-down
outside the castle wall to die. There were hundreds of them who died
here that day. There was a rumor that the cries of their ghosts were
heard often. People also claimed that they witnessed the ghost of the
poor Bika princess appearing from time to time.
There were plenty of options, but the emperor most likely chose the
Yapa castle because of its design and location. Poliana was still
surprised, however, because she would’ve thought the emperor would
avoid the castle that was rumored to be haunted.
Lucius the First replied with a smile, “What kind of castle doesn’t have
one or two ghosts? All castles are haunted.” He seemed very confident,
and Poliana believed him. After all, the emperor knew about castles
much better than she did, who never lived in one until recently.
The emperor and the group chatted amicably. They were a close-knit
group and as they rode their horses together, they even forgot the fact
that they were in the process of moving the capital city. It felt more like a
nice picnic.
But even as they laughed and talked, they all knew what was coming.
Work… Lots and lots of work.
When they arrived, Lucius the First hung the flag of the emperor at the
front of the Yapa castle. The local nobles gathered anxiously around the
group and listened as the emperor announced, “I will be dismantling the
royal guard unit and create a new division of guards to protect this castle
and the royal family. We will have a fresh start and forget the old. This
new imperial guard unit will be divided into three sections. Sir Ainno Seki
will be the head of the First Division, Marquis Poliana Winter will lead the
Second Division, and Sir Jainno Seki and Sir Wook Tray will lead the
Third Division together.”
Poliana stood behind the emperor in her blue uniform with the gold
stripe. There was no way anyone would dare to argue with the emperor.
Even if the people did, the emperor was never going to change his mind.
This has been his plan all along. The fact that the royal guards needed
more manpower was a well-known fact. This was why the emperor
created a new group that was three times the size of the gold unit.
The First Division, led by Sir Ainno, was essentially the Knight’s order.
The Second Division, led by Poliana, was going to be responsible for the
protection of the royal family. The Third Division, headed by Sir Jainno
and Sir Wook, was assigned the duty of protecting the Yapa castle as
well as policing the capital city. Because the last division was required to
control a very large area, two captains were assigned to it.
***
Once it was announced that the Yapa was the new capital of the
continent, people swarmed into the city. The name of the kingdom
remained Acreia and the names of the old conquered kingdoms were
forgotten. This was the new beginning of the greatest nation built on this
continent.
After the capital was moved, the second round of lawmaking began
regarding their nobility system. The five-level system was accepted, and
Poliana was reaffirmed as a marquess. Those who thought she was
going to lose her title soon groaned in disappointment and shock. Many
still protested it was too big of an honor for a foreign woman, but the
emperor ignored them.
In the five-level aristocratic system, Poliana now had the second-highest
rank. Only the royal family and the Seki family, who was promised a
dukedom, were above her. Considering she was one of the most favored
people by the emperor, it was very likely that she was going to receive
her own dukedom someday.
Poliana raised her arms high in happiness. Hurray! She loved the new
noble system, being powerful was a wonderful thing. When many
noblemen continued to argue against such a big reward for Poliana,
Lucius the First made sure that those who deserved to be rewarded
were compensated handsomely. He did this for Poliana, who was the
woman he loved. He respected and understood her effort as a woman
who worked so hard to be accepted and acknowledged. Poliana was just
about to live a life she deserved, and there was no way Lucius the First
was going to take it away from her just because a few noblemen
complained.
Marquis Seeze was obviously unhappy at the fact that he was at the
same level as Poliana now. Sir Bentier, however, was secretly pleased
because the emperor promised him the dukedom once Marquis Seeze
passed away. This had to remain a secret, so Sir Bentier continued to
mope around and look upset around others. Lucius the First, pretending
to appease Sir Bentier, publicly offered him the position of the
chancellor, and Sir Bentier, still maintaining a disappointed look,
accepted the position. Poliana knew the whole story behind it, so she
grinned secretly.

Chapter 134: Chapter 134

Chapter 134
The First Division, headed by Sir Ainno, consisted of his hand-picked
knights. He chose the men solely based on their skills. Sir Ainno did not
consider any other normal qualities, including the men’s personalities,
families, and ranks. This meant that the soldiers in the First Division
were excellent fighters, but they had horrible personalities. This made Sir
Mahogal’s life a living hell.
Poliana found it interesting that somehow, Sir Ainno ended up choosing
only the men that were just like him.
Total jerks…
On the day of the officiating the knight’s order, Lucius the First smiled
beautifully as he congratulated his friend. The emperor wished Sir Ainno
his best but as soon as he saw the mascot for the knight’s order, the
emperor’s smile disappeared.
The knight’s order was supposed to be represented by a dog to
symbolize loyalty and bravery. The emperor expected to see a furry fluffy
dog, but instead, it was a lizard! Lucius the First couldn’t believe what he
saw. Did his friend betray him and change the mascot to this disgusting
lizard?
“Where’s the dog?”
Lucius the First flinched in fear. The lizard was disgusting and huge, and
the emperor wondered if it was a baby alligator. Then suddenly, the
animal looked up and the face of a dog appeared. The emperor gasped
in shock.
It turned out that it was actually a large dog wearing the alligator hide. Sir
Ainno bragged, “It’s from the alligator I caught from the Msmel forest
recently. I’ll call this an alligator dog! We, the knight’s order, will serve
the emperor with the loyalty of a dog and the ferocity of an alligator.”
This was clearly done to make the emperor uncomfortable. Sir Ainno
was such a jerk! Suddenly, everyone realized where Sir Ainno had been
when he disappeared. He must’ve traveled to the Msmel forest to hunt
an alligator.
Lucius the First frowned at Sir Ainno. He had to hide his fear of lizards,
so he couldn’t say anything. Then, he saw the official knight’s order flag.
It boasted of an alligator with the legs of a dog. It looked fierce and
incredible.
The northerners who have never seen an alligator were impressed. The
large sharp teeth, the impenetrable-looking hide, and the fearless eyes…
“What an extraordinary animal. It looks incredibly strong.”
“It is an amazing mascot! We have never seen anything like it before.”
Even the mid-continent locals and the southerners were amazed too.
“We have never seen such a huge alligator before.”
“Are you sure that it’s not a dragon?”
“It must be a dragon! It has to be!”
“How genius! To think of putting that hide over a dog…!”
Sir Ainno loved to tease the emperor, so he found it worth his time to
spend day and night hunting in the Msmel forest. Sir Ainno remained
serious and Lucius the First had no choice but to follow suit. He swore
that later when they were alone, he would make Sir Ainno pay for his
disgusting joke.
During the banquet, Poliana criticized Sir Ainno, “Don’t you think you
went too far? You know how much his highness hates any kind of
reptiles.”
“His highness has been even worse to me lately, so we’re even.”
Poliana had to agree to some extent because everyone has been very
busy lately. When the emperor was overworked, everyone closest to him
had to work even harder to keep up.
Of course, what Poliana didn’t know was that this wasn’t what Sir Ainno
was talking about. He wasn’t complaining about the amount of work; Sir
Ainno was unhappy about the fact that Lucius the First would not stop
talking about Poliana to him. Sir Ainno was sick of the emperor whining
about his hopeless love life. Sir Ainno, however, did not correct Poliana
and let her know what was really going on. It was better that she didn’t
know about it.
This was better for both Poliana and Lucius the First.
Sir Ainno looked at the emperor. Of all the women in the world, why did
his friend fall for someone like Sir Poliana? He supposed it was none of
his business. As long as Lucius the First didn’t confess to her, Poliana
was never going to know how the emperor really felt about her.
‘Love is such a stupid thing.’
Love, feelings, and marriage. Sir Ainno couldn’t understand any of them.
He looked around pensively. More and more men were getting married,
and this was becoming a problem. Sir Ainno, who claimed that he would
not get married until he was over 40 years old, was slowly beginning to
realize that there were less and less unmarried men around him. He was
becoming… alone. After work, there used to be plenty of men who could
go out drinking with him and enjoy the town, but now, things were
changing.
This was going to get worse once these men have babies. Once his men
had their children, their lives would revolve around their families, not
their friends.
***
Sir Mahogal and Poliana chatted about the upcoming marriages of Sir
Howe and Donau.
“Sir Poliana, you must be very disappointed that you don’t get to attend
the wedding.”
“It’s true, but I will send them lots of gifts.”
“Are you curious where they must be by now?”
“Well, they are probably moving slower than the soldiers, so they are
probably…”
It was now common knowledge that Sir Howe and Donau became
engaged to the Bika twins. The two families received lands from the
emperor in the south and were in the process of moving. They were
going to be married in their new home.
Poliana would’ve loved to attend their wedding, but it was too far. This
was especially a bad time because she was swarmed with so much
work.
Sir Ainno was also disappointed that Sir Howe was gone. Although Sir
Howe could be lazy, he was an excellent knight. Now that he was gone,
Sir Ainno had to find another decent knight to fill his spot in the knight’s
order. On top of this bad news, Sir Mahogal was planning to retire some
time soon in the future. He actually wanted to retire immediately, but Sir
Ainno wouldn’t allow it until he was able to find his replacement.
Most of the royal or imperial guards came from influential noble families,
which meant that these knights retired early. The purpose of becoming a
royal guard for these young men was to further their government career
and influence as a nobleman. These guards rarely saw their positions as
permanent or long-term jobs. After all, they came from wealthy powerful
families, so there was no need for them to slave their lives away in the
guard unit.
Most retired before they turned 40. Only those who were poor or from a
family of generations of knights remained in the military longer.
Sir Ainno turned towards the emperor again.
‘Gosh, I’m getting a headache.’
He saw that Lucius the First was chatting with some of the noblemen
while furtively glancing at Poliana whenever he got a chance. No one
seemed to notice this except for Sir Ainno.
Sir Mahogal was married with children. He had a decent marriage and
Poliana was clearly not interested in him. She didn’t even see Sir
Mahogal as a man, yet the emperor looked at them with obvious
jealousy. Sir Ainno could tell what the emperor was thinking, and he
shook his head in exasperation.
At the beginning of the banquet, Sir Ainno felt guilty about scaring the
emperor with the alligator dog, but now, he didn’t feel sorry for Lucius the
First at all.

Chapter 135: Chapter 135

Chapter 135
Now that the emperor was established, different colonies began to send
extravagant gifts and beauties to Yapa. Every colony hoped that the
emperor would take a woman from their region as his wife. The young
emperor was still unmarried and all the noble families with unmarried
daughters prayed that they would be chosen.
Sir Howe and Donau would be married soon. Sir Beke and Sir Wook
would marry in the near future. Everyone had to get married, including
the emperor.
Different colonies sent the most beautiful ladies they could find, hoping
to take the position of the empress. Even becoming the emperor’s
concubine was a huge honor. All the ladies that were sent to the
emperor had to go through strict processes to be qualified. The first thing
was that they could not be too young. When a thirteen-year-old girl was
sent to him, Lucius the First became furious. She was immediately sent
away.
“Did they think that I am some kind of a pervert?!”
The emperor couldn’t believe what was happening in his country!
Enraged, he set an official guideline. No lady under the age of 20 was to
be sent to him. A lady who was engaged could not break the
engagement just to be sent to the emperor. Lucius the First believed that
a good marriage could not happen when there was a huge age gap
between the husband and his wife.
Unfortunately, there were too many perverted old men who looked for
teenage wives.
Then, a new rumor began that involved Lucius the First. Then people
began to think that he was more interested in middle-aged women
because he lost his mother at a very young age. To prevent the Yapa
castle from being filled with women, the emperor announced that he
would only allow the ladies who were officially selected as a potential
wife to the emperor to stay in the castle. This was enough to stop the
pretty girls from being sent from low-ranking noble families. Only those
ladies from the rich and influential families arrived in Yapa with big
dreams.
Poliana stood in front of Lucius the First. She was recently given the
responsibility of protecting these ladies who were accepted to the castle.
These were very highborn ladies, and because they were, they arrived
with many personal servants. Each lady brought at least three ladies in
waiting, ten maids, two guards, four attendants, seven servants, a
groom, and a nurse.
The hope was that everyone entering the castle would have pure hearts
and wanted the best for the emperor, but this was obviously not going to
be the case.
The emperor explained to Poliana, “Countless people will be arriving
from different colonies, which means there will be some who would bring
some ugly intentions with them.”
The possibility of a spy or an assassin entering the castle as part of a
lady’s entourage was not unlikely. One of the perfect places for these
dangerous figures to hide would be the lady’s quarters.
The emperor was sure of the presence of spies and assassins in his
castle because it was exactly what he did. He sent many of his own
spies to various colonies so he could keep a close eye on them.
Poliana then replied, “Yes. We will have to be very vigilant, your
highness.”
“Some of these people will try to establish themselves here, and that is
why I would like you to be responsible for guarding the lady’s quarters.”
Lucius the Frist loved Poliana, so having her protect his future wives was
an odd thing to ask. But despite the strangeness and awkwardness of it,
the emperor had to admit that Poliana was the perfect person for the job.
“Because you are a woman, these people will feel more relaxed around
you. They will trust you more because they will underestimate you.”
“You are right, your highness. You can count on me.”
“Are you disappointed?”
Being the emperor’s personal guard was the most honored position for
any knight, which meant asking Poliana to guard his wives could be
considered a demotion. Poliana shook her head as a response.
“I do not care what I do as long as I get to serve you, your highness. If I
could be any use to you, that is all I need.”
It was decided that the First Division will take care of the emperor’s
protection. Poliana looked at Sir Ainno with distrust. She knew that he
was the best in terms of skills, but because he was also the emperor’s
friend, Poliana noticed that Sir Ainno sometimes distressed the emperor.
She said to Sir Ainno, “Please take care of his highness.”
“This used to be my job, so I know what to do. Marquess Winter, this is
none of your business now.”
“…”
Sir Ainno and Poliana glared at each other. Feeling left out, Lucius the
First announced, “Hmm… My neck feels very sore.”
Sir Ainno, who was already standing behind the emperor, quickly began
to massage Lucius the First’s neck. Poliana glared at him, upset that she
wasn’t faster. The emperor then said to her, “Just in case it comes up,
let’s make sure we could come up with a story. The official reason for
your ‘demotion’ will be because you did something wrong, Sir Pol.”
“Of course, your highness. What did you have in mind?”
As long as it wasn’t treason, Poliana didn’t care. Suddenly, Sir Ainno
blurted out, “What about we say you threw up on the emperor’s face?”
Poliana became pale. She remembered the time when she vomited in
the bathhouse and Lucius the First ended up cleaning after her. The
emperor glared at Sir Ainno and said to Poliana, “Sir Pol, do not be
worried about what happened in the past. Like I said before, I am happy
to take care of you when you are drunk. I meant what I said.”
This was not what she wanted. She hated how people must think of her.
It only happened once, but it made her look like a common drunkard.
She, of course, could not protest to the emperor, so she turned towards
Sir Ainno and complained, “Sir Ainno! It’s… It’s not like I get drunk every
day and vomit all over the place! In fact, compared to the other knights, I
have a much better drinking habit.”
‘Jerk.’
She wanted to punch him, but she knew that she would lose anyway to
Sir Ainno. Plus, she was in the presence of the emperor, so she had to
be on her best behavior. In the end, Poliana nodded and replied, “Fine. I
accept it.”
Poliana bowed and left the room. She frowned, not looking forward to
the fact that she now had even more work to do. Until now, she only had
to focus on protecting the emperor, but everything changed now. She
would have to protect the ladies and all of her entourages as well as
spying and monitoring them.
Finally, now alone with the emperor, Sir Ainno asked, “Are you sure you
are ok with this?”
“Does it matter?”
Lucius the First continued to stare at the spot where Poliana was
standing just a moment ago. Sir Ainno was unhappy that the most
powerful man on the continent could not have what he wanted the most.
Even with all that power, the emperor could not even marry the woman
he loved.
How ironic…
Sir Ainno thought that the emperor was too cautious when it came to
Poliana and dealing with the elders. When he expressed his opinion,
Lucius the First replied, “What would you have me do? Kill all the elders
like you wanted to? And take Pol to my bed even though I know that is
not what she would want? Inno, that is not how things should be done. I
have caused enough bloodshed so far and I do not want that anymore.”
“But your highness, you have me. Your Ainno will do anything you ask of
me, including killing anyone if necessary.”
Lucius the First smiled weakly and replied, “I always end up distressing
Sir Pol, always disappointing her. She doesn’t show it, but she must be
upset that she is being demoted.”
He sighed unhappily.

Chapter 136: Chapter 136

Chapter 136
When Poliana relayed the message to her guards in the Second Division
regarding their new responsibility, the men were obviously disappointed.
These were young men who took pride in having the duty of protecting
the emperor. Serving the emperor’s wives was also an honorable job,
but they weren’t even protecting the empress, just the emperor’s other
wives. And even if it was the empress, it wasn’t the same thing as
protecting the emperor.
The men’s disappointment and displeasure were obvious to their leader,
Poliana. Thankfully, they weren’t blaming her for this change. In fact,
they were worried about how Poliana might have felt about the change.
Everyone knew Poliana followed the emperor around like a baby duck
and served him as if he was her god. So, just what did she do to get this
kind of demotion?!
“Boss, did you get drunk again and act like a dog?”
“You made a fool of yourself in front of the emperor again, didn’t you?”
“…”
Poliana couldn’t even show her anger at them. She remained silent
because this was going to be the official story. The crazy thing was that
this “official story” wasn’t even realized yet, but her men were
automatically assuming that she did something wrong while being drunk.
‘Why does everyone think I’m a bad drunkard? Those jerks.’
This wasn’t fair. Ever since that day when she threw up in front of the
emperor, Poliana had been making sure to take care of herself, besides,
she had been too busy to drink lately anyway.
Did everyone know about the story of what happened in the Sitrin
bathhouse? She supposed that it was a good thing that everyone
assumed it to be the reason for her demotion without her explaining it to
them, but it still felt odd.
‘Those bastards! I’ll bet the guards told everyone about what happened!’
Soldiers gossiped worse than old women. They especially got excited
whenever they gossiped about their bosses.
‘Hmm… Now that I think about it, it has been a very long time since I had
a drinking party with the emperor. He still drinks with Sir Ainno though…’
She felt a little envious. Poliana was favored by the emperor, but it
wasn’t the same thing as being a childhood friend. On top of that, she
was a woman, which meant the emperor couldn’t treat her the same way
as the other knights because they weren’t on a battlefield anymore.
***
Most nations recommended monogamy, but a lot of the time, the royal
families were allowed to break this rule. This was the case with Lucius
the First.
Of the ten top ladies who were selected based on their region, family,
personality, and appearance, three ladies were selected to become the
emperor’s wives. Originally, the elders wanted all the ten ladies to
become the emperor’s wives, but Lucius the First flinched in disgust.
“What will my future descendants think of me when they read I had ten
wives?!”
So in the end, the selection process began and it was carried out by
several men including Sir Bentier. Those three men gathered around in a
private room, it was Lucius the First, Sir Bentier, and Sir Ainno.
The emperor and Sir Bentier were the ones talking while Sir Ainno was
technically there for the emperor’s protection.
Sir Bentier insisted, “You must take Tory as one of your wives, your
highness.”
Recently, Duke Luzo wedded the princess from Oz, and this upset many
northern nobles. Sir Bentier continued, “This needs to be done, your
highness. You need to compromise on this.”
“Tory Seeze… Marquis Seeze’s ward. I have met her once before.”
“Yes, my grandfather has been preparing her for this, your highness.”
“Benti, you’ve known her longer than I have, so tell me the truth. What
do you think of her?”
Lucius the First didn’t remember Tory very well. He had a vague memory
of seeing her at a banquet, but he knew what kind of upbringing she
would’ve had if she was primed to become the wife of the emperor. He
wasn’t happy about her family and her purpose, but this didn’t mean he
had any feelings against her. He didn’t know her after all as a person.
Sir Bentier, who didn’t know Tory very well either but had interacted with
her more than the emperor, gave his impression of her. “She seemed
kind, obedient, and very lady-like. My grandfather hand-picked her, so
you can guess what she is like I’m sure.”
She was probably a perfect lady, a perfect person to become his wife.
Lucius the First hated going with Marquis’s plan, but he had to admit that
this was the best option for him at this point. Currently, the people of
Acreia were angry at the emperor for moving the capital city, and
selecting all of his wives from other regions was going to make things
much worse. Lucius the First had to appease his people and his nobles
and making Tory Seeze from Acreia as his wife was going to achieve
this. Also, this would look like Sir Bentier convinced the emperor into this
decision, which meant that Marquis Seeze’s trust in his grandson was
going to be strengthened.
The emperor sighed, “Hmm…”
If he didn’t have to choose Tory Seeze, it would’ve been ok to just have
just one wife. But if Tory Seeze was going to be his wife, he had to make
sure she couldn’t hold too much power by herself as his only wife
because it would mean more power to Marquis Seeze.
The princess of Oz, which was a part of their colony in the mid-continent,
recently married Duke Luzo. The emperor suggested that perhaps they
should choose one more lady from the southern region as his wife.
Sir Bentier shook his head, “Your highness, we have been having the
most troubles from the people of the mid-continent. The farmers might
love you, but there were many aristocrats who still despised you. If you
must choose more wives, then you need to choose one each from the
mid and southern regions.”
Sir Ainno, who had been listening quietly, joked, “A hero deserved all the
beauties in the world, your highness. Therefore, people won’t complain
even if you picked a thousand concubines.”
“A thousand women? Don’t be ridiculous, Inno. It would take me three
years just to visit each of them if I saw one lady per night.”
Sir Ainno thought about telling the emperor he could see multiple women
a night, but he knew it would only get Lucius the First angrier. He
remained quiet. The emperor did not enjoy such jokes, and his hatred for
it worsened ever since he fell in love with Poliana.
The irony, however, was that even though he had a woman he loved,
here was the emperor who was discussing the different women he
planned on marrying. After a brief contemplation, Lucius the First held up
seven of his fingers and explained, “Let’s say I can visit each woman
every three days. Each lady will get to spend her night with me twice a
week and I will get to have one night a week all by myself. It’s perfect.”
Sir Ainno replied, “Your highness, any wife of yours will be happy just
being your wife. You do not have to be so strictly fair to all of them.”
“Of course, I should! You need to always be nice to your wives.”
Sir Bentier then added, “I agree with his highness on this, Sir Ainno.”
Sir Ainno was the only unmarried man in the room. He supposed that he
didn’t know anything about marriage, so he backed down.
In the end, three ladies were chosen. The three wives that were selected
were Tory from the north, Stra from the Mongsheim of the mid-continent,
and Rebecca from the Nanikun of the south. Lucius the First wanted the
least number of wives, and because he could not offend any regions, it
was decided that he had to have at least three wives.
Sir Bentier suggested, “There might be a pressure for you to take more
wives from Acreia, your highness.”
“I won’t do it.”
“Then… there will probably be a talk that Tory needs to be made the
empress.”

Chapter 137: Chapter 137

Chapter 137
“Hmm… The empress…”
Lucius the First’s face darkened, he looked unhappy about it.
Meanwhile, Sir Ainno covered his mouth to try to hide his laughter. Sir
Bentier saw Sir Ainno flinch and became concerned. He asked the
emperor, “Your highness, what is wrong with Sir Ainno?”
“Inno is just being immature, he’s probably losing his mind too.”
“Sir Poliana told me she thought Sir Ainno has been acting strangely
lately. I guess she was right.”
“Hmm… I agree that Inno has been acting extra odd around Sir Pol.
Anyway, about the empress…”
Lucius the First rubbed his forehead. Working too much and his lack of
sleep were getting to him. He could feel his stress wrinkles faintly
forming on his forehead, which was a huge concern.
The emperor continued, “If we decide on who will become the empress,
it could become problematic. Let’s just appoint the lady who bears my
heir first as the empress.”
“This could cause unnecessary conspiracies and jealousies among the
ladies, your highness.”
“There will only be the three of them, so how much harm could they do
to each other? It should be fine.”
Sir Bentier nodded in agreement. When their discussion was over, Sir
Bentier left, leaving the emperor with the portraits of the three ladies. Sir
Ainno didn’t leave the room. He stood in front of the window and
watched the guards patrolling the castle grounds. Lucius the First, who
couldn’t sleep yet, continued to work at his desk.
“Your highness.”
“Yes, Inno?”
“What if…”
“Yes?”
“What if all three ladies end up having only daughters? What will you do
then? What if no matter how hard you try, no prince is born?”
“Then I will have to get another wife.”
“You know that is why you need to have concubines, right? Your
highness, you need to remember this.”
“I know.”
Uniting the entire continent could fail if he didn’t have a proper heir to
continue this work. Lucius the First knew better than anyone that he
needed to have a son. It didn’t matter who the mother was, as long as
the emperor was their father. Thankfully, because he was still young, no
one was worried about this yet.
Sir Ainno teased him, “I am sure that you’re wishing that Sir Poliana was
standing here right now instead of me, your highness.”
“Of course, and if she was here, I don’t think I could’ve controlled
myself.”
“If she wasn’t barren, you would’ve taken her.”
“That’s not it…”
Lucius the First looked out of the window. Would he have offered her to
become his empress if she wasn’t infertile? At first, he thought so, but
soon, the emperor realized that this wasn’t the case. It wouldn’t have
mattered if Poliana was an empress instead of his wife or concubine.
She would’ve been miserable even if she became the empress.
The Poliana Winter the emperor knew was a hardworking woman. She
trained every day, which was why her hands were so rough and worn
out. She loved to ride her horse all over the kingdom and train her
guards. Her light brown hair, which would look golden if longer, was
always cut short above her ears.
This was the Poliana Lucius the First loved.
Looking up at the dark night sky filled with stars, Lucius the First
murmured, “I want her to be happy. That is all I want.”
Even though he said it, the emperor obviously looked like he would
never give up. Sir Ainno frowned in annoyance. If he loved her so much,
why not just confess to her? To hide his frown, Sir Ainno looked away.
What an idiot his emperor was.
***
Lucius the First’s new wives arrived at the lady’s quarters in the Yapa
castle. Poliana was given the list of people who were to stay in this
place, so she examined the place with hawk eyes. She had to make sure
that only the people on the list lived here. The ladies seemed to be
nervous because they stood close by their ladies in waiting.
Poliana met Tory Seeze before. Except for the fact that her family was in
a tense relationship with the emperor, Tory Seeze herself was a lovely
young lady. She was a typical northern beauty with a quiet and obedient
demeanor.
Mongsheim’s princess, Stra, was the youngest of the wives. She looked
unhappy and anxious, perhaps because she had to share her husband
with other women. In the mid-continent regions, a knightess was
accepted and even honored. Of all the regions, the mid-continent treated
the knightesses the best. Stra smiled awkwardly to try to hide her
nervousness. Her maids treated and served her with affection, indicating
that the princess must’ve treated her people well.
Princess Rebecca from the small southern kingdom, Nanikun, was the
oldest of the three, however, she was the smallest and slimmest. If Tory
was the typical northern beauty, who was tall and slender, Rebecca was
the typical southern beauty. Standing beside Tory, Rebecca looked
much younger.
Rebecca was standing with the support of her ladies in waiting. She
looked very tired, probably from the long journey. Poliana remembered
the report on Rebecca.
‘It said that she was very fragile.’
People did become concerned if a woman was too delicate, worried that
she might not be able to bear children but to a certain extent, fragile
ladies were considered feminine and desirable.
When the ladies left and she was left alone, Poliana grinned happily.
‘I love how they are all so beautiful.’
Poliana liked all of them, but her favorite was Tory. In fact, Tory
welcomed by everyone in the castle. Although technically Tory had the
lowest of ranks of all the emperor’s wives, she was the only one who
came from Acreia, and this worked to her advantage.
Unlike the princesses, whose kingdoms were conquered and who now
had to live in a foreign land, Tory was being honored by her emperor
from her home. Tory’s maids and servants, who knew many of the
women working in the Yapa castle already because they were all from
Acreia, greeted each other joyously. Stra and Rebecca’s maids, on the
other hand, glanced around awkwardly, trying to get used to their new
and unfamiliar surroundings.
The first thing the emperor’s wives had to go through was to be
examined by the royal doctor. There were two doctors who visited them.
Poliana knew one of them. He was Baron Redikal, but she didn’t
recognize the other man.
‘Hmm… Maybe he’s a specialist in gynecology?’
He was an older man, which was very unusual for a gynecologist. A
healer or doctor was required to go through extensive training. It was a
very respected position and most doctors made an excellent living. It
was a popular career, but it required a very long time and work to
become an independent and successful doctor.
There weren’t many doctors who specialize in women’s health. It was
very expensive to see these doctors, so those women who were poor
often went to see a midwife instead.
Noble ladies, on the other hand, were usually very hesitant to seek a
gynecologist, and this was the reason why there weren’t many of them
available. When it was decided that he was going to get married, Lucius
the First appointed a gynecologist as the second official royal doctor for
his wives.
The ladies were examined, and the doctor announced that they were all
healthy. The ladies immediately went to their private quarters to rest.
Poliana was about to leave as well when the gynecologist stopped her
and announced, “His highness asked me to examine you as well,
Marquess.”
“But I’m perfectly healthy.”
The elderly man looked at her understandingly and replied, “I have heard
the rumor about you, Marquess. I think this would be a good opportunity
to get you examined.”
“Well, if you must assess me, I actually would like to ask you about
something else.”
“Oh, what is it?”
Poliana looked around to make sure she was alone with the doctor.
Chapter 138
Chapter 138
Poliana noticed that her aide was still in the room. When she gave him a
look, he left, leaving Poliana alone with the doctors. The royal doctors
weren’t confused at Poliana, who clearly wanted to be alone with them.
They also weren’t surprised that she had other questions about her
health. After all, she spent over 10 years on the battlefield, which meant
that she must have old injuries and side effects from them.
Poliana hesitated a little and the doctors waited patiently. After a few
minutes of silence, she finally explained, “A long time ago, I suffered
from a bad hemorrhoid. It was pretty horrible, but it got better, and I
thought I was cured. But then, recently, I heard that hemorrhoids cannot
be cured…”
Lucky for her, the two doctors were very familiar with the condition.
“Did you feel any discomfort from it recently?”
Hemorrhoids had a high recurrence rate, especially if one spent a long
time on the toilet every day. It was crucial that whoever suffered from
this condition needs to change their daily bowel habit to get better.
“No, it doesn’t cause me any pain.”
This was why she thought she was cured. There were odd days when
she saw blood in her stool, usually after drinking too much the night
before, but she didn’t think much of it because it seemed that the other
men went through the same thing. But when she heard that hemorrhoids
were an incurable disease, she became concerned.
Suddenly, Poliana dropped her pants, shocking the royal doctor, but not
the gynecologist. The gynecologist examined Poliana quickly and
reassured her, “It looks like you are doing a good job of controlling it.
Just make sure you don’t overdrink.”
When Poliana pulled her pants up, Baron Redikal finally uncovered his
eyes. The gynecologist suggested to Poliana again, “You are here
anyway, so why not just get your woman’s part examined too?”
“That part is fine. It’s not like I use it and I have no pain.”
“I heard that you haven’t had a period in a very long time.”
This was why Lucius the First asked the doctor to examine her. She
looked perfectly healthy, but the emperor was concerned that perhaps
something was going on with her. The doctor asked, “Please just let me
ask you a few simple questions.”
Poliana didn’t feel like being interrogated, but she nodded in agreement.
Baron Redikal left to provide some privacy for them. The gynecologist
asked some questions about her period. Because Poliana didn’t pay
much attention to it, some of her answers were unhelpful. For example,
she did sometimes have spots of blood on her underwear, but she
couldn’t remember when it happened and how long it occurred. The
doctor couldn’t tell based on her answers if she did have a few periods
during the last 10 years or she bled for another reason. Poliana was
definitely not a good patient.
The doctor explained to her, “When I first heard about your condition, I
suspected that you may be suffering from early-onset menopause, but to
be honest, I don’t think that’s it. Based on your current health, which is
excellent, I don’t think it’s menopause. My best guess would be that you
just have very irregular and infrequent periods because of stress and
malnutrition, or you may have a cyst. I need to do a thorough and proper
exam to figure out the cause of your condition and treat it.”
“I understand that you are just being a good caring doctor, but I am not
interested. Thank you though.”
“If that is how you feel, I will respect your wish of course…”
The doctor was disappointed. To treat a patient, he or she needed to be
motivated to become better, but it was obvious that Poliana was not
interested. She seemed more concerned about her hemorrhoid than her
irregular periods. The doctor added, “But if you ever have any changes
to your condition, please let me know. I am well aware of how soldiers
and knights don’t seek a doctor until things get much worse than
necessary. There is no need for you to endure pain and discomfort.”
Poliana did see many cases among her colleagues where they waited
too long unnecessarily and ended up making their illness much worse.
It was very common for soldiers to have a chronic illness even at a very
young age. Spending years on the battlefields could take a toll on one’s
body. Poliana herself was beginning to feel a bit of soreness on her
joints.
What Poliana wanted to know was about hemorrhoids. She accepted
that it could not be cured, but what could she do to decrease the chance
of its recurrence? When she asked about it, the doctor emphasized that
she should stop drinking altogether.
Abstinence? Poliana frowned because it was impossible.
After their talk, Poliana left the room. When she walked out, she saw that
Baron Redikal was talking with a young man she had never seen before.
When the gynecologist spotted him, he also greeted the unfamiliar man
pleasantly. When the young man bowed to the gynecologist, Baron
Redikal stopped him and said to him, “You need to bow to the marquess
first. Marquess Winter, this is my disciple, Frau.”
Frau bowed to Poliana even more respectfully than he did to the
gynecologist. He was a kind-looking man with an average height. He
was not lean nor muscular. He must’ve led a sedentary life because he
was on the chubbier side. If this man was one of her guards, she
would’ve pushed him out the window for not keeping himself physically
active.
‘But he is a doctor, so I guess it’s ok.’
A doctor never had to hold a sword and fight in a war. Instead, a doctor
fought with a scalpel against illnesses. Doctors needed nimble hands,
but they certainly didn’t have to be fast on their feet like soldiers did.
If Frau was a student of the royal doctor, he would most likely become a
royal doctor himself one day. It wasn’t a bad idea to get acquainted with
any doctors, so Poliana looked at him carefully. Then, Frau introduced
himself politely, “Nice to meet you, Marquess Winter. My name is Frau
Sneke.”
“I am Poliana Winter”
“It is truly an honor to meet the great heroine of our kingdom. I realize it
may seem awkward for me to say this to you since we have never met
each other before, but I want you to know that I have always respected
and admired you, Marquess Winter. Meeting you in person is like a
dream come true for me. I will never forget this day until I die.”
‘Wow, he is an excellent flatterer.’
Before he said anything, Poliana had a good feeling about Frau, but as
soon as he complimented her, she immediately began to dislike him.
Frau was such a kind-looking young man, yet it seemed that he was just
a fake.
She was used to people who tried to get close to her to get to Lucius the
First. They would compliment and flatter her, and she hated them. She
didn’t say anything to him and was about to walk away when Frau
added, “And you are more beautiful than I imagined, much more so than
the rumors suggest.”
‘What? This is the worst compliment I have ever heard, he is just a flat
out liar!’

Chapter 139: Chapter 139

Chapter 139
Anyone who could see had to admit that Poliana was no beauty, and she
knew this better than anyone. This was why whenever someone
complimented her looks, Poliana took it as a joke or an insult.
The first thing she did was to check if Frau had bad eyesight. Unless he
was blind or had horrible eyesight, he was clearly lying, and this made
him a horrible person who was trying to take advantage of her. However,
Frau did say she looked better than the rumors. There were many
rumors out there about her and some of them indicated that she looked
like a monster. So, if he meant that she didn’t look like a monster and
that she looked better than these ugly rumors, then Poliana supposed
that he wasn’t lying.
Poliana studied the man’s expression. He still had the kind look on his
face, and it was enough to calm her down a little.
Baron Redikal, realizing that Poliana might have taken Frau’s words as
an insult, explained, “Marquess Winter, this young man isn’t lying or
making an empty compliment. I believe he really means what he said
because I have seen him many times admiring your accomplishments.
He also told me more than once that he wished to meet you someday.”
It was a common occurrence for many well-known knights to acquire a
few fans here and there. Not wanting to look like an ignorant bumpkin,
Poliana nodded nonchalantly and replied, “Hmm… alright, but just make
sure you think before you say things like that next time.”
“Thank you, Marquess. Baron Redikal, I will be going now.”
Frau walked away quickly, leaving Poliana feeling confused. The first
thing she wondered about him was his status. She asked Baron Redikal,
“A son of the Baron Sneke is a doctor?”
The Sneke family was a well-known name in Acreia. Even Poliana, who
hasn’t lived in Acreia very long, had heard this name. It wasn’t as
influential as Sir Bentier, Sir Rabi, and Sir Ainno’s families, but it was still
a powerful family.
A son from such a family didn’t have to work as a doctor. Even if the son
had a great interest in medicine, he could just study it as a hobby rather
than a profession.
Baron Redikal then replied, “He is the fifth son of that family.”
“Ah.”
He didn’t have to say anything anymore, it now made perfect sense.
Even a wealthy family often found it hard to take care of more than three
sons’ futures. The title and the lands all went to the firstborn and the rest
of the sons usually had to find their own ways in the world. So, the fifth
son of any family wouldn’t get much of an inheritance, which meant Frau
made a good choice by entering the field of medicine. It wasn’t as
lucrative and respected as a high-ranking government official or a knight,
but a career in medicine would provide him a stable life.
‘Frau from the Sneke family…”
After returning home that night, Poliana felt a little strange. She might
have had many years of battle experience, and she trained every day,
but Poliana knew she would not be able to win a fight against many men
of her age. But… for some reason, she felt certain that she could beat up
Frau Sneke if she tried. There was a distinct vibe she got from him and
she could tell that he was weak.
Yes, she was sure that she could win against him in a fight.
Baron Redikal told her that Frau and she were of the same age.
‘Hmm… It’s strange because I have seen many physically slight men
before, but…’
She was acquainted with many scribes, who were small men. There
were plenty of physically weak men in the world. She just forgot about
this fact because she was so used to interacting with strong knights and
soldiers. But even the smallest and the weakest men around her would
never say something like that to her like Frau.
‘He said he respected me… I can’t believe a man said he respected and
admired a woman!’
Frau Sneke was clearly not in his right mind. If she didn’t know he was a
doctor, she would’ve suggested that he should go see a doctor and get
himself checked. He wasn’t saying that he respected his mother or his
grandmother, which would’ve made sense. He was telling her that he
respected her, a woman he didn’t even know. A woman who was his
age.
And he said it in the presence of another man! Poliana was shocked.
Lying in her bed, she remained wide awake and unable to fall asleep.
“Respect…”
Was it because she heard it from a man who wasn’t a knight? Poliana
kept hearing Frau’s voice over and over again in her head. Suddenly,
she sat up and walked towards a mirror nearby. She studied herself
carefully. Her face, which was very familiar to her, looked back at her.
‘Hmm… I do look much better than before… Yes. Definitely a lot of
improvement over the past few years…’
This was true. She used to look much uglier before. Poliana clenched
her fists as she thought that she didn’t look that bad. She was indeed
ugly, but not so ugly that people would scream and run away from her.
Most of all, Poliana looked very clean. Her spotless uniform certainly
helped a lot too. As a woman, she might have failed in her looks, but as
a person, she looked alright.
Turning thirty helped a lot too. People generally were more interested
and sensitive about a woman’s look when she was young, but they
became more lenient and uninterested when the woman became a
spinster. Because of this, Poliana didn’t mind the wrinkles on her
forehead. They were from her walking around with a frown all the time,
and Poliana thought the wrinkles made her look more regal and
impressive.
Poliana pushed on the wrinkles to deepen them, hoping that someday,
her face would be full of wrinkles even when she isn’t frowning.

Chapter 140: Chapter 140

Chapter 140
A luxurious feast began in honor of the emperor’s new brides. Lucius the
First danced with each lady once in the order of their age to make sure
they were treated fairly. He then danced with them again once more to
be kind. The ladies smiled brightly as they danced with their new
husband.
Lucius the First wondered secretly, ‘I wonder if they are really pleased.’
He knew all the proper ladies were taught from an early age never to
snow their true feelings to men. They might be smiling prettily now, but
he knew that there was a possibility that they were crying inside because
they didn’t want to be here. Even Lucius the First himself wasn’t paying
attention to his partners, even though to others, he looked like he was
mesmerized by his brides.
‘I know this is rude of me, but…’
The emperor couldn’t help himself as he glanced at the woman he truly
loved. Poliana, as the leader of the Second Division, was busy
socializing. The first people that approached her were her colleagues.
After greeting them, Poliana was then swarmed by the parents of the
guards that were in her division.
“Please take good care of our sons.”
“Yes, of course.”
It was a well-known fact that she was favored by Lucius the First. She
might have been “demoted” to guard his brides and not the emperor
himself, but no one disrespected her in any way. People could tell that
she was not someone to be underestimated. In their minds, Marquess
Poliana Winter was proof that a foreigner could succeed in this kingdom.
She was clearly the emperor’s left hand, or possibly even his right hand,
and it was likely that she would live the rest of her life as a powerful and
wealthy woman.
People who greeted her tried to console her, “We are sure you will get to
leave the lady’s quarters soon and be by the emperor’s side again. His
highness can’t remain angry for too long about your drunkenness, right?”
Every time someone said this to her, she smiled brightly and swore that
she would never get drunk again.
Of course, Poliana also knew she wouldn’t be able to keep this promise
to herself.
Both Sir Ainno and Poliana had resting bitch faces. They found it very
awkward to smile constantly for others, which meant that they found this
kind of event very difficult. Her smile was clumsy, but Lucius the First
couldn’t stop staring at her.
“Your highness?”
The voice of his current dance partner, Rebecca, forced Lucius the First
to break his gaze at Poliana. He apologized to her, “Oh, I’m sorry. What
did you say?”
“Are you worried about Marquess Winter?”
“A marquess isn’t someone I need to worry about. She is a soldier after
all, and she can take care of herself. Why do you ask?”
“Here in the castle, I know you cannot wield a weapon. It is the words
that can do the real damage in this world anyway. The political and
social battles can be just as brutal as the ones out in the battlefields.”
“Haha, you don’t have to worry about that. My court isn’t that
sophisticated and harsh yet.”
This was especially the case when compared to the mid and southern
continent, where the courts were filled with intrigues. In Acreia, the worst
thing that could happen in the court was the elders having an ugly
tantrum. The nobles in the northern regions weren’t as sneaky and
refined as the others.
This was a good thing for Lucius the First, of course. The politicians in
Acreia were straight in their behavior. For example, if they were unhappy
with someone, they made public complaints to the emperor to embarrass
their enemy. In the southern regions, however, the more popular method
to get rid of your enemy in the court would be framing or assassinating
that person. He smiled as he thought of the people in his court, ‘They are
so innocent and naïve compared to those in the southern regions.’
“But your highness, people can be very smart. They learn quickly,
especially if it’s something that can benefit them.”
Lucius the First’s smile disappeared as he knew this was true. Even the
naïve Acreians would soon learn that it was easier to frame your enemy
to bring him down rather than work harder and make an effort to
accomplish something to stand out.
Rebecca studied Lucius the First carefully before offering, “If you aren’t
feeling well, we can always return to our seats.”
The emperor then lied, “No, I’m fine. I love to dance, and I am having a
good time. How about you, Princess?”
“I am having a wonderful time as well, your highness.”
Lucius the First wasn’t having a good time at all. He loved another
woman and he could never marry her, so how could he be happy? He
knew that love had no purpose in a marriage for aristocrats and royal
members. He was born a prince, lived as the heir to the throne, and
became the emperor. As long as he could remember, Lucius the First
always promised himself not to be a bad husband. Both himself and his
brides had no choice in choosing their partners, why not make the best
of it? Why not be kind to each other and live a pleasant life?
But what the emperor never considered was the fact that he would fall in
love this desperately. Was it so painful because he could never have
her, or did all love feel like this? He was going to be married very soon to
these ladies, but Lucius the First couldn’t stop thinking about Poliana. It
was even worse because he felt guilty about it.
‘I love someone, and I’m about to marry other women… This is horrible.’
If Sir Ainno heard this, he would’ve grumbled and walked away.
Because the emperor wasn’t having a good time, he assumed that
Rebecca was lying as well. He said to her, “You don’t have to lie to me
and pretend you are having fun. It’s ok.”
“No, that’s not it at all. I am truly happy.”
“May I ask why?”
“A woman is at her happiest when she has a good husband and gets to
bear many children. To get the best husband a woman can get is the
greatest luck in her life. As soon as I become your bride, your highness, I
will become the luckiest woman in the world.”
“So I am the best husband material?”
“In the current world as well as in history.”
Rebecca gave him a small smile. Even after her younger sister drowned,
she could smile on cue if necessary. They taught this to her even when
she was still a small girl. The marriage offer from Lucius the First was
the best deal she received. She knew that she was going to be one of
his many brides but belonging to the emperor was still going to be a
great honor. Rebecca didn’t expect to become the empress. She
assumed that Tory from Acreia would be selected.
The moment she became one of the three brides of Lucius the First, she
was going to become one of the three most important women in this
continent. Her worth would increase dramatically not because she
accomplished anything, but because she became a bride of an
accomplished man.
Rebecca added, “I am so happy that I will get the honor to become your
bride, your highness.”
Her words made Lucius the First feel less guilty. Just as he picked the
ladies based on their qualifications on the paper, these ladies saw him
as the emperor.
As someone who could boost their standings…
As long as they didn’t hurt each other, Lucius the First knew that he
would be able to maintain an amicable relationship with his brides. This
time, the emperor’s smile was genuine because he realized that this
business relationship was going to be beneficial for both of them.

Chapter 141: Chapter 141

Chapter 141
Late into the night after the banquet, Lucius the First had a private
meeting with Poliana. She gritted her teeth and said to the emperor, “Did
you know what I heard tonight, your highness?”
“What is it, Sir Pol?”
“People are complaining that your highness is discriminating against
Acreia, and that you favor the mid and southern areas. Apparently, your
new marriages have caused many to become disgruntled.”
Poliana was so angry when she heard about it, but she couldn’t even
show it because she was in public and was surrounded by many
important people. Poliana punched the air in frustration and Lucius the
First decided to take care of something he thought of during the banquet.
He gestured to Poliana to come closer. When she did, the emperor
leaned forward and whispered, “Do you know of anyone who has quick
feet and even quicker mind? I would prefer someone who doesn’t have
much to do right now and is getting bored.”
The best of the knights Lucius the First knew were already dispatched to
high priority posts. He couldn’t think of anyone, which meant he had to
hire a new person. Poliana thought of a few men who weren’t in active
duty and mentioned one name, “Viscount Ingreter’s son Sir Deke is very
quick on his feet. The only problem with him is that when he gets drunk,
he begins to run straight ahead and there has been no one who could
catch him so far. He is that fast.”
“Hmm… That’s not the kind of person I was hoping for, but I like the fact
that he is very fast. Does he know how to keep a secret?”
“Yes, your highness. Even when he gets drunk, he just runs and falls. He
never talks. If you have something important you need to get over with, I
can…”
“No, it’s nothing that needs to be done right away.”
Lucius the First smiled and added, “I was just thinking that I should
become more sophisticated.”
***
Time passed by quickly and it was the night before the wedding. Lucius
the First was drinking with his friends in the middle of an extravagant
bachelor party. The emperor didn’t drink much. A hungover groom was
never a good sight at any wedding.
Lucius the First didn’t look overly upset, which confused Sir Ainno.
‘Wow, he isn’t grumbling and moping like I expected. Why is that?’
Sir Ainno asked the emperor, “I thought you would be depressed, your
highness.”
“Me? Why?”
“Lately, you have been very focused on those women’s feelings. I
thought you would feel sad for the ladies who are going to be forced to
share their husbands with each other. I guess I was wrong about it.”
“I realized that they considered getting a wealthy and powerful husband
the biggest accomplishment of their lives. I learned that my marriage can
be beneficial for both parties, for myself, and all of my wives.”
“You are very wise indeed, your highness.”
Lucius the First smiled. This might be the man’s world, but the women
made do and made sure to get what they wanted. They worked to get
the best husband they could. Just as a man enjoyed a “trophy wife,” a
woman also saw her husband as her trophy that represented her status
in this world. A powerful husband would improve her standing, and a
wealthy husband would make her a winner in this world.
This world was like a tournament. The champion who wins it gets the
medal and the trophy. To the women, good husbands were like these
awards.
And as a good award, Lucius the First planned to act accordingly. Before
he went to bed, he spent extra time on his skincare. After looking at the
mirror, he nodded in satisfaction.
The next day, at the wedding, no one seemed to care about the brides. It
was the emperor who looked the most beautiful. Compared to him, the
three brides looked plain. The people didn’t gasp when the ladies took
their veils off. Instead, they only stared at their emperor’s lovely face.
This was especially the case because unlike the brides who didn’t sleep
well the night before because they were so nervous, the emperor slept
like a baby. His face shined like the bright sun.
It was a perfect day. The sun shone and the birds sang happily. Some of
them pooped on top of some guests’ heads too, causing people to laugh.
Poliana was busy as she was responsible for guarding the brides. She
wasn’t given the time to enjoy the biggest event of the year. She never
even got the chance to sit down. She had to move constantly and make
sure there weren’t any suspicious guests or items there. She also kept
her eyes on the foods and drinks, which wasn’t even her responsibility.
There were so many things to consider that Poliana felt overwhelmed.
“This isn’t even my wedding, so I can’t believe how busy I am!” She
raised her fist in the air in frustration. If she was this busy at someone
else’s wedding, how busy would she be at her own wedding?
After the ceremony, a reception took place. Poliana was thankful that
she had a decent breakfast because, for the rest of the day, all she got
to eat was cake. She finished her piece quickly, and thought to herself, ‘I
am so impressed with the brides.’
Poliana knew that the three ladies didn’t eat anything, not even a sip of
water, since last night. They must’ve felt dizzy and weak, and yet the
ladies had pretty smiles on their faces, and they were even dancing.
‘What strong women!’
They were afraid that their tummy would look bulgy if they ate anything,
so the ladies were starving themselves. Poliana couldn’t understand why
this was such an important thing, but the ladies obviously felt very
serious about it.
After eating her cake, Poliana continued to look around the area with
hawk eyes. She couldn’t relax just because the ceremony was over.
Because the drinks were being served now, there were even more
people entering the reception area. She had to be extra diligent.
Just like Poliana, Sir Ainno didn’t drink even a sip of alcohol this day.
Poliana was looking around when her eyes spotted him. Sir Ainno, who
felt her eyes on him, turned towards her and their eyes met. Slowly,
Poliana walked around the dance floor and towards Sir Ainno. As the
two official security officers of the day, they chatted quietly with each
other.
Sir Ainno handed a piece of sandwich, which was brought to him by a
servant, to Poliana, who accepted it gratefully. They were surrounded by
amazing foods and drinks, but all they could eat without losing their
focus was sandwiches. The servants looked at them sympathetically, but
Sir Ainno and Poliana didn’t even notice. They were on duty, so it was
natural for them to not drink and eat whatever was convenient.
It was late in the evening and the wind was calm. The sky was filled with
stars, but because of their large torchlights, the stars disappeared. The
purpose of the torchlights was to make sure that the entire place
remained well lighted. If someone was hiding in the shadow behind a
tree in the garden, he would be noticed as soon as he moved.
Most of the guests in the room looked familiar to Poliana now, so she
focused on the servants and maids who kept entering and leaving the
area. Meanwhile, Sir Ainno’s eyes never left the emperor.
Sir Ainno asked Poliana, “Have you seen anything suspicious tonight?”
“No.”
“Not me either.”
“Good, but we can’t relax yet. The reception is to last for four days, so
we better remain vigilant.”
“Argh…”
Suddenly, Sir Ainno groaned with a frown. Poliana flinched in shock and
looked at the direction he was looking at. When she saw who Sir Ainno
frowned at, Poliana relaxed.
It was only Duke Luzo.

Chapter 142: Chapter 142

Chapter 142
Poliana realized why Sir Ainno frowned in annoyance. It was Duke
Luzo’s hair, which was styled with so much oil that it looked shinier than
the ladies’ jewelry. He was talking with the emperor and it was nice to
see the two young nobles together. Poliana could now see a slight
resemblance between the two of them. Duke Luzo, now married and
slimmer, looked much better.
‘But I guess the receding hairline would be his permanent feature now…’
It was incredibly sad to see that his lost hair was never going to come
back. Because Sir Ainno refused to be the emperor’s best man, Duke
Luzo almost became one instead. In the end, however, Lucius the First
decided not to have a best man at all. Poliana turned towards Sir Ainno
and asked curiously, “Why didn’t you accept being his highness’s best
man?”
The Sir Ainno she knew would insist on being both the emperor’s
personal guard as well as his best man. She expected him to claim he
could do it all because he was awesome but instead, he refused the
offer, stating that he needed to focus on his job. Everyone who knew him
was surprised to hear this news.
Some thought he refused because this was the wedding between the
emperor and his wives, not his empress, but these people obviously did
not know Sir Ainno well.
The Sir Ainno Poliana knew would have insisted on being the best man
for all of the emperor’s wedding. To be fair, Poliana thought this made
sense because Sir Ainno was the best knight of Acreia. He was the
emperor’s right hand as well as his best friend.
Sir Ainno replied vaguely, “I will be the best man to your groom when
you get married, Sir Poliana, so don’t worry.”
‘Why is he trying to change the subject?’
She was curious, but she did not pry. She suspected that there must be
a good reason for his decision. It was very likely that it was actually
Lucius the First’s decision not to have a best man. Perhaps the emperor
didn’t want one because he was getting so many wives all at once and
he thought it would be best to have the smallest wedding party he could
have. This made sense because if the emperor had a best man, each of
his brides would have to have a separate maid of honor.
Sir Ainno murmured, “So… His highness is finally getting married…”
“As expected, of course.”
“Don’t you feel anything about it? Anything at all?”
Poliana was confused. Her emperor was getting married as he should,
and that was that. So what was Sir Ainno trying to ask? What should she
be feeling? It was such an odd question and Poliana didn’t feel the need
to even answer it.
‘Wait a minute!’
Poliana covered her mouth in shock, making Sir Ainno feel confused. He
asked her, “Sir Poliana, are you trying to burp or something?”
“Sir Ainno… Could it be… I can’t believe it, but…”
Poliana couldn’t hide her shock. She had always known that Lucius the
First and Sir Ainno were great and close friends, but this was beyond her
wildest imagination. The fact that they have a “special” relationship…
She felt awkward as she asked, “Sir Ainno, is that why you haven’t
gotten married yet? Does his highness know about your feelings?
Wait…! He must know since you are telling me this right now… So does
the emperor feel the same way about you?”
‘Dammit! What should I say to him?’
It wasn’t unheard of for men to fall in love with each other in maleoriented groups
such as the military. A friendship can quickly turn into
love and affection. There were even some knights who continued this
kind of relationship even after they got married. It was rare in the
northern regions, but not so much in the mid and southern kingdoms. In
fact, there used to be a time once when it became fashionable for
knights to have a boyfriend.
There were rumors that Lucius the First and Sir Ainno were more than
just friends, but Poliana never believed it.
But now… Perhaps she was wrong!
Suddenly, Sir Ainno realized what Poliana was talking about. Without
hesitation, his fist headed towards her. Thankfully, Poliana was quick.
She was able to dodge his punch, and to her relief, Sir Ainno did not try
to attack her again.
Probably because they were at a wedding.
Poliana said quickly, “I will keep your secret safe, Sir Ainno.”
“It’s not like that.”
“I will consider it the most important military secret.”
“I am telling you that it’s not like that!”
“I’ve seen it happen sometimes. Very rare. Very, very rare.”
“It’s not like that!!!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Sir Ainno was clenching his teeth, so it didn’t seem like he was lying.
When Poliana looked at him with suspicion, Sir Ainno posed to strike her
again. Poliana knew he would never intentionally make a scene, so the
fact that he seemed so angry and frustrated… Poliana realized what was
happening here.
If someone asked her if she was in an inappropriate relationship with the
emperor, Poliana knew she would feel very angry. She would be
annoyed if her pure and genuine loyalty looked like something else to
others. She could understand why Sir Ainno was denying it so
adamantly.
Sir Ainno gagged in disgust. How could anyone think he and the
emperor had that kind of a relationship?
Poliana apologized immediately, “Sorry, Sir Ainno. It’s just that you were
asking me such a weird question. So… Why did you ask?”
“…”
He glared at her in annoyance. She was trying to make this his fault for
some reason.
“I was just curious because you are a woman and I thought that perhaps
you felt different about this wedding than I did.”
“Why would I feel different just because I was a woman? I am his
highness’s knight just like you are, Sir Ainno. You need to stop thinking
that women would feel more than men.”
“I am well aware of what a cold woman you are, Sir Poliana.”
“Good.”
There were indeed many people who thought she was emotionless. It
was because when they were standing at the cliff after their final victory
in the south, Poliana was the only soldier who did not cry.
Since then, her nickname became “the woman who didn’t cry or bleed.”
When she first heard the soldiers calling her by this name, she made
sure to teach them a lesson they would never forget.
Idiots!
Sir Ainno explained, “I was just thinking that because you are the closest
woman to the emperor. That is why I asked.”
“I am his highness’s knight and nothing more. I am just like you, Sir
Ainno.”

Chapter 143: Chapter 143

Chapter 143
Sir Ainno found Poliana fascinating. What a strange woman!
Lucius the First was the sole ruler of this continent. He was also the
most beautiful young man, and he showed special favor towards her all
the time. So how could it be that she didn’t feel anything personal
towards him?
He supposed it was possible that she didn’t see him as a man all the
time, but shouldn’t she at least feel something sometimes? Shouldn’t her
heart beat fast when he smiles at her?
Sir Ainno remembered a young girl, who was the emperor’s first love, or
at least close to it. When Lucius the First treated her slightly differently
than the others, this girl acted like she was already the empress of
Acreia. It wasn’t even that Lucius the First was overtly obvious about his
feelings. He was just slightly nicer to her than the other girls, but not by
much. In fact, the emperor was nicer to Sir Ainno than that girl at the
time. But even then, this lady knew very quickly that Lucius the First was
interested in her. Many others realized it as well and they began to treat
her better too.
The way Lucius the First treated Poliana Winter, however, was
unprecedented. His special interest and affection towards her were
obvious, at least to Sir Ainno, but Poliana herself seemed oblivious. Was
the emperor’s love not enough to capture this cold woman’s heart?
Poliana stretched her neck as Sir Ainno glared at her. She knew she had
to say something to him, but she wasn’t sure what. Poliana turned away
and looked at Lucius the First, who was dancing with his new bride. The
emperor looked like he should as a new groom; not too happy but very
determined.
During the night, Stra ended up bursting into tears and the emperor took
a great effort to calm her down. Suddenly, Poliana imagined herself
crying and Lucius the First trying to console her.
It was a ridiculous image, it made Poliana laugh.
Because Poliana wasn’t blind, she did sometimes feel her heartbeat go
wild when she was with him. She could also feel how much the emperor
trusted her. At some odd times, she considered that perhaps he was
affectionate towards her, but she didn’t think too much about it. She was
sure that she was mistaken, and she didn’t want to become preoccupied
with those silly feelings. Lucius the First and Poliana had a simple yet
great relationship.
He was her master and she was his knight, there could be no love
between them. It was ridiculous even to think about such a thing. Lucius
the First would never like Poliana as a woman and Poliana could never
dare to fall in love with him. Besides, during the last 10 years, the
emperor saw the worst of her many times, there was no way any man
could love her after seeing her at her worst.
This was a good thing. This meant that their relationship could remain
pure and safe.
Lucius the First danced with his bride on the dance floor. Poliana stood
nearby, leaning against the wall and eating a sandwich. This was her
place, and she didn’t want anything more than that. She knew where she
belonged.
After contemplating, Poliana finally answered Sir Ainno, “I guess I feel…
thankful?”
This was true. His highness was finally married, and she was happy for
him. When Poliana smiled brightly at Sir Ainno to show him she meant
what she said, Sir Ainno grabbed his forehead and shook his head in
frustration.
What a strange woman?
Meanwhile, Lucius the First did his best to treat all of his three wives
fairly and equally. The three brides were satisfied with the emperor’s
kindness, but the representatives from the different regions were
unhappy.
The Acreians believed that Tory should’ve been favored by the emperor
since she came from his homeland.
The people from the mid-continent believed that Princess Stra should be
favored because their region paid the most taxes and therefore provided
the greatest financial benefit to the emperor.
Those from the southern region insisted that since most of the colonies
here voluntarily surrendered, Princess Rebecca should be favored the
most by the emperor.
To all these people, Lucius the First only had one thing to say.
“It’s none of your business.”
Of course, the emperor wasn’t comfortable with his current situation.
Having so many people complaining to him and asking for the
impossible things were frustrating.
***
Things were becoming tense in the lady’s quarters. Currently, in Acreia,
there wasn’t an empress or any other female figure that could rule the
castle. There could be only one head of the lady’s quarters, and this
meant the beginning of a power struggle between the emperor’s new
wives.
The guards became nervous and asked Poliana, “Sir Poliana, you
should do something about it before it gets too ugly.”
“Why me?”
“Because you are the highest-ranking woman in the kingdom.”
“… Are you joking?”
It was true that Marquess Winter was the most powerful woman in
Acreia, but her authority could not compare to that of any member of the
royal family. There was no doubt that she was ranked much lower than
any of the emperor’s wives.
Like her guards, Poliana became nervous but also excited at the
prospect of this power struggle. What kind of tactics would the ladies
use? Who will win? The tension between the wives was not too different
from that between the knights before a duel. Thankfully, no one used
any dirty tactics and nothing serious happened. Unlike everyone’s
expectation, the struggle also didn’t last very long. Each lady had
different advantages because of their backgrounds, but in the end, Tory
ended up being the winner.
In a way, it was an obvious conclusion. Most of the maids, who were
from Acreia themselves, took Tory’s side. Tory was also the only one
who was most familiar with the Acreian culture and royal etiquette.
Rebecca, who had fragile health, showed early on that she wanted to
stay out of the fight for power so naturally, Stra became the second in
command.
This whole process took about 2 months.
Lucius the First did his best not to favor any of his wives. Because he
was so busy with his newly united kingdom, he didn’t get to visit his
wives often, but even then, he made sure he that spent an equal amount
of time with each of the ladies.
In the beginning, Lucius the First planned to visit each one of his wives
twice a week and have one day for himself, but very quickly, he learned
that he was stupid to think that this was going to work. He was so busy
that it was rare for him to even visit his wives once a week.
Realizing how busy he was, the three wives soon gave up fighting to be
favored by the emperor. In the end, they decided that it was better to
become good friends with each other.
Poliana became very popular among the ladies and she felt very
pleased. Because they had different ages and they were from different
places, everyone felt awkward around each other at first, but after some
time, they all became close friends.
The four women usually spent their time in Rebecca’s reception room.
Being from the southern region, Rebecca always had the best and
sweetest fruits and snacks from her homeland, and this was why the
ladies always ended up at her place.
They were gossiping again as usual when Stra said to Poliana, “So one
of my lady friends decided to have her daughter marry Sir Gary.”
Poliana replied, “That idiot is addicted to gambling, he isn’t that bright
either.”
“Oh, is that right? Thank you so much, Marquess, for such a piece of
important information. I will let the lady know right away.”
Poliana was able to successfully enter the aristocratic society. This
meant that she knew a lot about different noblemen, and many ladies
with grown daughters often asked her advice for potential son-in-law
materials. Poliana often said to the ladies that their husbands should be
able to give the same information as herself, but the women believed
that because Poliana was a woman herself, she would have more
accurate and relevant opinions on different young men.
And of course, whenever the noble ladies visited her for advice, they
never forgot to bring her nice expensive gifts. Poliana’s office soon
became filled with luxurious bribes.

Chapter 144: Chapter 144

Chapter 144
Much time passed, but the problem of private armies created by certain
Acreian nobles was still not solved. In fact, according to the recent
messages, it’s turning for the worse. Were some of the Acreian
aristocrats trying to begin a war? Because it seemed that they were
increasing and arming their soldiers.
‘Why are they always making my life so difficult?’
The emperor frowned in annoyance. His personal servant Chail
suggested that the emperor should rest, but Lucius the First replied
angrily, “How could I?!”
With great power comes great responsibility. If he was going to be lazy
about ruling his kingdom, what would’ve been the point of uniting the
entire continent? Lucius the First was seen as a kind and generous
emperor who saved many people from horrible and selfish rulers. This
was the truth because indeed, Lucius the First was definitely not a tyrant.
For now, the emperor knew that he would only get to rest and take it
easy when he was an old man, unless he died young from being so
overworked. There was so much to do and not enough of him. Just
reading over the summaries prepared by the civil servants took so much
time and effort.
Lucius the First was frustrated and angry. He was working so hard, as
hard as he could, yet the problems in Acreia wouldn’t go away. It
seemed that the people of Acreia would never stop complaining, and he
couldn’t understand why it was so. Acreia, as his homeland, should’ve
been his greatest ally, yet instead, it was the southern region that
remained mostly peaceful. It was quickly becoming his favorite place
because it made him feel calm.
“Just what is it that they want from me?!”
The emperor slammed down on his desk, making his scribes and the
servants cringe in fear. Sir Bentier, now the chancellor, approached
Lucius the First quickly to calm him down. Lucius the First suddenly
became embarrassed and ashamed. He narrowed his eyes as he
realized what he had done just now.
‘I am unleashing my anger at the wrong people…’
This wasn’t a war where one wrong decision could cost him thousands
of lives. The emperor knew he was overreacting, most likely because he
was so tired. Finally, Lucius the First announced that he was going to
take a quick break. Sir Bentier understood how stressed the emperor
was, so he offered, “Would you like to spar with me, your highness?”
“Spar?! Yes! Oh, wait… No… I guess not.”
‘If Sir Bentier uses his spear, I would have no chance against him…’
When the emperor hesitated, the servant offered, “Should I go get Sir
Ainno?”
“No, I don’t want Inno either.”
One of the guards from the First Division offered, “Your highness, if you
would like, I could be your opponent.”
The emperor shook his head again. He was now well aware of how
skilled, and how violent the members of the First Division were. It made
sense since they were all handpicked by Sir Ainno himself. Lucius the
First wasn’t the type that became angry when he lost, but he knew how
frustrated he would feel if he got hit today.
The emperor contemplated what he should do during his hard-earned
break to make himself feel better. There was only one person he could
think of that could improve his mood. Then, with a smile, he announced,
“I will be going to the lady’s quarters.”
His whole demeanor changed. The emperor finally looked happy and
expectant.
***
When the emperor visited her, Poliana was happy to see him. He asked
her to spar with him, and she asked, “But what about Sir Ainno?”
“That guy is too competitive.”
Sir Ainno always fought hard, even in a friendly spar, as if his life
depended on it. He didn’t care who he fought even if it’s just another
knight or the emperor himself. Sir Ainno fought savagely and he always
won. It wasn’t that Lucius the First was a bad swordsman, but compared
to Sir Ainno, the emperor had no chance. On top of this, Sir Ainno was
an ugly winner. He always teased the emperor mercilessly after a spar,
and Lucius the First didn’t want to endure such a humiliation today.
Poliana then asked, “Your highness, you could’ve just asked one of the
guards from the First Division to fight you.”
“They are all turning into Sir Ainno, unfortunately.”
Poliana nodded understandingly because she knew these men well.
With a sly smile, she said to him, “So what you are saying is that you
came to spar me because you know you could win against me, right? Is
that it, your highness? That is very unfair.”
“I didn’t! I didn’t come here to win!”
“I’m just joking, your highness.”
The emperor was about to deny it emphatically, but when Poliana
grinned at him, he smiled as well. Poliana laughed and soon, they began
their spar.
Because they were at the lady’s quarters, the emperor’s wives became
their audience. While the emperor and Poliana stretched, the servants
and the maids moved quickly to prepare the seats for the ladies. They
even put up a tent to create a nice shade for the emperor’s wives.
Lucius the First said to Poliana, “Sir Pol, I see that your sense of humor
has improved a lot.”
“It is all thanks to you, your highness.”
Poliana swung her sword a few times to test it out. The emperor watched
and complimented her for her skills. It was common for the knights to
stop training after a long war and it was nice to see that clearly, Poliana
had never stopped training. She was indeed an excellent knight.
The start of the spar was signaled as the maid, who stood between
Poliana and the emperor, dropped her handkerchief. Poliana was the
one who moved first to attack, and Lucius the First blocked her easily.
“Sir Pol, I can feel that you are stronger than before.”
“The doctor told me that a woman’s stamina and strength actually
increase in her thirties and forties, your highness.”
“How amazing!”
Poliana attacked Lucius the First with everything she had, but she was
no match for him. She might have become stronger, but her strength
couldn’t compare to that of a well-trained man. Lucius the First easily
blocked even her best attacks with only one hand.
Because she was a woman and therefore weaker than most male
soldiers, she was taught early on that she needed to fight to kill, not
maim. The precise moves to slow down or injure an opponent were used
by the people like Sir Ainno and Sir Rabi.
So, she fought the emperor ferociously like she always did, but she was
no match for him. Lucius the First was an underrated swordsman purely
because he was compared to Sir Ainno, but in truth, the emperor was an
excellent swordsman. No matter how hard Poliana fought, this spar felt
like a slightly vigorous workout to the emperor.
Every time their swords met and clanked, the ladies shrieked. They
weren’t used to hearing the metals hitting each other.
“Oh no! Marquess Winter!”
Suddenly, Lucius the First’s sword slashed and made a small cut on
Poliana’s face, making the ladies and maids scream in shock. Stra
seemed like she was going to burst into tears.
“Marquess Winter…. Your face…!”
Poliana didn’t think much about it and tried to continue the spar. She had
much worse scars all over her body, so such a small cut didn’t mean
anything. But then, the emperor put down his sword and ordered, “Sir
Pol, you should get your cut treated.”
“Well, alright, your highness. I guess it would look awful for the head of
the Second Division to have a fresh injury on her face.”
The maids quickly brought clean clothes, a gauze, and medicinal cream.

Chapter 145: Chapter 145

Chapter 145
The maids washed the injury on Poliana’s face and spread the medicinal
cream on it. Everyone fussed around her, and Poliana glanced around,
trying to find the right moment to escape. When the people quieted down
a little, Poliana announced, “I think I should get going.”
The emperor and his wives tried to get her to stay, but Poliana refused.
She smiled knowingly before leaving quickly. Poliana was trying to help
the royal family. They were all newlyweds, the royal couples, so she
wanted to give them as much private time as possible. When she looked
back at them one last time, she could tell that the emperor’s wives
looked expectant and pleased.
‘I wish they would have some babies soon. A beautiful princess would be
so nice.’
The emperor and his wives were all beautiful, so their children had to be
beautiful too. Poliana felt happy just thinking about some little royal
babies filling this castle.
“Marquess.”
Suddenly, one of the maids called her name from behind. When Poliana
turned around, she found out that it was Cekel. Cekel Ingreter, now
officially a spinster, recently announced that she would never get
married. Despite her rather low-born status, she was somehow hired to
become one of Tory’s maids.
All of the three Ingreter brothers followed Lucius the First into war,
therefore, they were soon going to be given significant promotions. Their
family was close and had a stable future ahead, so there was a good
chance that Cekel could’ve gotten a marriage offer from a noble family,
but for some reason, Cekel decided to give up on finding a husband.
There were many rumors about her ever since, and most of them
weren’t good. Poliana didn’t want to hear about it, so she stopped
listening to them a long time ago.
Poliana was familiar with all the brothers, Aeke, Beke, and Deke, as well
as their sister, Cekel. The Cekel Poliana knew was nothing like the ugly
rumors suggested. Cekel was certainly not a feminine affectionate
woman, but it was obvious that she took great care of those around her.
Poliana liked her a lot, so whenever she spotted Cekel, Poliana
approached her for a small chat. Cekel appreciated this, especially
because her status in the castle was a confusing one. She was
technically a maid since she was a noblewoman, but she also was not
from a prominent family, so some saw her as a servant.
“Marquess Winter, you should put some medicine on your injury.”
“It’s ok, Cekel. It’s already done.”
“Oh, I didn’t know because the cut hasn’t been bandaged.”
“Well, it’s really hard and annoying to bandage one’s face. It looks worse
than it really is, so don’t worry, it’ll get some scabs very soon.”
“Are you going to see the emperor right now?”
“Actually, I just left him. He is with his wives, so I wanted to give them
some privacy.”
While they talked, Poliana noticed that Cekel’s outfit was a bit
disarrayed. Poliana knew immediately that something wasn’t right. Ever
since she became the head of the guards, she made sure to keep
herself neat and clean. She was also very strict with his guards’ looks.
They didn’t have to look pretty, but they better always look immaculate.
Poliana narrowed her eyes as she noticed how Cekel’s clothes looked
like it had been creased recently. It was obvious that Cekel made an
effort to straighten her outfit very recently. Cekel’s cheeks were also
faintly flushed and she was breathing heavily. Poliana grabbed her and
took her to a quiet corner before asking, “Lady Cekel, did something
happen to you today? If so, you must tell me. I am responsible for the
safety of everyone in the lady’s quarters and so, I will take care of this
situation.”
“It’s nothing you need to worry about, Marquess. Besides, it didn’t even
happen inside the lady’s quarters.”
Poliana raised her fist in determination. Any man who mistreated a lady
just because she was a spinster needed to be taught a serious lesson.
“If anyone caused you any troubles, please tell me honestly. I will go and
beat him up for you.”
“I already did it.”
Cekel showed Poliana her palm proudly and Poliana saw that it was
redder than her face. Cekel looked annoyed as she continued, “And you
know what he said to me after I hit him?”
“What? What did the bastard say?”
“He told me that I was the first person ever to slap his face.”
Poliana frowned angrily. She examined Cekel again to make sure she
wasn’t hurt. Thankfully, Cekel looked very annoyed but otherwise
healthy. Poliana then asked, “Was he crazy?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was.”
“I can’t have a crazy idiot walking around the castle freely. Is it someone
I know? I can take care of him right away…”
“It’s ok. I slapped him pretty hard, so I don’t think that I need to ruin his
reputation too. I just won’t talk to him anymore.”
“Good idea, but if he ever bothers you again, you can kick him in his
balls. I will make sure you don’t get in trouble.”
Poliana began to teach Cekel some basic self-defense moves. Anyone
could kick someone’s crotch, but the important thing was one’s attitude.
Many women often didn’t hit as hard as they could, and this was a big
mistake; not hitting your assailant hard enough would just make them
angry. The key was to kick the man in the crotch as hard as one could.
There was no need to worry if he would die because he won’t.
It was also helpful to scream as loudly as possible. Cekel nodded and
paid attention to her as she listened carefully to Poliana’s heartfelt
advice.
***
A few days later, Poliana and Lucius the First walked down the hallway
together to visit Sir Ainno, who apparently was seriously injured. Poliana
didn’t feel much about it, but the emperor seemed very upset. Poliana
could see his eyes watering.
She said to him, “Your highness, please don’t worry so much. I heard it
isn’t anything serious. He just fell off the horse and is suffering from a
muscle cramp.”
“But I have never seen Inno get sick…”
Sir Ainno once got stabbed. At the time, he didn’t even stop; he
continued to ride his horse to fight on. He was that tough, so for him to
be confined to his bed was indeed very scary. Poliana was told that he
didn’t even break any bones, so how serious of a muscle cramp was it?
The messenger wouldn’t give the emperor many details, and this even
made the emperor more upset. Before opening the door to Sir Ainno’s
room, Poliana and Lucius the First looked at each other nervously. After
taking a deep breath, they walked in.
“Inno!”
Sir Ainno looked perfectly fine, but the emperor didn’t even notice. He
ran towards his friend and hugged Sir Ainno passionately. Poliana
watched from behind and her eyes began to water as well.

Chapter 146: Chapter 146

Chapter 146
It took Sir Ainno 30 minutes to figure out what Lucius the First was
thinking. When he did, Sir Ainno threw his pillow at the emperor in
annoyance. It turned out that Sir Ainno fell off a horse and ended up
hurting his penis.
Who knew one could get hurt there by falling off a horse?
Poliana and the others in the room couldn’t stop laughing at his funny
situation. The emperor also grinned at his best friend. Some were crying
because they were laughing so hard, making Sir Ainno even angrier. He
threw more of his pillows at these people and Poliana stood in front of
Lucius the First to protect him.
“Get out!” Sir Ainno yelled, and in the end, his doctor stated that the
patient should get some rest and so, everyone was kicked out of the
room.
The emperor looked satisfied as he said to Poliana, “My wish has finally
come true.”
“But I thought your wish was to unite the continent, your highness.”
“I had two. I always prayed that Inno would someday fall on his smug
face and break his nose, but every rare time he did fall, his reflex is so
great that he always landed perfectly on his feet. But finally, this day has
come! Hahahaha!”
“You look very pleased, your highness.”
“And it looks like I’m not the only one. You look very happy yourself, Sir
Pol.”
Poliana laughed evilly and Lucius the First followed suit.
“Hahaha!”
“Hehehe!”
Sir Ainno was an excellent dependable knight, but he could be an
overconfident jerk. Many secretly laughed at him for falling off a horse,
which was such a beginner’s mistake. Poliana felt disappointed that she
could tell everyone she knew about what happened to him, but it was
best to let Sir Ainno keep his reputation intact.
Sir Ainno’s injury made Lucius the First think deeply about his own life.
After a short contemplation, the emperor decided to put a breaktime in
his daily schedule despite his ever-increasing workload. He was in his
30’s and therefore in his prime, but soon, he will turn 40. Time passed by
fast and it meant that his stamina, health, and mental capacity were
going to begin deteriorating at some point. He might be perfectly healthy
now, but he didn’t even have an heir yet. The closest person he could
call his heir was Duke Luzo.
So… what if he suddenly died?
The kingdom he created was going to experience such turmoil. Perhaps
it might even break into different kingdoms again after a civil war. Even if
Lucius the First had a son already, he still couldn’t die until his son was
old enough to rule safely. If the emperor died when his son was too
young, the new emperor would be powerless, he would be an empty
shell that would get used by the elders.
Lucius the First became the emperor when he was in his late teens. He
was a grown man at the time, but even then, many noblemen overtly
ignored him and defied him even though Lucius the First had the
unwavering support from Duke Luzo.
When the emperor announced that he would ease his work schedule a
little, everyone sighed in relief. Many were worried about his health from
being overworked, so they were glad that the emperor finally made this
decision.
There was certainly an overabundant amount of work to be done, but
this didn’t mean that the emperor had to take care of everything. He just
needed to delegate the work accordingly. The problem was that Lucius
the First was a perfectionist. He tried to get involved in even the smallest
of matters such as regional tax laws. It was absolutely unnecessary
because those in charge of the locals could and should be doing this job.
Those around the emperor were worried that if Lucius the First continued
to overwork in his manner, he might become just like Duke Luzo, who
was clearly beginning to go bald.
All the men and women loved the emperor’s beautiful golden hair. If he
lost his best feature… It would be the kingdom’s greatest loss. The
emperor’s beauty was the most important treasure of Acreia. Everyone
in the kingdom was proud of it. Everyone hoped that he would grow into
a beautiful middle-aged man, but if he lost his hair… It would be
impossible.
So, in the end, a generous break time was placed in Lucius the First’s
daily routine, which meant that he could sometimes even leave the city.
***
While walking in the green forest, the emperor smiled happily. The smell
of the trees was amazing especially because he had been stuck in the
city castle for a long time by now. Being surrounded by nature made his
fatigue disappear slowly. His hunting entourage also smiled. It was a
wonderful day to hunt because there was barely any wind. Lucius the
First then announced, “It’s so nice to be out.”
Ever since he left to secretly move the capital of Acreia, he was always
followed by the officials every time he left the castle. When these officials
were sure that the emperor was indeed just hunting, they left, but the
emperor still grumbled. “It’s so sad that they cannot trust their own
emperor. If they stayed any longer, they would’ve ruined this outing. And
I don’t know why I have to have so many guards with me even when I
am just hunting.”
“Totally, your highness. I don’t know why so many of them have to follow
us every time.”
“It’s not like you are going to move the capital again.”
Some noblemen agreed with the emperor, but Poliana disagreed, “We
need many men for your protection, your highness. It can be very
dangerous outside the castle.”
Her guards nodded in agreement. For the emperor’s protection, it was
best to have many men follow them just in case. When Poliana looked
determined, Lucius the First tried to make an excuse, saying, “But if we
have this many men with us, it will make it easier for all the animals to
notice us and run away.”
Poliana frowned. “But your highness, we don’t have Sir Ainno with you
either, so…”
She hated to admit it, but it was the truth. Sir Ainno’s presence
guaranteed the emperor’s safety, so without him, Poliana felt the need to
bring as many of her men as possible. She felt ashamed that she wasn’t
as strong as Sir Ainno, but it couldn’t be helped.
‘Why did he have to get injured? That stupid jerk.’
It was odd to not see Sir Ainno, who was always by the emperor’s side,
but Lucius the First seemed even more excited that Sir Ainno wasn’t with
him. Before the hunting party left, Poliana wanted to bring even more
guards, but the emperor was adamant that he wouldn’t allow it. He
protested, insisting that his hunting day would be ruined if she brought all
the men she wanted for his protection.
In the end, the emperor won as usual.
They were inside the Msmel forest, which scared some men. It was a
very different forest than the one in Acreia. The trees looked different
and there were different animals here. Lucius the First said to the men,
“There is nothing to worry about. It’s perfectly safe here.”
This was true because a large lumber mill was built just outside the
forest. Because the Yapa became the new capital, there was a huge
influx of people from all over the continent, thereby increasing the need
for lumber and stones. The trees on the outer edges of the Msmel forest
were being cut, which meant that the forest was no longer as quiet as it
used to be. Now, they are so many people around them trying to make
their living.
Of course, Lucius the First was beginning to get worried about the
number of trees being cut. If too many were removed, the entire forest
could be destroyed. Msmel was very important to the mid-continent. It
was a great source of wild animals and bees for honey, and once a
forest was ruined, it was impossible to revive it. This was why the
emperor decided against creating a path across the forest. He said to his
men, “Don’t you think a forest resembles a human body? When you clip
your fingernails, they grow back, but if you cut off your hand, it won’t
come back. In fact, it could kill you. Killing a forest would be a stupid
thing, every hunter knows this.”
The emperor suddenly spotted a bird flying above him. He aimed
carefully and shot his arrow.

Chapter 147: Chapter 147

Chapter 147
When his arrow didn’t go high enough and missed its mark, Lucius the
First sighed. His hunting dog also looked disappointed. Their hunting trip
wasn’t very productive, and although the purpose of this outing was just
to get some fresh air, the emperor still grumbled.
‘Maybe I should’ve bought Inno with me after all?’
Although Sir Ainno could be annoying and smug, he was an amazing
hunter. Lucius the First was certain that if he brought his frustrating
friend, they would’ve caught something good.
Just as his hunting dog looked like it gained some weight due to
inactivity, the emperor’s hunting skill was not what it used to be. He
should’ve kept himself sharper, but his recently sedentary life had ruined
his abilities. On top of this, all the people he brought with him today
weren’t decent hunters. Poliana was no good at bows and arrows and
they only had a short amount of time.
Poliana was also frustrated with her mediocre hunting skills. She needed
to catch something, anything, as gifts for the ladies. Lately, Poliana
received so many presents from various ladies, including the emperor’s
wives themselves. Handkerchiefs, flowers, perfumes, cosmetics, clothes,
and shoes… Poliana had been thanking them gratefully, but it was about
time she became the one who was giving. It could be anything, even a
pretty bird or a squirrel would do.
Poliana did sometimes give out local specialties from her land, but she
needed to do more. Besides, the most popular local product from her
place was brimstone, and who would want that?
Poliana could of course buy something, but that would look less genuine.
An expensive precious stone would be a great gift, but there were too
many ladies she needed to gift and therefore it would cost her too much.
‘The emperor’s three wives and their maids and ladies-in-waiting… And
of course, I have to send something to Vaxi and Vanessa since they
send me gifts all the time too!’
If she gifted them with some precious stones, she couldn’t just give them
the raw stones. They would have to be worked on by the jewelry maker,
which would cost a pretty penny. Although Poliana’s land was a
productive and rich property, she didn’t feel wealthy because she didn’t
get to actually see its physical money. She only got to read the reports of
the tax collected from her land.
In this kind of situation, the best and the safest present was an animal
she caught herself. For a gentleman, a fresh fish was also a good idea,
but the ladies usually didn’t like it.
If she could just catch a rabbit… A rabbit’s foot was a popular gift idea
while something nice could be made with its hide. Rabbit meat was also
great for stews.
Poliana diligently shot her arrows, but she wasn’t successful at her
attempts. Some other people caught at least some small prey such as
rabbits and birds, and even then, they grumbled in disappointment.
“Oh man, today’s hunting trip sucked.”
“It’s because you guys didn’t pee before entering the forest.”
Lucius the First turned to his men and said in annoyance, “I told you to
empty your bladder before the hunting starts for good luck! I told you!”
Poliana looked at them in frustration.
‘Ungrateful idiots.’
She knew she could never be as good as these Acreians, who were
born as hunters, but she couldn’t help feeling disappointed. She was at
least very good at catching those lizards, but they were useless for the
ladies. And besides, it was getting cold and the lizards were nowhere to
be seen.
In the end, Poliana had to return home empty-handed.
When the emperor suggested that she should eat dinner with him since
the cook was going to make a rabbit stew, Poliana accepted and entered
the castle with the emperor. They were talking quietly, and the others
walked behind them without a word.
“Sir Pol, you look upset. Not all hunting trips can be productive, so you
shouldn’t feel bad.”
“But your highness… I was hoping I could bring something for her
highnesses…”
Lucius the First looked at Poliana with an odd expression. The woman
he loved and couldn’t have got along very well with his three wives and
the emperor didn’t know how to feel about this strange situation. They
say it was a lucky man whose wives and concubines got along well
together, but…
‘What do I love about you…?’
They were entering the inner garden on their horses when several
people from the castle ran towards them and hurriedly greeted them.
They looked so relieved to see him and the emperor became annoyed,
saying, “You people act like I ran away or something.”
Well, he did it once to change the capital, but didn’t they know he
wouldn’t do something like that again?
Then suddenly, one of the royal guards ran towards them.
“What is it?”
“Your highness! Your highness! Your highness!”
“Yes, I’m here. Just breathe first and talk to me.”
“Her royal highness, Stra, is pregnant!”
Lucius the First felt his world flipping upside down.
Thud!
The emperor fell off his horse. He slumped on the ground as Poliana and
the guards gasped in shock. It seemed the emperor couldn’t respond
and the people couldn’t tell if it was because of the shock from falling off
his horse or hearing about his pregnant wife.
“Your highness! Are you alright?”
Lucius the First sighed deeply and stood up. Then with his calm voice,
he ordered, “Stop overreacting.”
To everyone’s relief, it seemed that their emperor was ok, especially for
someone who just fell off a horse. Slowly, he began to walk towards the
lady’s quarters. Poliana realized that although Lucius the First looked
perfectly calm, he must’ve been shocked. He was pretending to be
indifferent, but he forgot to get back on his horse. It was clear that he
was absolutely surprised by this news.
The emperor’s well-trained horse remained where he was without
moving, and Poliana coaxed it as she pulled its rein. She began to follow
the emperor and suddenly when Lucius the First began to run, she tried
to do the same. However, she spotted Chail, who was at the front door
and looking so unhappy.
Chail was the emperor’s personal valet as well as the head of the
servants in the Yapa castle. When she saw his face, Poliana knew
something wasn’t right. Poliana ordered her guards to follow and protect
the emperor while she went to Chail. There, Poliana asked him, “What’s
wrong, Master Chail?”
“It’s great news, of course, but… It happened too fast, don’t you think?
Aren’t you nervous about it?”
“We are talking about a perfectly healthy young man and woman, Master
Chail. It’s definitely a good thing, I think. Wasn’t it you who let people
know of this? I mean, isn’t that why the news traveled so fast? What did
the doctor say?”
Poliana subtly criticized Chail, who should’ve kept this kind of sensitive
news a secret until later. To have a random guard shout out that the
emperor’s wife was pregnant… This was not the way to release a piece
of important royal news.
Chail then replied, “The doctor is examining her right now.”
They began to walk towards the lady’s quarters, which was filled with
different people waiting for the doctor’s confirmation. The people
whispered excitedly, but when they spotted Poliana, they moved aside to
create a clear path for her.
It was good to be a powerful woman.
Chail exclaimed, clearly impressed, while Poliana shrugged her
shoulders nonchalantly. Then suddenly, Chail and Poliana could hear
people murmuring loudly. Chail grabbed one of the ladies-in-waiting and
asked what was happening and she replied quickly, “It’s a false alarm.
Apparently, it is just a phantom pregnancy.”

Chapter 148: Chapter 148

Chapter 148
Poliana was disappointed and she didn’t have to see to know that Lucius
the First was even more disheartened by the news that his wife wasn’t
actually pregnant.
Poliana then murmured, “I was so excited about the baby too…”
Chail replied, “It looks like you are going to get very busy now, Marquess
Winter.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“Can’t you see? The three ladies all are so desperate to get pregnant.
One was frantic enough to imagine herself pregnant! Soon, there will be
even a scarier power struggle in the lady’s quarters than the last one.
One husband and three wives! It’s going to be a bloodbath!”
“… Are you being serious, Master Chail?”
“No, of course not. I was just joking, but not the part about how busy you
are going to get busy soon.”
Without explaining what he meant, Chail left to return to his room. When
he was gone, Poliana asked one of the servants, who was very close to
Chail, “Hey, what kind of books does the master read nowadays?”
“Oh, Master Chail enjoys reading the fictional stories about royal power
struggles, especially among the emperor’s wives and concubines!”
“Dammit! I knew it!”
Poliana punched the nearest wall in annoyance. Chail knew how serious
and awful things could get in the royal lady’s quarters, yet to joke about it
like this… What a mean guy. Chail was clearly too into his books
because it almost sounded like he wanted horrible things to happen in
real life just for some excitement.
‘I’m going to have to go burn all of his stupid books!’
Poliana changed her outfit and headed to work. When she arrived, she
found Stra crying after finding out that she wasn’t pregnant. Lucius the
First and Tory were consoling her gently, but Rebecca was nowhere to
be seen. Poliana looked around and Cekel explained, “Lady Rebecca is
resting because she wasn’t feeling well today.”
“Again?”
All of the maids and the ladies-in-waiting were in here comforting Stra,
which meant that Rebecca probably didn’t have many people to take
care of her. Even the doctor was here with Stra.
Poliana walked to Rebecca’s quarters. She wasn’t good at comforting
people because she never knew what to say, so she wouldn’t have been
any use to Stra. In addition, Poliana couldn’t understand why a false
pregnancy would make Stra sad.
So she thought it made sense for her to go visit Rebecca. Maybe having
Poliana with her would make Rebecca less lonely. When she walked into
Rebecca’s quarters, her maid was obviously happy to see Poliana.
‘They must’ve felt like they were being left out.’
Many of Rebecca’s maids were also with Stra unfortunately. Poliana felt
annoyed; if these were her maids, she would’ve reprimanded them for
leaving her when she wasn’t feeling so well. Poliana would’ve punished
them even.
Poliana asked one of the maids, “Is Lady Rebecca ok?”
Instead of the maid answering, a man in the room replied instead. “It’s
just a mild cold, so you need not worry, Marquess.”
For a long time, Poliana tried to remember who this man was. As the
emperor’s personal guard, Poliana used to make a huge effort to
remember people’s faces and names, but that was a long time ago. As a
marquess and the head of the Second Division, it wasn’t her job
anymore to remember these people. It was the other person who should
be introducing himself or herself to her. She was now too important to
waste time remembering people.
The man looked kind and nonthreatening. He wasn’t particularly good
looking, and he was on the chubby side. He was the kind of guy who
Poliana could beat up easily.
‘Oh!’
Yes, now, she remembered him.
Frau Sneke.
He showed her his kind smile just like he did the first time he met her.
‘So I wasn’t wrong about my feelings.’
Poliana was now completely certain that if they got into a physical fight,
she would win easily. She could probably even win an arm-wrestling
match against him. He had no muscles at all and he didn’t look very
dependable. However, his voice was soothing and he had a calm and
kind demeanor, which was perfect for his job as a doctor.
Frau greeted Poliana, “It is an honor to see you again.”
“Were you examining Lady Rebecca?”
“Yes, you can go in now and see her.”
Frau moved away from the door to the lady’s room. When Poliana was
about to open the door, he did it for her immediately. Poliana was
surprised that Frau would do this, considering he wasn’t even a servant.
Most knights and noblemen showed good manners to noble ladies, but it
was very rare for them to do it for her as if they didn’t see Poliana as a
woman.
She was so surprised when Frau opened the door for her that she didn’t
even think to thank him. She just walked in and found Rebecca in her
bed. She was sitting up against a plump pillow, and because she was so
small, she looked like she was buried in her giant bed.
Rebecca greeted Poliana pleasantly. Poliana bowed respectfully and
asked how the lady was doing. Rebecca shook her head and replied,
“It’s just a cold, so it’s nothing to worry about. We should be more
concerned with Stra.”
Stra was crying in the arms of Tory and Lucius the First, and Poliana
wondered if this was really something to cry about.
‘It’s not like she had a miscarriage… She didn’t lose a baby because she
wasn’t pregnant to begin with.’
Rebecca added, “She was so happy because she thought she was
pregnant…”
She coughed and sighed deeply. A few hours ago, Stra was smiling
widely because she hasn’t had her monthly bleeding for a few months,
and she was feeling nauseous. Stra felt certain that she was with a child.
No one could have imagined that it was a phantom pregnancy. Rebecca
said quietly, “I’m sure she will become pregnant for real very soon.”
It wasn’t a big deal at all. It would’ve been better if Stra was really
pregnant, but this wasn’t the worst thing.
‘I mean, I’m just glad it wasn’t a miscarriage.’
Poliana might have cried if Stra lost a baby, but she never did. It was just
a phantom pregnancy. Poliana still couldn’t understand why Stra was so
upset. It wasn’t like Stra was diagnosed with infertility.
All the wives were still very young, and they have been married for only
a year now. There was no need to be desperate at this point. Poliana
then replied, “I agree, Lady Rebecca.”
“Is she really upset?”
“Yes, but his highness is consoling her.”
If a woman didn’t become pregnant after three years of their marriage,
the people would begin to whisper that she might be barren, but it wasn’t
the situation in this case. They were only married for a year, which
meant that they still had two more years to try without worrying.
So why was Stra feeling so desperate?
It must’ve shown that Poliana didn’t seem too concerned about Stra’s
situation. Rebecca smiled strangely and Poliana felt guilty, realizing that
Rebecca found out how she really felt. Poliana looked away as Rebecca
said to her, “Marquess, you don’t think this is a big deal.”
“You are all very young and healthy, so you will get pregnant soon, I’m
sure.”
“Does his highness feel the same way about this situation?”
“His highness is a kind considerate man, so I am sure he is much more
upset about this than myself.”
“Yes, indeed… His highness is very kind and considerate… He is a
wonderful man, and… Since he favors you more than his wives, I am
sure your guess is better than mine when it comes to how the emperor
feels, Marquess Winter.”

Chapter 149: Chapter 149

Chapter 149
Poliana became tense, thinking that Lady Rebecca was insulting her.
“Lady Rebecca…”
Rebecca reached out and held Poliana’s hands. The lady’s hands were
soft and warm because of her fever. She said gently, “Sir Poliana, I
didn’t mean to insult you in any way, certainly not regarding your
relationship with his highness. I just meant that his highness values you
greatly.”
“Indeed, I am very lucky, but Lady Rebecca, there is no doubt that his
highness cares more for his lady wives than myself, of course.”
“He can always get more wives, but it would be hard to replace a loyal
knight.”
Rebecca gave her a lonely smile as she let go of Poliana’s hands.
Rebecca looked down at her blanket and asked, “Marquess, have you
ever wished you were a man?”
“Never.”
Poliana was asked this question frequently, and every time, her answer
was firm. The fact was, she never even thought of such a thing until
someone asked her and whenever she answered it negatively, people
seemed surprised. And every time, they would ask the same follow-up
question, “Why not? After having a life like hers, why wouldn’t you wish
to be born a man?”
What did people mean when they said, “a life like hers?” The funny thing
was that people asked this question both before and after she became
successful as Lucius the First’s favored knight. Why?
During the war, no one ever asked the soldiers if they wished they were
born a woman, so they didn’t have to risk their lives in a battle. No one
even thought to ask such a question, so why ask her if she wished she
was born a man?
Lady Rebecca explained, “For me, I always imagined what it would be
like to be a man. I have an older brother, so even if I was born a man, I
still wouldn’t have inherited the kingdom, which meant I would’ve done
whatever I was talented at. So, what would I have become? What kind of
skills would I have learned? Would my father, the king, give me lands so
I can have a place to rule on my own? Even as a child, I was often called
a selfish girl, everyone told me I was greedy. They would say, ‘How can
a girl be so greedy? Why would you want to get your own land? Just
look pretty so you can get married well. If you want things, you have to
marry well.’ And so, I became his highness’s wife.”
Poliana touched Rebecca’s forehead and felt her mild fever. She
seemed only slightly warmer than usual, but Rebecca must’ve been
sicker than she looked. Poliana didn’t pay much attention to what the
lady was saying because she assumed Rebecca wasn’t herself.
‘Hmm… Greedy? Lady Rebecca? I never felt that she was like that…’
As the oldest of the three wives, Rebecca was kind and generous.
Poliana remembered what Lucius the First said about his wives.
Unfortunately, the emperor was too busy to spend much time with the
ladies. He actually spent much more time with Poliana, but still, he was
married to these women so he learned a lot about them.
Lucius the First told Poliana that Tory was intelligent, Stra was kind, and
Rebecca was ambitious. A woman and ambition… these two things
weren’t supposed to go together. When Poliana asked him if it was a
good thing, Lucius the First only smiled at her as a reply. Poliana
couldn’t understand how he felt about it, but she didn’t pry.
Greed and ambition. Now, these two things definitely went together.
Rebecca continued, “I became one of the three most important women
in the continent. There could be no other position considered more
powerful than being the emperor’s wife. My life could not be considered
more successful than the way it is right now, right? I was approved by
the most important man in this world. My qualifications, including my
appearance, bloodline, and personality were deemed the best and that is
why I am standing here. I was acknowledged and honored by everyone,
but… I still didn’t like it when I was told to get married because if I was
born a man, I thought I would’ve had a better life.”
Poliana disagreed. Being the second son of a king who lost his kingdom
to Lucius the First… She was certain that being his highness’s wife was
a much better position. Poliana thought to argue, but she decided
against it. Rebecca was clearly not well so she was just talking
nonsense. Poliana touched her forehead again to see if her fever was
getting worse.
Rebecca added, “I was stupid. I was wrong. It turned out that I didn’t
have to be born a man to be able to hold a sword… A woman can do it
too…”
What was the definition of happiness for a woman in this world? What
caused a woman to be called greedy?
Women had more power in the southern regions compared to the north,
but in truth, there wasn’t that much of a difference. No matter where one
lived if she was a woman, a good marriage and having sons was
considered to be the biggest success a woman could achieve in her life.
Because being loved by their husbands was considered their biggest
happiness, some women might feel like their lives have become
meaningless once they became old. As time passed, most men would
lose interest in their wives, who become old women.
A woman could be greedy only about being loved by her husband and
having healthy sons, while a man could be ambitious about so many
more things. A man could dream to unite the continent, to be promoted,
and to become richer. All these things… they weren’t allowed for a
woman. At this moment, the biggest ambition the emperor’s wives could
dream was to have her own son become the next emperor.
Rebecca was considered a successful woman by everyone in the world
so at first, she was very happy. She didn’t get to see her husband very
often and in fact, she had to share him with other women, but this wasn’t
a big deal. She was also born rich, which meant that she never had to
worry about money in her life. It might have been inappropriate to admit
it, but she was satisfied with her husband in bed as well. She was
considered the weakest among the wives in many respects, but she was
ok with this too.
Yes, Greedy Rebecca was happy at first because she knew she
achieved the greatest success a woman could achieve in this world. She
thought her ambition was fulfilled. She smiled happily often about it at
first.
Then one day, when she was chatting with the other wives, Tory said to
Stra, “Marquess Winter has become so powerful lately.”
“Yes, but I still feel sad for her. I mean, she may have all the power in
the world, but it doesn’t change the fact that Marquess is still ugly and
unmarried.”
Tory and Stra didn’t mean any disrespect towards Poliana by this
conversation. They were, as all women in this world would, genuinely
feel sympathetic towards Poliana. Rebecca was listening quietly at the
time when suddenly, she learned the truth about herself.
Lady Rebecca realized that ever since she met Poliana, she has been
envious of Marquess Winter.
The truth was… The wife of the most powerful man in the world was
envious of this ugly spinster knightess in front of her.

Chapter 150: Chapter 150

Chapter 150
A woman wasn’t allowed to hold a sword, this was the rule of their
society. This was how it had always been. Rebecca used to watch the
men with swords enviously, while Poliana made her way in this world
and took the sword in her own hand. Rebecca believed and followed the
rules the society made for her while Poliana never let go of her sword
even at the worst time.
The people and the society, in general, tried to take her sword away
from Poliana, but she fought to keep it. In the end, Poliana succeeded in
becoming accepted as the woman who holds the sword.
When Rebecca saw Poliana, her body vibrated with this realization, she
learned how stupid and nearsighted she has been. What Rebecca had
wasn’t a real success; Poliana was the truly successful one in this world.
Marquess Winter got her own castle, land, title, and favor from the
emperor. Rebecca, on the other hand, was stuck in the lady’s quarters to
have babies. No matter who Poliana married, if at all, her life and
success would not change.
Poliana was truly an independent woman, a woman that could live a life
like a man.
Rebecca once read a novel with a knightess as the main character. She
always thought what Poliana achieved in real life could only happen in a
story but obviously, she was wrong.
Rebecca said to Poliana, “People tell boys that they should have big
ambitions. As children, we are taught that boys have ambitions, and girls
have ribbons. Boys are encouraged to be greedy while girls are forced to
be meek and generous. The only things that the girls can be greedy
about are jewelry, pretty dresses, and a handsome husband. My mistake
was that all my life, I have been greedy about the things I was told I was
allowed to have. Beautiful jewels, expensive dresses, and the most
powerful man on the continent… But the truth is, I could’ve been
greedier. I could’ve and should’ve fought for more. I should’ve at least
tried to get things people told me I wasn’t allowed to have. I should’ve
been braver.”
Poliana began to get a headache. She couldn’t tell what Rebecca was
trying to tell her. Lady Rebecca began telling her about her life story and
now she was talking about greed. Poliana saw that Rebecca was
grabbing onto her blanket hard, which meant that she was distressed.
Poliana was worried about the lady’s throat because she was talking so
much. What if she loses her voice tomorrow?
Poliana said to her, “Lady Rebecca, you are going to hurt your throat. If
you want to tell me something, you can tell me once you’re feeling
better.”
When Poliana tried to stand up to leave, Rebecca grabbed her. The lady
was so weak that Poliana could’ve pushed her hands away, but Poliana
didn’t. Poliana sighed and gently let Rebecca’s hands go as she
explained, “I’m going to get you some water, that’s all. I’m not leaving, so
don’t worry.”
Poliana got her a warm cup of water. Rebecca held it carefully with both
hands and took a sip. Her voice sounded a little better afterward. Poliana
said to her again, “I am not sure what you are trying to tell me, but
perhaps you can tell me after you recover from your cold?”
“If I don’t do it now, I never will get the courage to do it. I need to tell you
this now.”
Rebecca knew what she was about to tell Poliana wasn’t going to work
to her advantage. Poliana was a marquess and the emperor’s favored
guard. Saying something that could make their relationship awkward
was going to work against Rebecca.
But she had to say this because Poliana was a woman, a knight, and a
marquess. This had to be done, so Rebecca continued, “There is an
invisible hurdle in our society that blocks the women from having their
true happiness. Unless we get rid of it, women will always remain
trapped in our cage. The problem is, this hurdle is a harsh one and it is
not forgiving to anyone who tries to jump over it. This is why no one ever
tries to overcome it. They… We… don’t even try because we don’t even
know that it exists. We don’t even realize that it’s a hurdle. We just think
it’s there for our own protection. But you, Marquess… You succeeded in
jumping over this wall. I’ll bet the men around you were confused and
shocked to see you. I’ll bet they tried to destroy you. They would’ve
threatened you to get back behind this ‘wall.’ They probably used
violence against you to try to force you, but Marquess Winter, you clearly
did not back down. You kept going and going until the men had no
choice but to accept you but in the process, you lost your gender.”
“I am a woman.” Poliana frowned, it was the first time she reacted to
Rebecca’s words during her rant. Poliana then explained, “Sorry to
interrupt you, but you got it wrong, Lady Rebecca. I have never forgotten
my gender in my life. Not once. I may have cut my hair short, wear
pants, and carry a sword, but I never considered myself as a woman. I
never even considered to make myself a man.”
“Yes, Marquess, I agree with you. I meant something else.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m saying you aren’t in the same boat as all the other women. You can’t
empathize with us. In fact, you empathize with men much more.”
With a breathless sigh, Rebecca continued, “For example, a retired
soldier would feel more sympathy towards an injured soldier than a
merchant. Marquess, when you heard about what happened to Stra
today, how did you feel? What did you think?”
Nothing. Poliana didn’t feel much. Maybe a little disappointed, but
nothing more than that.
‘Oh.’
Suddenly, Poliana realized what Rebecca was talking about. When she
heard about Stra’s phantom pregnancy, Poliana didn’t think much of it,
and Rebecca saw this. This whole time… This long rant… It was about
Poliana’s lack of sympathy. Rebecca smiled bitterly and asked again,
“What did you think?”
All Poliana felt was just a minor disappointment that the emperor wasn’t
going to have a baby soon. She was also a little annoyed that Stra didn’t
confirm it before letting people know. This news was going to disappoint
a lot of people and it was unnecessary.
Poliana was also surprised that phantom pregnancy really happened in
real life. She was confused about why Stra was crying so much. It wasn’t
like she lost a baby, so why was she so sad? Lady Stra should toughen
up a little.
Of course, Poliana had enough sense not to say these thoughts out
loud. Rebecca said to her, “I can see that you don’t feel sympathy
towards Stra at all. It’s because it’s not like she lost a real baby, right?
Because it was just a phantom pregnancy.”
Bingo.
Poliana rubbed her cheek. She knew herself that she could pull up a
good poker face, but today, it seemed that her thoughts were apparent
on her face. With a sigh, Poliana explained, “The reason why I am not
concerned about it is that all of her highnesses are young and healthy.
Even if, god forbid, Lady Stra cannot have a child, there are still yourself
and Lady Tory who can bear his highness’s heir. That is why I didn’t
react much to Lady Stra’s news.”
“Please… Marquess Poliana… Have you ever considered why a young
healthy woman, who has only been married for a year, be so desperate
that she would imagine herself pregnant?”
“Well…”
“You know the answer. The most important quality we, the emperor’s
wives, have is our bloodline. Our only purpose is to have the emperor’s
children. It makes sense since a woman’s purpose in life is to bear
children. That is how everyone thinks, including the women themselves.
We see each other as tools to have sons. Those who bear sons are
considered successful and lucky. Women are often meaner to other
women, but women are also most understanding of other women. But
Marquess Winter… You think the way the men do about us, don’t you?”

Chapter 151: Chapter 151

Chapter 151
Poliana Winter was a woman. There has never been a moment in her
life when Poliana forgot this fact. She was born a woman, lived her life
as a woman, and would die as a woman. Even if she was wearing pants
like a man, wielded a sword like a man, and cut her hair like a man,
Poliana Winter was a woman. No one could deny this fact because it
was the truth.
She never felt uncomfortable when people talked about this topic. She
never felt awkward when people mentioned how “unwomanly” she was.
Until now…
Even if she was barren… Even if she lost her breasts… These things
could never cause her gender to change. Poliana never doubted this.
She always thought nothing in this world could change the fact that she
was a woman. Whenever someone talked to her about this topic, she
never became speechless. She felt that as long as she was confident,
she was going to be okay. Poliana made sure to punish those who said
to her that she wasn’t a woman, kicking their balls was her specialty.
But now… at this moment… Poliana became speechless. Rebecca
pleaded, “I know I am being rude. I know it’s not my place to ask you
this, but I must. I am not demanding a perfect understanding and
empathy from you, Marquess Winter. All I hope for from you is that you
try to understand just a little bit of Stra’s sadness and desperation. Could
you do that?”
Because Rebecca was a greedy woman, she added, “And! Please think
of all the women who are still stuck behind this hurdle! Please don’t
forget that at one time in your life, you used to also be constrained by
this same wall. I am not asking you to break this wall. I am also not
asking for a way out for myself. To be honest, I would love it if you could
destroy this wall for all women in this world, but that would be unfair. It is
not your job to do this. Besides, it would be meaningless unless each
woman fights for it on her own in some way to get what she wants.”
Rebecca’s voice, which was getting stronger at one point, quieted down
again. The wife of the emperor was begging for Poliana’s empathy and
sympathy. It was such an ironic and strange situation that both women
looked at each other uncomfortably.
Rebecca touched her hair and Poliana filled the lady’s cup with warm
water again for her. Poliana couldn’t sit down on her chair again. She
clenched her teeth, trying to control the overwhelming feeling that was
erupting from deep inside her heart. She didn’t know why, but Poliana
felt like she was about to cry. She walked around the room for a long
time before saying finally, “I am a woman, Lady Rebecca.”
“Yes, Marquess, you are a woman, and you will be the only exception in
this world.”
“I swear, I never tried to ignore or forget the fact that I am a woman… I
also certainly never felt like I was better than other women…”
“I know.”
Poliana was the person responsible for the ladies’ protection while Stra
was one of the ladies being protected. Their relationship was cordial but
still very professional. The emperor’s wives and Poliana were overly
polite to each other, they followed the royal etiquette perfectly. They
were never free to act as they wished since they were never alone. The
extreme politeness, however, came from genuine care.
Poliana was certainly an exception for a woman, but she never
intentionally drew a line between herself and the other women around
her.
However, it seemed that Poliana did and she was just unaware of it. The
truth was… Poliana did put up a wall around herself from the other
women. Subconsciously, she must’ve been thinking that she was
different from the other women. But to be fair, the women, as well as
men around her, saw Poliana as a different being. To them, she was not
a man but not a woman either. This was why it felt so odd that Lady
Rebecca asked her to try to feel empathy towards other women.
Marquess Poliana Winter was special. As long as the kingdom remains
peaceful, there will never be another woman like her. She was, and
always will be, the only one who got accepted as a knightess. There will
never be the second “Sir Poliana.”
It was a perfect mix of misfortune, luck, effort, and chance that brought
her to where she was. For another knightess like her to exist… That
would be a miracle. Poliana had to work like a dog to get to this place,
and she never thought that she should change the world for the better…
To change it so that it would be better and easier for other women…
It was because Poliana herself believed that there was nothing wrong
with the system. She always thought it was just the way it was, that it
was normal for other women to live as they were. Even when Poliana
met Vaxi and Vanessa, who clearly had the talent and desire to become
knights, she never really thought that this world was unfair to them.
It was odd because although she knew the world was unfair to the weak
and unfortunate, Poliana never thought why or how certain people
became weak and unfortunate. Perhaps it was because there was no
need. Although she had a hard life, Poliana was still a noblewoman. She
was born into a wealthy noble family and never had to worry about
money in her life. Poliana had never known poverty and now, she was
on top of the world.
Poliana was selfish and greedy and because she was, she finally gained
enough power that she could live the rest of her life comfortably. Her life
was just beginning and there was a good chance that the next 50 years
of her life was going to be a good easy one.
So, why would she choose to live a hard life? Helping the weak and
unfortunate… she wouldn’t gain anything from it. In fact, she might end
up losing what she gained so far. Poliana never felt afraid to die
whenever she went into a battlefield, but at this moment, she could find
the courage to choose the harder life. Anything that wouldn’t help her life
become better would not help his highness either.
Poliana decided to live her life to serving Lucius the First. This meant
that she couldn’t waste her time on anything else. It wasn’t that Lady
Rebecca asked Poliana to break this hurdle, but Poliana couldn’t help
thinking about the idea. Was it because she felt guilty that she didn’t feel
any sympathy towards Stra when she should have as a fellow woman?
Rebecca said to her, “Marquess, you have always been honest with us.
You have done your best to protect us. You have no idea what that
means to all of the ladies including myself.”
“Lady Rebecca, I…”
“You always put everything into what you do, that is why I am so envious
of you.”
Poliana put her hand on Rebecca’s gently. The lady begged, “I don’t
know if you know, but among the three of us, Lady Stra likes you the
best, Marquess. I guess it bothered me that you didn’t seem to think well
of Stra when she is so fond of you. I… I am not as strong and as
independent as you, Marquess, so… I… I’m sorry. I was just ranting like
a mad woman. And thank you, Marquess, for listening to me. As I
suspected, you are very kind and thoughtful.”
Poliana could feel Rebecca’s hands. They were soft, hot, smooth, and
beautiful. They were very different from Poliana’s. The lives they lived
were so different and it showed on their hands, but there was one thing
that remained the same…
Both their hands were the hands of a woman.

Chapter 152: Chapter 152

Chapter 152
Was it because Rebecca spent too much energy on ranting? After the
conversation with Poliana, Rebecca’s fever became worse. Leaving the
lady’s room after Rebecca fell asleep, Poliana felt tired herself. When
she closed the door behind her, she saw that Frau was in the waiting
area.
“You’re still here?”
“I have been waiting for you, Marquess.”
Normally, a woman would have wondered why a man was waiting for
her, but unfortunately for Frau, Poliana was too tired to think clearly.
When Poliana looked happy to see him, Frau smiled as well expectantly
but to his disappointment, Poliana said to him, “Perfect, Lady Rebecca’s
fever is getting worse, you need to go check on her again.”
“…alright. Take care, Marquess Winter.”
Frau looked obviously disheartened as he said goodbye, but Poliana
didn’t even notice. She left without a word.
The conversation with Lady Rebecca must’ve lasted much longer than
Poliana realized. It was time to go home already and she began to head
towards her office before stopping herself. She was so tired that she
wanted to get to bed right away, but if she stopped by her office, there
was a good chance she might get bothered by one or more of her
guards.
So, she left the castle and went straight home.
No one was home to greet her, but her servants had the fireplace
already going. A warm bath and food were already prepared for her,
although she had no family waiting for her. Her butler delivered the
letters that he received today and left. Poliana took a nice long bath and
began to eat a late dinner. She glanced at the pile of letters and grinned,
noticing that they were from Sir Rabi and Sir Baufallo’s family.
Sir Rabi, Sir Baufallo, Sir Howe, Sir Donau, Vanessa, and Vaxi… It
seemed that their entire family sent her separate letters, making her
smile. After her meal, Poliana got into her bed and began to read the
letters. The first one she opened was from her adopted brother, Donau.
He greeted her and asked how the emperor and the other knights were
doing. He also wrote about the things that were happening in the south.
Then, there was a nice surprise. Apparently, the twins Vaxi and Vanessa
both became pregnant.
“Must be a twin thing? They probably have their monthly bleeding at the
same time.”
The Baufallo and Rabi family members often sent letters but never all at
once like this. It made sense, however, because they had good news
and all of them wanted to share it with Poliana.
Poliana opened the twins’ letters cheerfully as well. It seemed that they
were all living happy lives. It was hard to know the exact situation in the
southern region, but what the twins were saying matched the official
messages. It seemed that the south was maintaining its peace and
stability.
Sirs Rabi and Baufallo’s letters were filled with happiness at becoming
grandfathers. Sir Howe’s letter sounded like he was distracted when he
was writing it, but he still appeared pleased. It was the same for Donau’s
letter as well. There were many exclamation points in his letter.
Vanessa and Vaxi’s letters were the calmest sounding messages. They
talked about the fear and excitement of their pregnancies and becoming
new mothers. They also wrote that it helped that they were pregnant
together.
After reading all the letters, she put them back into the envelopes
carefully. She was too tired, so she planned on writing them back
tomorrow.
‘What kind of gifts should I send them?’
She was a marquess, so she felt like she should send something
special. Anything less than that would not do. Poliana also couldn’t let
her butler pick out the gifts. She needed to get something personal.
Poliana would have to ask around to find out what would be appropriate
in this situation.
Lying down on her bed, Poliana looked up at the ceiling blankly. It was
an amazing piece of news, so she should’ve felt like dancing in ecstasy.
But… she didn’t. Hot tears began to appear in her eyes and before they
became uncontrollable, Poliana covered her eyes with her arm.
Poliana cried, she cried for the children that never existed.
***
Lucius the First remained by Stra’s side, which impressed every woman
in the castle. The married women grumbled at how their husbands didn’t
act like the emperor.
“His highness is so caring and kind.”
“Other husbands would’ve just ignored his wife, saying that it wasn’t like
she lost a real baby.”
Sir Ainno was one of these men. He complained, “It’s not like she was
pregnant for real, so what is the big deal? Why is she still keeping his
highness like that?”
When the emperor heard this, he said to his friend gently, “Don’t say
such a thing, Inno. A phantom pregnancy is when a woman truly
believes that she was pregnant. She had the same symptoms as a
pregnant woman, which means that even though she had to go through
the physical hardship, she didn’t end up with a baby. How disappointing
and sad it must feel…”
“Your highness, I think she is just faking it.”
Lucius the First sighed deeply, making the servants around them
nervous. The emperor looked up at the sky with a serious face and
muttered, “We better do a cleansing ritual.”
Sir Ainno shook his head anxiously. Everyone knew how much Lucius
the First loved superstition, but a cleansing ritual inside the castle?
“Your highness, I wouldn’t mind you getting a charm, but I really don’t
think a ritual is a good idea. You shouldn’t…”
“Inno, you fell off the horse. I fell off the horse too. Then my wife had to
go through a phantom pregnancy. And now that you insulted my wife, a
pregnant woman, you are going to have bad luck for the next three
years, Inno. So we must do the ritual. Oh, I think Sir Pol also looked very
tired recently, so it makes sense.”
The emperor listed all the reasons why they should do the cleansing
ritual. It was true that when Lucius the First saw Poliana that morning,
she was very quiet, which bothered him a lot. Sir Ainno replied, “I never
insulted a pregnant wife, your highness.”
“Stra still hasn’t recovered fully, which means she is pretty much a
pregnant woman. Inno, you need to be nice. You fell off your horse
probably because you are such a mean person.”
Sir Ainno almost yelled out the truth, but he stopped himself just in time.
He never fell off the horse. It never happened but he could not tell
people what really happened.
When he didn’t say anything, Lucius the First grinned, thinking he won
this argument.
The emperor heard the news about Sir Rabi’s twins’ pregnancy. He
would’ve been very happy to hear the news at any other time, but right
now, he felt a little awkward. Lucius the First called the maids and the
servants and ordered them to make sure this news did not reach Lady
Stra.
After taking care of the most pressing paperwork, the emperor set out to
go visit Stra again. Sir Ainno frowned, but he followed him without a
word. On their way, they met Cekel. Lucius the First greeted her kindly,
“Lady Ingreter, do you have a business in the main castle?”
“Good morning, your highness. I am on my way to see my little brother.”
“Oh, I see. So how is Stra today?”
“She is feeling calmer than yesterday.”
“Good. Alright, you may go.”
“Yes, your highness.”
Cekel bowed and walked away quickly. Lucius the First was about to
walk on as well when suddenly, he realized that something felt odd. He
saw that Sir Ainno, who was standing behind him, had an odd
expression. His behavior was also strange when the emperor was
talking to Cekel.
Why?

Chapter 153: Chapter 153

Chapter 153
Sir Ainno was a mean guy who could be rude, but as a nobleman who
grew up in an aristocratic family, his manner was impeccable. Cekel’s
position in the castle was unclear. She did many things a servant did, but
since she was a noblewoman, she technically was a lady’s maid. On top
of that, all of her brothers were the emperor’s knights. Also, Sir Ainno
was Sir Beke’s direct supervisor, which meant that Sir Ainno should’ve
known better than to not greet his guard’s sister properly.
Lucius the First asked, “Inno, do you not know Lady Ingreter?”
Even as he asked, the emperor felt confused. There was no way Sir
Ainno didn’t know who Cekel was. Lucius the First was well aware of
how Sir Ainno barged into many of his unmarried guards’ homes to force
them to drink with him after all of his closest knight friends got married.
The emperor was certain that Sir Ainno visited Sir Beke’s home as well,
which meant he would have been introduced to Cekel at the time.
Sir Ainno’s face became rigid as he answered, “I don’t know that
woman.”
“Didn’t Sir Beke introduce you to her? Well, that won’t do. Now that you
know her, don’t forget to greet her the next time properly, okay? You will
be seeing a lot of her from now on since she works in the lady’s
quarters.”
“I don’t know that horse-like woman.”
Sir Ainno replied calmly, but something wasn’t right. He pretended like
he wasn’t interested. He was looking at the emperor, but he flinched
every time he heard Cekel’s footsteps. The wise emperor immediately
realized what was happening. Lucius the First covered his mouth to hide
his gasp.
This was shocking news.
***
Poliana and Lucius the First loved to gossip, especially when it was
about someone’s love life. It was so rare to find love because most
marriages were arranged for political or financial gain, so this news of Sir
Ainno and Cekel was an exciting development. Poliana and the emperor
didn’t keep many secrets from each other, and whenever one found a
juicy gossip, it was shared without delay. They loved to share their
findings with each other.
After visiting Stra, Lucius the First gave Sir Ainno a break and went to
visit Poliana alone. When Poliana heard the news about Sir Ainno, she
couldn’t believe her ears.
‘Oh my god!’
Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, “That is crazy! Are you sure it’s
Cekel? Cekel and Sir Ainno? Are you sure, your highness?”
“I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Oh my god.”
Poliana clenched her fists in excitement. She felt a little guilty to admit it,
but Poliana found this topic much more interesting than the news about
Vaxi and Vanessa’s pregnancy.
Sir Ainno and Cekel?! Who would’ve guessed!
“Are you sure? Oh, I’m not doubting you, your highness. I just… Sir
Ainno dating? It just doesn’t make sense…”
“He ignored the lady he obviously knew and pretended he had never met
her before. Inno even insulted her, calling her ‘horse-like’ to me! It is very
unlike him to act this way. Something is going on between them and it
could be a good or bad thing, I just know it.”
‘Horse-like?’
Suddenly, Poliana remembered something that happened recently.
When she became speechless, Lucius the First urged her to share
whatever information she had with him. Quickly, Poliana told him about
the conversation she had with Cekel a while back before Sir Ainno “fell
off the horse.”
Poliana explained, “At the time, I thought there must be a crazy bastard
who roams the castle trying to take advantage of the maids… But now I
am certain it was Sir Ainno. It has to be! I told Cekel to kick the man’s
balls if necessary. So if Sir Ainno tried to do something and Lady Cekel
did as I taught her… It makes perfect sense that Sir Ainno ended up
stuck in his bed for a week.”
It wasn’t such a farfetched story, especially because Sir Ainno called
Cekel “horse-like.” Besides, how could anyone injure their groin by falling
off a horse? Poliana suspected that although he would’ve felt incredible
physical pain, Sir Ainno’s pride would’ve been damaged even more by
Cekel’s kick.
Lucius the First grabbed a wall and laughed uncontrollably.
“He… He said, ‘You are the first person ever to slap my face?’ Are you
serious? Hahaha! Inno did? Hahaha!! Cough cough…”
“Your highness, you are laughing too hard, are you okay?”
“Inno did… Hahaha!!!”
The emperor laughed so hard that he began to cough. When he finally
calmed down, Lucius the First wiped away his tears and complimented
his two favorite knights, “Marquess Winter and Inno… You two give me
such pleasure. I am a very lucky man indeed.”
Poliana wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or an insult, but she didn’t
care. As long as the emperor was happy, she was happy too.
The emperor and the knightess were truly happy for Sir Ainno. They
would never get involved to either help him or stop him, but they would
watch from nearby and pray for him. It was going to be such a fun time
to watch what happens.
Lucius the First found it hilarious that his friend, who always acted like he
was immune to human feelings, fell in love. Poliana agreed and it was
even funnier because Sir Ainno fell for someone like Cekel. Lucius the
First swore to Poliana, “If Inno somehow wins over Lady Ingreter, I will
make sure he can marry her.”
It would’ve been more beneficial for the emperor to have his best knight
Sir Ainno Seki marry for his own political gain, but Lucius the First
promised that he would give his permission should Sir Ainno come to
him to marry Lady Cekel.
“But your highness, there is a chance that perhaps Sir Ainno doesn’t
have an honorable intention. You’re assuming that he wants to marry
her.”
“Pol, you have known Inno long enough. Do you really think he would let
a woman hit him twice without hitting her back?”
Poliana shook her head emphatically. She opened her mouth to show
the emperor her missing molar and explained, “My missing molar and
crooked nose are all thanks to Sir Ainno.”
“Exactly.”
Poliana knew better than anyone what kind of man Sir Ainno was. He
was the type that would not hesitate to fight back and beat up anyone,
both man and woman. So would someone like him let a woman slap him
and kick his balls?
Never, unless he was in love with this said woman. Poliana nodded in
agreement. Either this was true love for him, or Cekel was blackmailing
him somehow.
Lucius the First asked Poliana, “By the way, have you thought of what
you are going to give as a gift to the Baufallo and Rabi families?”
“Not yet, your highness.”
“Sir Donau is missing a front tooth, right? It would be a shame for the
new father-to-be to look so ridiculous. Why don’t you get him a fake ivory
tooth?”
“I would like to get the couples something for the babies.”
“Then I will get Donau the fake tooth as a gift.”
Poliana looked at the emperor sadly. On top of having a terrible sense of
humor, Lucius the First also had very unfortunate gift ideas. The
emperor, on the other hand, looked at Poliana happily. She looked very
displeased this morning, but she looked okay now. She seemed very
focused on finding the perfect gifts, and it made him very happy to see
her feeling better.
‘Love is such a powerful thing.’
Just watching Poliana made him grin, but suddenly, his smile
disappeared. He was free to love whoever he wanted, but didn’t he
decide to give up on Poliana? The only thing he could do for her was to
pray for her happiness. As long as Poliana was happy, Lucius the First
knew he would be alright.

Chapter 154: Chapter 154

Chapter 154
It was usually a woman’s job in most families to pick gifts for family
friends or neighbors. Among commoners, some clothes, fabrics, and
foods were the most common type of gifts. For wealthy nobles, they
often hired a few craftsmen to create a special one-of-a-kind gift for their
friends. Poliana had good gift ideas for men, but for a baby? She didn’t
have a clue.
Poliana knew that high ranking nobles like Sirs Rabi and Baufallo were
going to get amazing gifts. As Marquess Winter, she had to get
something incredible or her reputation was going to be damaged. She
couldn’t send them mediocre gifts.
In addition, one of the fathers-to-be was her adopted brother. She was
also very close to Sir Howe, which meant that their children were going
to be like her nieces and nephews.
‘Oh!’
She was going to be an aunt!
‘I can’t believe it! Me, an aunt?!’
Poliana punched the wall next to her excitedly. Some of the maids who
were standing nearby flinched in shock. Poliana didn’t realize this fact
when she was reading the letters, but now, she felt thrilled at the
prospect.
‘Gyaaa!! Oh my god! Me! I’m going to be an aunt!’
She panted excitedly and thought to herself, ‘I guess this must be why
people have children. They make people happy!’
There were children everywhere on the streets outside the castle.
Poliana felt uncomfortable around children, but she still liked them. She
knew that Vaxi, Vanessa, Donau, and Sir Howe’s children are going to
be very special to her. She had to find great gifts to show that she cared.
Poliana asked anyone she could find about what gifts she should get.
Her guards were useless; they just told her that they will go ask their
mothers. Her colleagues were no help either; they told her they will go
ask their wives. Poliana then grumbled, “Idiots.”
But she was the same, she had no idea what she should get and that
was why she was asking around.
In the end, she went to Lady Tory. Since the emperor decided to pick out
his own gifts himself, Lady Tory wasn’t busy at all. Of the three wives,
Poliana chose to ask Tory for good reasons. First, Stra just experienced
phantom pregnancy so it was obviously a bad idea to ask for her
opinion. Secondly, Poliana felt awkward around Rebecca because of her
rant last night. Thirdly, Poliana believed that since Tory was from Acreia,
she would know the custom and Vaxi and Vanessa’s tastes better.
Lady Tory was honored to be asked by Poliana because she thought
Poliana was acknowledging her as the most influential wife of the
emperor. Poliana didn’t mean this, but she didn’t correct Tory. Whatever
made Lady Tory happy was good enough for Poliana.
Tory was a great help to Poliana. She suggested many ideas Poliana
never even thought of. The first thing Tory recommended was sending
something small right away to congratulate the couples since it would
take a long time to make something custom.
And Tory smiled and said something that excited Poliana, “Also, it could
be twins, right?”
“Twins! Oh, that’s right!”
T. W. I. N. S! Poliana almost screamed out of delight. Tory was right.
Some families had generations of twins. Tory suggested that Poliana
should send ten sets of something that babies could use for both
mothers-to-be. Poliana loved this idea.
Tory explained, “Even if they don’t have twins, babies require many sets
of the same things. And it’s important to send the same things to both of
them so they don’t feel like you are favoring one or the other. This will
mean a lot to the ladies especially.”
“You mean Vaxi and Vanessa?”
“Yes, exactly. There are often huge differences between the gifts that
are sent to the firstborn son and the second-born. Most likely, Sir Howe
will generally get better gifts than Sir Donau. You are closer to the
second-born son of the Ribo family, right? Considering that fact, it makes
sense that you would send something nicer to Sir Donau, but… The
wives of these gentlemen are twins and it will not do to show favoritism.
It will upset the ladies for sure, so it is better to be safe.”
Tory lowered her voice, drawing Poliana closer to the conversation. “And
listen carefully. If they ended up having twin girls, can you imagine how
upsetting that would be for them? So, Marquess Winter, you must send
something that is gender-neutral. Exactly the same ten sets of genderneutral baby
items to both the ladies.”
Twins were generally considered unlucky, especially if it was twin girls.
Poliana was determined, however, that if anyone called her nieces
“unlucky,” she would teach these ignorant people a lesson they would
never forget. She was going to be their aunt, which meant that she
would protect them.
The babies weren’t even born yet but Poliana was already too thrilled.
After writing down all of Lady Tory’s suggestions, Poliana was able to
make an excellent list of gifts. She was satisfied; all she now had to do
now was use her power and money to get these presents ready and
send them down south.
Poliana bowed to Lady Tory. “Thank you so much.”
When Poliana said that she didn’t know how to thank her for her huge
help, Lady Tory smiled shyly and replied, “You are most welcome. I think
it’s very important that we, the northerners, should stick together.”
Tory meant well, but it would’ve been better not to say the last of her
words. This only reminded Poliana of the conversation between Lucius
the First and Master Chail.
‘People from different regions might end up forming their own cliques…
Unification is going to be very tricky…’
The Acreians believed that the center of this whole continent was now
Acreia. They emphasized that the Acreian culture was superior to all
others. If the emperor didn’t forcefully change the capital, Acreia
would’ve stayed the capital of this new kingdom forever.
Because of this, many of the Acreian nobles were still very upset with
Lucius the First. They should have been the emperor’s biggest allies, but
these Acreian nobles were in fact making his highness’ life very difficult.
The emperor’s authority was still unstable because of this, and Lucius
the First made sure this fact remained a secret to the rest of the world.
This was why he didn’t bring the “Emperor’s room” to Yapa. It still
remained in Nanaba castle to show that Acreia was still very important to
him as his homeland. Lucius the First also created a rule that stated that
all royal families must visit Nanaba at least once in their lifetime in an
attempt to appease the Acreian nobles. Unfortunately, this wasn’t
enough; most Acreian aristocrats were still angry about it.
Poliana smiled awkwardly at Tory before leaving the room.
‘This is going to be very complicated…’

Chapter 155: Chapter 155

Chapter 155
After leaving Lady Tory, Poliana went to visit Lady Stra to console her.
The emperor spent all morning with Stra to comfort her, so the lady was
feeling much calmer. Stra seemed very happy to see Poliana, making
Poliana feel guilty. Stra said to her, “His highness is very kind, but you
are really caring too, Marquess.” Poliana knew Stra was implying that
Poliana cared because she was a woman too and understood what Stra
was going through.
‘Gosh! I feel so bad…’
Until her awkward conversation with Rebecca, Poliana actually thought
Stra was being weak and seeking attention. Poliana couldn’t help feeling
horrible. It felt even worse because Poliana realized how awful she had
been. Until now, she had been acting kindly to the ladies as if she was
doing a favor for them. Deep inside, she thought she was better than
them and she thought they should feel thankful for her attention.
‘I am such a terrible person, I’m a hypocrite.’
She was acting like the people she hated the most in the world. Poliana
felt ashamed of herself. She murmured, “I will leave you so you can rest,
Lady Stra.”
“You’re leaving already?”
“You must be tired, so you shouldn’t push yourself.”
Poliana pretended to be worried about Stra’s health and left the room
quickly. She remembered what Rebecca told her. Lady Rebecca said
that Stra liked Poliana the most, and this made her feel even worse.
Stra’s eyes looked red like she had been crying all day yesterday. Guilt
and shame filled Poliana’s heavy heart.
‘Maybe I should go home early.’
Her guards would’ve loved this. The best boss in the world was the one
that left their workers alone. When Poliana returned to her office and got
ready to leave early, his men seemed very thrilled.
Just then, Rebecca visited her. The lady came alone without any of her
entourage, so Poliana quickly walked up to her to support her frail body.
‘Oh why?! Why did she come here? Why doesn’t she just rest in her
room?’
Poliana didn’t feel ready to see Rebecca yet. She had the courage to die
and courage to apologize, but not to talk to her. Poliana looked away,
unsure of what to do.
‘Dammit! I don’t even know what kind of expression I should have on my
face… Dammit! Okay, let’s just look professional.’
Poliana straightened her shoulder to look dependable and said to the
lady, “Lady Rebecca, you should be resting. You are going to hurt
yourself.”
“I wanted to come to apologize to you, Marquess.”
“You couldn’t just send your maid with a message.”
“It is a good manner to apologize to someone in person.”
This wasn’t something they should discuss in public. It wasn’t going to
help anyone to know about their conversation before. Poliana helped
Rebecca so they could move to another place. Rebecca said she was
fine talking to her in her office, but Poliana insisted that they should go to
Rebecca’s quarters.
Poliana held Rebecca’s arm to help, and she could feel that the lady still
had a fever.
‘So she is still not feeling well… So why did she come to see me?’
In fact, Lady Rebecca felt warmer than yesterday. When they walked
into Rebecca’s quarters, the maids ran out with shocked faces. Poliana
looked at her guards, who were supposed to make sure Lady Rebecca
never left her quarter alone. Poliana said to the guards, “I will talk to you
tomorrow.”
The guards looked terrified.
“S-sir Pol! Please!”
“Please, just punish us now.”
“Boss, please! We are so sorry! It won’t happen again!”
The guards cried out fearfully, and the people gathered around out of
curiosity. Her guards were afraid of what kind of punishment they might
get tomorrow, so they begged to be punished immediately. When
Poliana ignored them and left, some of the higher-ranking knights came
by and laughed at the scared guards.
“Hahaha! Oh, man… You guys are going to die tomorrow! You should’ve
done your job!”
“Hahaha!”
“It’s so funny!”
***
When they entered the lady’s reception room, Rebecca dismissed
everyone. She prepared the snacks herself slowly, and as Poliana
watched, she became nervous. Poliana still didn’t know what she should
say or how she should react. She certainly didn’t feel like having tea with
the lady right now. She would’ve rather been with her guards laughing
and joking around.
‘Maybe I should tell her that I don’t want the tea.’
But Poliana knew better than to refuse the lady’s tea. It would be
considered incredibly rude.
However… Poliana was powerful enough that she could get away with
such vulgarity. Power was such a frightening thing because it blurred the
boundaries of what was allowed and what wasn’t. It also made a person
forget the fact that she was becoming someone she never wanted to
become.
‘I hope she doesn’t overdo it…’
Rebecca was still not fully recovered. She was fragile, to begin with, and
she often suffered from mild fever and dizziness. Even the smallest
change in the weather affected her considerably. Lady Rebecca was
from the southern kingdom, which meant she was used to warm and
humid weather. Ever since she moved to Yapa where the weather was
colder, Lady Rebecca often suffered from a cold.
Rebecca placed various sweets and snacks in front of Poliana. They
were from her own homeland and most of them had lovely sweet flavors.
Fried fruits sprinkled with sugar, dried fruit pieces, molasses cookies,
and other delicious snacks… The ladies often gathered in Rebecca’s
reception room because they loved her snacks. Usually, there would’ve
been three or four snacks coming from different places, but today,
Rebecca brought out everything she had. It was clear that she was just
as nervous as Poliana about what was to be said between them.
After she was done setting the table, Rebecca bowed deeply and
apologized, “Marquess, I am very sorry.”
“There is no need for you to apologize…”
“No, I must. I am truly sorry. I remember everything I said to you
yesterday… The crazy rant and complaints… It was unforgivable and
ridiculous. I am surprised that you didn’t just walk out of the room,
Marquess Winter. So I must apologize to you… Yesterday… I…”
It sounded like another long awkward conversation was about to start.
Poliana couldn’t take it, so she interrupted Rebecca coldly.
“Lady Rebecca, there is no need for you to apologize because there is
nothing to forgive. To be honest, I wasn’t really paying attention to what
you were saying yesterday. Please don’t be so stressed about it. It is a
waste of your time and effort. What you need to do now is to have some
rest and get better. Please, don’t even think about yesterday. I will be
leaving now.”

Chapter 156: Chapter 156

Chapter 156
Poliana wasn’t sure why, but she felt embarrassed. It was worse than
when she saw Stra smiling at her, it made her feel guilty.
Poliana was ashamed and angry. Yesterday, Rebecca said something
rude to Poliana, but the worse thing was that most of what she said was
true. Until yesterday, Poliana could confidently say that she wasn’t
ignoring the truth because she didn’t know any better. But when
Rebecca let Poliana know the facts about herself, Poliana chose to
ignore it. She decided to look away from reality because she didn’t want
to be burdened by it.
Poliana hated to admit it, but the truth was… She was running away so
she wouldn’t have to avoid her responsibility.
But before Poliana could leave the reception room, Lady Rebecca
stopped her.
“Marquess Winter, I am really sorry. I never told anyone about how I
really felt because I couldn’t, but yesterday… I felt like I could and I did. I
felt like I needed to! But my feelings are my problems, but yours… I
know that…”
The things she could never tell anyone… Rebecca’s words stopped
Poliana and made her think. What Lady Rebecca told her yesterday was
shocking. No one in this kingdom would dare to tell something like that to
Poliana. In fact, no one in the kingdom would ever think like Lady
Rebecca.
The majority of Poliana’s closest acquaintances were male; her friends,
colleagues, and the emperor, of course. She was politely acquainted
with any different women as well, such as noble ladies, maids, and the
wives of the emperor, but she wasn’t as close to them.
Only those stuck behind the wall could think the way Lady Rebecca did.
Those free from the wall would never understand it. If Poliana walked out
of the room now, Lady Rebecca would never bring up this subject again.
Poliana’s life would return to normal.
Poliana remembered what Rebecca said to her. She said that of all the
emperor’s wives, Stra liked her the most. When Poliana visited her, Stra
smiled so brightly at her. There must’ve been other noble ladies, some
even from her own homeland, who visited her, but Stra seemed to be the
happiest when Poliana visited her. It was probably because Stra
believed that Poliana could understand how she felt. The sadness and
devastation… Stra must’ve believed that Poliana would sympathize with
her.
What Rebecca said to her was a shockingly new concept, but there were
countless new ideas in this world and Poliana was not obligated to listen
to every one of them. It was just one woman’s words.
Just one woman’s thoughts.
But a woman’s thought was the thoughts of a mother. One woman’s
words were the words of a grandmother. Every woman was someone’s
daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother. So why would they say that
mother knows best, yet people shouldn’t listen to women? What a stupid
contradiction.
So, Poliana finally decided that she would listen to everything Rebecca
wanted to say. She would listen to all of it. The words Rebecca couldn’t
say to anyone… The words she ended up blurting out only to Poliana…
‘I will hear her out.’
When Poliana sat down again on the chair, Rebecca finally looked calm.
Rebecca took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. There were
so many feelings she felt right now. Last night after ranting at Poliana,
Rebeca regretted what she did. She couldn’t sleep at all and because of
the fever, she felt confused as well. And most of all… Rebecca hated
herself.
Self-hatred…
This was how the long rant began last night. It was a huge mistake, so
Rebecca kept her mouth closed. When she saw that Poliana was ready
to listen, Rebecca realized that this was what she needed.
Lady Rebecca needed someone who was willing to listen to her.
When Rebecca heard that Stra was pregnant, Rebeca said to her maids,
“What wonderful news.” Rebecca smiled brightly at the time like she was
genuinely happy even though she wasn’t feeling well. Her maids asked
her curiously, “Aren’t you jealous, Lady Rebecca?”
“But this is his highness’s baby we are talking about. Of course, we
should all be happy!”
The maids were impressed at how kind and selfless Rebecca was being
even though her rival wife got pregnant first. Lucius the First was still
young and healthy, but he didn’t have an heir. Stra’s pregnancy was
definitely something that everyone should rejoice.
Pregnancy was something to be celebrated no matter what. A baby
should always be welcomed to this world. Even if the baby was to be
born between her own husband and another woman, she had to
celebrate this event. This was how she was taught. This was what
society expected of her.
The doctors were treating Rebecca, who had a fever, but as soon as
they heard about the news, they left her to go examine Stra. Since it was
about her pregnancy, only a gynecologist was needed to see her, yet
everyone left Rebecca to go see Stra.
Rebecca understood something at that moment, she knew that there
was nothing to be done. The emperor’s heir was always going to be
more important than his wives. A pregnant wife was going to be always
more important than a fragile sickly wife.
It was how this world worked, and Rebecca wasn’t allowed to complain
about small things like this.
Alone in her bed, feeling weak and ill, Rebecca thought to herself that
this was why every woman needed to have children, especially sons.
Daughters were useless. A mother could afford the luxury of enjoying
having a daughter only after she bore a healthy male heir.
And suddenly, Rebecca realized that she was becoming her mother.
She was thinking about the same things as her own mother. Was this
how every daughter grew up to be a mother? Rebecca herself was a
woman, and yet she was thinking that daughters were unnecessary. She
felt a little frightened by her thoughts, but she ignored her feelings.
When Rebecca heard that it was just a phantom pregnancy, she felt sad
for Stra. How desperate Stra must’ve been to imagine herself pregnant?
Rebecca could sympathize with her because she was in the same
situation. The same thing could easily happen to her too and if it did,
Stra would’ve sympathized with Rebecca.
And just as Rebecca felt, Stra would’ve felt relieved that it was only a
phantom pregnancy.
The truth was… Rebecca couldn’t feel a genuine sense of happiness
when she heard Stra was pregnant. And she was immensely relieved
when she found out Stra wasn’t really pregnant. Rebecca hated herself
for feeling this way and it was then when Poliana visited her.
Poliana came to see Rebecca to keep her company, and Rebecca was
jealous of her. Poliana probably was genuinely happy when she heard
Stra’s pregnancy. Poliana also probably didn’t feel an ugly feeling like
relief when she heard it was just a phantom pregnancy. Poliana probably
even went to console Stra with genuine sympathy.
Then, after seeing how Poliana reacted, Rebecca realized the shocking
truth. It was obvious that Poliana didn’t think much of what happened to
Stra. In fact, Poliana clearly thought Stra was overreacting and being too
emotional.
‘But this isn’t right…’
It made sense that Rebecca would have these ugly feelings because
she was not a good person. She hid her true feelings very well while
someone like Stra was a truly kind person. This was why Rebecca
wanted Poliana to sympathize with her.
Feeling frustrated and confused, Rebecca ended up going on and on
yesterday when Poliana visited her. Her thoughts were disorganized and
she wasn’t used to speaking her mind.
A woman was supposed to be an obedient being. Rebecca told Poliana
that she was acting like a man, not a woman, but the truth was… It was
Rebecca who did not see Poliana as a woman.
Poliana thought Rebecca was done talking finally, but she continued,
“So I ended up saying something stupid to you…”

Chapter 157: Chapter 157

Chapter 157
Lady Rebecca continued, “A wall cannot, and should not, be destroyed
by a single person because it will result in everyone inside the wall being
attacked by those that enforced this hurdle. Escaping this wall… It is
something that the individual woman needs to do on her own. It’s
something she needs to earn for herself to make it worth it… to make
her freedom last… So, Marquess Winter, you don’t need to do anything.
It’s okay because just your existence alone is enough. You are the proof
for the rest of us that it can be done. After meeting you, I was able to
begin hoping for more because you showed us that it’s possible. You
showed all of us that a woman can escape this invisible wall. So all you
need to do is exist as a symbol of hope for the rest of us.”
After her long confession, Rebecca became breathless. She already
looked very tired. Poliana touched her teacup quietly, knowing that
although the lady spoke of hope, Rebecca herself could not do anything
for herself. She was the wife of the emperor and as the most important
woman in the kingdom, her highborn status would work as a shackle.
Rebecca was recognized as the ideal woman and that was why she was
chosen to marry Lucius the First. To get what she truly wanted, Rebecca
would have to give up being this “perfect woman.” But if she gave up her
identity, it would mean that she would lose her status as well just like the
cube of sugar that was melting in Poliana’s warm tea.
By following and obeying society’s rules, Lady Rebecca was able to
attain the greatest status a woman could achieve inside the wall. Now,
she was wanting more, no wonder she was called greedy.
Poliana replied, “Lady Rebecca, you should not be telling this to anyone.
This is an extremely dangerous topic.”
“I won’t! I have never told anyone this until now! Not even to my sister or
my own mother… But here I am, telling you all about it, Marquess
Winter.”
Rebecca’s idea could get her into big trouble, especially because she
was the wife of the emperor. What Rebecca wanted was this world to
change, but Lucius the First was trying to maintain his new kingdom
without further disruption. Any more changes and his power and
authority could be in an even bigger jeopardy.
And he will probably die of overwork…
Poliana placed another cube of sugar in her tea using a tong. After the
unification of the continent, it became much easier to buy sweets. This
was one of Poliana’s favorite changes after uniting the kingdoms.
Rebecca once told her that it was very difficult to farm large quantities of
sugar canes. Sweet fruits were much easier to grow and Poliana was
happy to enjoy these delicious crops.
Poliana took a sip of her tea. It was so sweet that it felt sticky. After a
long silence, Poliana said to the lady, “I think it’s my turn to tell you
something I never told anyone before…”
After hearing about Rebecca’s feeling of self-hatred, Poliana
remembered something from her past. It was a memory that was buried
deep inside of her. If she didn’t have this conversation with Rebecca,
Poliana would’ve forgotten about it completely.
It happened soon after Poliana became a 100-leader. Two of her men in
her division raped a prostitute. The woman belonged to a pimp who lived
in the nearby village and had a contract with the Acreian army to provide
the prostitutes to the soldiers.
Lucius the First was very strict in outlawing, plundering, and raping the
women of the conquered villages. However, he did not forbid visiting the
whorehouses. They said that the prostitute wasn’t feeling well that day,
so she was taking a day off. When the soldiers requested her, she
refused. The soldiers wouldn’t take no for an answer and they ended up
raping her.
The soldiers claimed that it wasn’t rape because they paid her afterward.
If nothing else happened, this would’ve been the end of the story and the
incident wouldn’t have even reached Poliana’s ears, but the prostitute
became sick and ended up passing away, which was why the matter
was brought up to Poliana. The pimp visited the Acreian army and
demanded payment for his loss of “property.”
The pimp claimed that since his prostitute died, it was considered
murder. The soldiers, on the other hand, continued to claim innocence,
saying all they did was got what they paid for. Murdering a prostitute was
illegal; it was considered almost as bad of a crime as murdering a
regular citizen.
This incident became a very hot topic in her division. All the men claimed
that the soldiers were completely innocent.
When Poliana first heard it, she didn’t think much of it. What was the big
deal about a prostitute dying? The world wasn’t going to change
because of it.
But she did think the two soldiers were at fault to some extent. If
someone stole a product from a shopkeeper by force, it would be
considered theft even if the shopkeeper was paid afterward. So, Poliana
saw this incidence as a simple rape since even the men admitted that
they took her by force. The fact that the prostitute ended up dying,
however, was an unfortunate event, but not the soldiers’ fault.
When Poliana announced her verdict, the pimp seemed satisfied. He did
not get what he demanded, but he was thankful that Poliana at least
acknowledged the incident as rape.
Her men, however, were upset and even angry. They claimed that
Poliana came up with this ruling only because she was a woman and
she was taking the dead woman’s side.
‘Those f*cking bastards…’
Poliana had no sympathy or interest in the dead prostitute, and she
thought she made an objective and fair ruling, so when she heard her
men complain, she couldn’t believe her ears. Poliana was used to being
hated for being a woman, but was this really necessary? It didn’t make
any sense.
Poliana definitely did not take the dead prostitute’s side. In fact, she was
initially sympathetic towards the two soldiers who were punished just
because of a prostitute. Why did the prostitute die of something as trivial
as being raped? She was only a prostitute, which meant that it was her
job to pleasure men. Poliana thought she came up with a fair decision,
but in the end, she was again blamed for everything.
Just because she was a woman, the men took away her right to rule
fairly. The men didn’t care how Poliana came up with her decision. All
they focused on was the fact that she was a woman. The soldiers
claimed that Poliana took the dead prostitute’s side because she was a
woman too. They called her names and alleged that Poliana ruined the
two young soldiers’ lives.
Poliana meant to rule fairly, and she thought that she was in a perfect
position to do so because she was a woman, but the men felt differently
about it. When the matter became an even bigger deal, creating an
obvious discontent among the soldiers, the story reached the ears of
Sirs Rabi and Baufallo.

Chapter 158: Chapter 158

Chapter 158
Both Sir Rabi and Sir Baufallo were appalled. They overruled Poliana’s
verdict and charged the men for the murder of the prostitute. They were
punished accordingly, and even though the new sentence was much
harsher, none of the soldiers on the base complained. They didn’t say a
peep about it, making Poliana feel angry and unhappy.
Was Poliana supposed to sympathize with the dead prostitute just
because they were both women? Whatever ruling Poliana came up with,
she knew the men would’ve been unhappy with it and criticized her. Did
this mean that she should’ve pitied the prostitute and rule in her favor?
Later, when Poliana could think more clearly, she decided to be more
honest with herself. The decision she made at the time… It wasn’t fair or
an objective one. She came up with the ruling because she was afraid
and she didn’t feel confident in herself. She feared how the men would
react.
If the same thing happened now, she wouldn’t have hesitated to punish
the soldiers for murder. She was different now, and Poliana tried to
forget how cowardly she was before. In most days, she succeeded, but
there were odd times when she remembered that moment.
Poliana never told this story to anyone before. It was partly because she
forgot and partly because she didn’t feel the need to share her shame
with other people. Poliana knew… She just knew that if she brought up
this story, the people would just say, “It’s because you are a woman and
therefore soft and weak.”
“This is the first time I am telling this to anyone, Lady Rebecca.”
Poliana drank her tea. When she was done, she saw an un-melted sugar
at the bottom of the cup. She drank it all and her tongue enjoyed its
sweetness.
Poliana continued, “Lady Rebecca, you told me that I see the world as
men do, but I must disagree. I think… I think I see the world through the
eyes of a soldier, a knight. You may say that all soldiers and knights are
men, so what’s the difference… but to me, there is a difference. I am
different, which means I see and interpret the world differently. I, of
course, miss things, choose to not see things I don’t want to see and
interpret things in a way that is advantageous to me. I am a human, after
all. Lady Rebecca, you said that being born a woman is an unfortunate
incident. You said that women are weaker and the world isn’t fair to
them, but the truth is… The strong in this world also don’t have it all
good. It’s the same for men too. For example, men are pressured to like
drinking and dirty jokes. If a man shows great love for his family and his
wife, the other men would say that he is too girly and emotional. A man
gets teased for crying too. You know all of these, right? I am not trying to
take the men’s side, not at all! I just don’t know why it is necessary at all
to have different ‘sides.’ Why does it have to be men against women?
We shouldn’t be enemies, we aren’t enemies. Women cannot survive
without men, but it is the same for men too. How do you think they will
feel if we tell the men that they will have to live without women? They will
scream in fear and shock. I am not telling you this because I gave up on
being a woman and because I think like a man. I like to think that I am
acting like a knight. Like a human, I am living as I am, a woman with
power.”
Poliana wasn’t going to pity the other women, but she was going to try to
understand them. Poliana had lived for over thirty years, but there were
still so many things she didn’t know. Perhaps this side of the world
wasn’t something she needed to know. It wouldn’t help her at all to learn
about the other women. Maybe the best thing for her was to continue
ignoring the problem.
It would certainly be easier. Her life could go back to normal. She
wouldn’t have to feel these new uncomfortable emotions, and there
wouldn’t be nights like last night when she cried herself to sleep.
But… It was too late. She heard about it already so now, she knew. And
Poliana wasn’t going to run away now. In a determined voice, partly to
convince herself as well, Poliana said to Rebecca, “So from now on,
please tell me all of it. All the things you can’t tell others… Please tell
me.”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t care if you tell me things that are ridiculous. If you ever have
things you want to tell me, please don’t hesitate.”
Poliana felt hurt that day when Rebecca ranted at her. But the fact was,
it changed Poliana. It made Poliana learn a lot about herself.
Lucius the First was busy being the emperor of the entire continent. Sir
Ainno was busy leading the kingdom’s very first knight’s order, he was
also distracted by his new love interest. Sir Donau and Sir Howe were
newly married and were about to become fathers. Sir Bentier became
the new chancellor and Sir Wook was promoted as well.
And now… What Rebecca told her was going to change Poliana’s world.
She wasn’t sure if it was going to be for good or for bad. The only thing
she knew without a doubt was that Poliana now saw things differently,
and this was definitely a great thing for someone who leads a large
group. She might choose not to act on what she learned, but she would
at least learn about it. That was enough for now.
Rebecca shook her head and replied, “Oh… No… Please… Don’t
forgive me so easily.”
“When did I say I was going to forgive you?”
“But you are forgiving me right now.”
Did Lady Rebecca plan this whole thing, she coming to her to apologize
in person even though she was still ill?
Whatever, It didn’t matter. For some reason, Poliana liked Rebecca. She
found the lady very interesting. Even though Rebecca showed her the
weakest and most hateful side of her, Poliana liked her even more now.
Poliana said to her, “I don’t tell anyone anything, so can you promise me
to tell me everything?”
“Pardon?”
Suddenly Rebecca wondered if Poliana had a horrible habit of listening
to people’s confessions about themselves. Poliana continued, “But you
must do the same for me. You must promise to listen to what I want to
say. I am going to tell you things that I could never tell anyone else. Do
you have any idea about the things I have been keeping to myself all
these years?”
Poliana met so many men in her life who treated her poorly and unfairly.
There were things she kept to herself because Poliana feared that the
people would hate her or laugh at her.
The things she couldn’t tell anyone… How she really felt… There was no
way she could tell these things to other soldiers or knights.
Poliana never fought alongside Rebecca, but somehow, a new
friendship was forming between them. It was different from what she
shared with Lucius the First, Donau, Vaxi, or Vanessa.
‘I guess there is quite an age gap between us, but who cares?’
Poliana offered her hand to Rebecca. Women didn’t shake hands, so
Rebecca seemed uncertain but hesitantly, she took Poliana’s hand.
They shook hands and Rebecca laughed quietly.
And this was how the wife of the emperor and the knightess became
friends.

Chapter 159: Story 15. The Cleansing Ritual- Chapter

159
Story 15. The Cleansing Ritual
Chapter 159
What was the cleansing ritual? It was a superstitious event that was
carried out to destroy the evils and bad luck. Different regions had
different ways of doing it, but all of them had one thing in common; it
required items that were hard to acquire.
The rituals usually involved alcohol, salt, and oil. In some poorer regions,
people substituted these items with animal blood or grains. Northerners
were notorious for being superstitious and the Acreian men were the
worst of them. There were many rituals in Acreia and the most popular
one was the ceremony that took place before hunting. It was a common
practice for the hunters to empty their bladders before entering the
forest. In Acreia, an unmarried man’s urine was considered the best
thing to protect oneself from an evil spirit.
When people heard that Lucius the First wanted to do a cleansing ritual,
everyone rejected the idea.
“No, you mustn’t, your highness.”
Lucius the First glared at them. Everyone must’ve believed that he
meant to use the urine of the unmarried men for this ritual. How could
they think he would do something like that? He admitted he was
superstitious, but he would never do something so putrid.
“In Acreia, it was easy to clean it up afterward since the urine would just
freeze. We are in Yapa, so how could you think I would do something
like that?”
But everyone, especially his servants, knew him very well. Master Chail
tried to make the emperor feel better, but Lucius the First was upset and
annoyed.
“I may like these superstitious rituals, but you people really thought I
would do something so disgusting? How dare you!” The emperor
muttered. It took a very long time for him to stop grumbling. That’s when
he looked around and announced, “I’m going to use alcohol.”
To pour expensive alcohol around the castle walls? The servants, of
course, knew that this was one way to do the ritual, but they all thought
that the emperor would choose urine instead because he loved to drink
and wouldn’t want to waste good wine. What they didn’t know was that
the emperor cared much more about good cleansing rituals than good
drinks.
The story of Lucius the First falling off his horse could’ve been a lovely
story if the people cared about the full story. He fell because he was so
surprised and happy about the news that Stra was pregnant. But in the
end, it turned out that she wasn’t really pregnant and the only thing
people now remembered was just the fact that Lucius the First fell off his
horse. The story of how Sir Ainno also fell off his horse became famous
too.
When people heard that the emperor was planning a cleansing ritual,
different rumors began. Many believed that the ghosts of the Bikpa
nobles and the Bikpa princess who were hung upside down on the wall
were haunting the place. Some even thought that Lady Stra had a
miscarriage from the shock of seeing the ghost of the Bikpa princess. No
matter how many times the officials stated that it was a phantom
pregnancy, the people didn’t care, they preferred the shocking story over
the truth.
This meant that the emperor needed to remain calm and objective. It
would fuel people’s fear if Lucius the First carried out the cleansing ritual,
but the emperor refused to listen to some of his councilors. Those from
Acreia were actually in agreement with the emperor, so in the end, it was
decided that the ritual will take place soon.
Lucius the First prepared for it with excitement. He got some cheap but
strong alcohol for the event because he didn’t want to waste expensive
wines. When some even more superstitious councilors protested that the
ritual wouldn’t be as effective if they used cheap items, the emperor
replied, “It’s your heart that counts, not the price of the alcohol.”
The next thing they decided on was the person who was going to pour
the alcohol around the inside and outside of the castle walls. The rule
was simple. The best candidate would be an unmarried virgin male, but
such a man was very hard to come by. Only very young boys would
qualify, so the emperor decided on finding unmarried men who have a
good personality, talent, and came from a good family.
“If I wasn’t married, I would do it myself…”
“Your highness, please… You mustn’t…”
Master Chail shook his head in horror. In the end, several acceptable
men were chosen including Sir Ainno to carry out this ritual. Sir Ainno
was almost in his mid 30’s and it was very rare to find a firstborn
nobleman of his age who was still unmarried. Sir Ainno grabbed the jar
full of alcohol with his usual displeased expression. He was the only one
in his 30’s. The rest were in their late teens to mid-twenties, making Sir
Ainno stand out.
Poliana murmured, “If it was me, I would die of embarrassment.” Her
words were cruel, and as soon as she said it, Poliana looked around
nervously, worried that someone might have heard her. Thankfully, only
Rebecca and Cekel were present.
Since Lady Rebecca was her friend and Cekel hated Sir Ainno, it was
ok. Poliana sighed in relief. Looking at Cekel, Poliana shook her head.
The emperor swore he would let Sir Ainno marry anyone he wanted if
the lady agreed, but it seemed that things were not going well for him
regarding Cekel.
Poliana knew this because Cekel sometimes asked her obvious
questions. For example, one day, Cekel asked Poliana how to attack a
man who tried to get close to her. Based on her observation, Poliana
guessed that Cekel already kicked and slapped Sir Ainno a few times
already. She was also sure that Cekel kicked his crotch a few times as
well.
At this point, Poliana could think of only one last option, and it was a
shocking and cruel one.
“Lady Cekel, I have one last move, but it should be your last resort. If
you are willing to lose your reputation as a lady to get rid of this man,
then you can use this.”
“Yes, Marquess. He is a persistent one, and I need to get rid of him.
What should I do? Please tell me.”
“Okay, here is what you do. You grab his groin and laugh at him. You
then tell him, ‘Too small for me.’ Got it?”
This tactic was to be used only as of the last resort when all else failed.
Poliana had rarely recommended this skill. It was emotionally easier to
kick a man’s crotch because legs weren’t as sensitive as hands.
Grabbing someone’s balls was an awkward thing to do. It required
determination and courage. To be most effective, one had to grab them
long enough to make a point. There was also a risk of being attacked
afterward.
Although Poliana taught her this skill, she didn’t think Cekel would
actually go ahead with it. But to her surprise, it seemed that Lady Cekel
did carry it out. Unfortunately, her expression showed that things didn’t
go very well. Unable to overcome her curiosity, Poliana asked, “So… Did
you do it? What happened?”

Chapter 160: Chapter 160

Chapter 160
Cekel stared at her hand and whispered, “His… It was big.”
‘Ahh…. So he’s big.’
Cekel had two older brothers and one younger brother, which meant that
she was familiar with the average size of a manhood. In Acreia, saunas
were especially popular and men, after spending some time in the
outdoor sauna, often returned home naked. Cekel had seen her brothers
naked often enough that she knew what to expect.
If Cekel thought Sir Ainno had a generous manhood, it most likely meant
that he indeed had an above-average sized penis. And if he did… This
move wouldn’t have worked. It would’ve been difficult to laugh at him
after touching him, and even if she did, he would’ve known she was
faking it.
When her last resort didn’t work, Cekel focused on avoiding Sir Ainno.
She didn’t even return home most of the time. Instead, she ate and slept
inside the lady’s quarters. This was a good idea because since Sir Ainno
was Sir Beke and Deke’s superior, he could visit their home often if he
wished.
At this point, Poliana wondered if Sir Ainno was truly interested in Cekel
in an honorable way. Lady Cekel didn’t think so and she felt certain
about it.
Cekel explained that when they first met, it was very awkward. But when
they were left alone, Sir Ainno kissed her. Ever since that day, whenever
he got a chance, Sir Ainno made advances on her. He would hug her or
push her against a wall so he could trap her with his body. He did many
things that could compromise her reputation, yet Sir Ainno never publicly
declared his interest in her and asked to court her.
Cekel could think of only one reason why he would act this way.
‘He has no interest in marrying me, he just wants to get me into his bed.’
Cekel was a spinster who swore to never marry. She was also a sister of
his men, which meant that he outranked her entire family. Cekel believed
that Sir Ainno was trying to take advantage of her.
Cekel had no intention of becoming his plaything. She spent most of her
spare time with the other maids and made sure to avoid Sir Ainno as
much as possible. The only one who knew what was going on between
the two was Poliana. Cekel suspected that Poliana knew the identity of
this “persistent bastard,” but she never once said his name out loud. She
never planned to confirm his identity to Poliana unless it became
absolutely necessary.
It was entertaining for Poliana to watch Sir Ainno struggle. It was clear
he had never courted anyone before, and Poliana had no intention of
helping him. Even if he was genuinely in love with Cekel with an
honorable intention, it was still very wrong of him to try to force his
affection on her.
Besides, if he was sincere, he should’ve publicly made a marriage offer
to her.
‘He should try reading a romance novel or two to learn how to do this
right.’
Sir Ainno spent his entire life serving and protecting the emperor, which
made him an idiot when it comes to love. Was his love so true that his
head wasn’t working well? Was that why he wasn’t thinking and acting
clearly? Or was he so entitled that he thought he could do whatever he
wanted?
In the aristocratic society, there were two options for a man and a
woman to date. They either could date each other after marriage or after
an official engagement. Sir Ainno wasn’t a young man of twenty with hot
blood; he was a mature man who should have known better. So why
was he acting like an idiot?
All he had to do was to offer to marry her. This way, Cekel would know
Sir Ainno really cared for her, and Sir Ainno would get to marry the
woman he loved.
After the preparation was completed, the emperor signaled the chosen
men to begin. The young men carried the large jars of alcohol on their
back and using a wooden ladle, they splashed the liquor on the castle
walls. They had to do this on every inch of the wall by the end of today,
so it was going to be hard.
The men finished before the sunset. When they returned, the emperor
praised their hard work and offered each of them a cup of wine. It wasn’t
the cheap stuff they splashed on the wall; he brought out the best wine
for them.
The first one to accept the drink was Sir Ainno. He emptied the cup
quickly as the emperor said to him, “You will have a very lucky year, Sir
Ainno.”
“All of my luck belongs to you, your highness. I pray that you and the
kingdom will have a successful year.”
That was the end of the cleansing ritual. Lucius the First wished
everyone good luck and good health, and the feast began. People drank
late into the night and wished for a good year for the emperor and the
kingdom.
The one who received the most attention at the feast was Lady Tory.
Although the whole continent was united, no one forgot the fact that
Lucius the First came from Acreia. Accordingly, the night’s feast was
prepared in Acreian style.
The servants wanted Tory to take the lead as the head of the ladies
because she knew the Acreian culture better than the other wives. Tory
was, in fact, an excellent hostess. She was trained by the best thanks to
Marquis Seeze, who groomed her to become the next empress.
Everyone believed that Lady Tory was going to become the empress as
soon as she became pregnant. It didn’t matter if she had a boy or a girl
as long as she was pregnant with the emperor’s child.
Stra and Rebecca aided Tory efficiently. There was no power struggle
between the wives as expected by many.
There were many people attending the feast. Since it wasn’t an official
banquet, there was no formal invitation; anyone who wanted to attend it
could walk in and join them. As the unofficial mistress of the castle, Tory
was supposed to oversee everything and greet everyone, but there was
only one of her. Thankfully, Rebecca and Stra shared the responsibility
and took care of different sections of the feast for Tory. This meant that
Poliana had to walk around constantly to make sure all the ladies were
safe.
“Marquess, there is no need for you to be on your feet all night. You can
sit down and rest, we’re all fine.”
“This is my job.”
Poliana walked around the area and returned to where Tory was sitting.
Lady Tory was entertaining a large table, which was filled with mostly the
important noblemen from Acreia.
There was no planned seating arrangement, but the people ended up
sitting with the others they were familiar with and comfortable with. There
was a clear division among the tables.
Poliana shook her head. ‘This isn’t good, but I guess it can’t be helped.’
There was no way Lucius the First wasn’t aware of what was happening,
which meant that he was ignoring it purposely. This wasn’t Poliana’s
concern, so she focused on her own job.
She looked around when suddenly, she spotted someone familiar hiding
behind a column, unable to join the Acreian group.
Frau Sneke.
He was clearly from Acreia as well and belonged to a prominent noble
family. He was also a doctor, which was a very respectable job, so there
should’ve been no reason why he could not join the table full of Acreian
nobles. Yet, he was standing and looking at the table hesitantly.
Why?

Chapter 161: Chapter 161

Chapter 161
Frau Sneke.
He looked pathetic and sad as he stood around behind the column. He
looked at the feast longingly. Poliana couldn’t understand why he
seemed hesitant to join the party. She asked Lady Tory, “Do you know
that man?”
“You mean Frau Sneke? Yes, I do. If you have questions about him, I
will answer them for you as best as I can.”
“There must be quite a number of people from the Sneke family here, so
why is he hiding over there? Why isn’t he joining the party?”
If he felt uncomfortable joining strangers, he could just sit with his own
family members. There should’ve been no reason for a man over 30
years old to hide behind a column and look that pitiful. Poliana couldn’t
understand it. In fact, she found it very suspicious. What was he afraid
of?
Tory looked at him sympathetically and replied, “It’s probably because
he’s trying to avoid the members of his family. He was kicked out from
his family.”
Tory explained that the Sneke clan was a family of knights for many
generations. It was also very influential and wealthy, so although the
firstborn was going to inherit the family title, wealth, and land, there was
still plenty left for their other four sons. Poliana thought Frau became a
doctor because his family didn’t provide for him, but obviously, she was
wrong.
Apparently, even as the fifth son, the Sneke family was not stingy when
it came to Frau’s education to become a knight. His four older brothers
all successfully became knights, but Frau failed. Was it because he had
no talent for it or because he didn’t make enough effort? Tory said that
Frau ended up giving up to become a knight. This angered his father,
Baron Sneke who passed away since then, and Frau was kicked out
from his family. To make a living, Frau ended up becoming the royal
doctor, Baron Redikal’s, student.
Being a doctor as a profession was not a bad job. As long as he was
skilled, it shouldn’t be hard for Frau to become the royal doctor. But
compared to a knight or a government official, it was considered an
inferior position.
The world was very much divided by different stations. The kingdom was
ruled by the emperor and the emperor was supported by the noblemen.
There were five levels of nobility and only the firstborn heir could inherit
this title. This meant that the younger children of a noble family were
considered semi-noble. These semi-nobles lived a very similar lifestyle
as the fully legitimate nobles by working for the family.
A younger noble’s son could become a knight, a government official, or a
doctor. Of these three jobs, a doctor was considered the most inferior.
Not all knights were nobles, but all noblemen were automatically given a
status equivalent to a knight. This was why of the three possible
positions, a knight was considered to have the most superior status.
The profession of a doctor was definitely not a common position for the
son of an influential family, even if he was the youngest of the five.
Because Frau gave up on becoming a knight, even though his family did
everything to help him become one, Frau lost respect from everyone
who knew him. He was a decent doctor, but this didn’t matter. People
would have been more understanding if he became a government
official.
In Acreia, Frau’s reputation was ruined permanently.
Tory said to Poliana, “That’s why he is still unmarried.”
“Pardon?”
Poliana was shocked, which was understandable. During the years
when Lucius the First went on his conquest, there was a noticeable
shortage of marriageable men in Acreia. Most noblemen were married
early, so it was strange that Frau was still single. Because most men
Poliana knew were married, she assumed that Frau was married as well.
Tory replied, “Who would give their daughter to such a weak fragile
man? I certainly wouldn’t. I did hear that he was very kind and treats
women well, but still… Technically, he isn’t even really a noble anymore.
In fact, whoever lets their daughter marry Frau would end up becoming
Sneke family’s enemy.”
If he wasn’t kicked out from his family, Frau would’ve been married by
now. Wealthy commoners or low-ranking nobles would’ve offered their
daughters to him gladly. But… Frau had nothing. No family name and no
connections. Tory added sadly, “That’s right. He is over 30 years old and
he is still unmarried. Even the other doctors don’t like him that much, so
that is why he is hiding over there by himself. I think he is a nice guy, so I
feel bad for him.”
Tory wanted to help him find a woman to marry, but she couldn’t. Making
such a suggestion to any family would be considered an insult. Poliana
asked, “Since his father the former Baron Sneke is dead, wouldn’t he go
back to his family?”
“No way. You have no idea how bad it was when he was kicked out.”
Tory lowered her voice to whisper, “Apparently, the deceased baron left
a will that stated that Frau shouldn’t even come to his funeral. It was that
bad.”
‘For a father to not allow his own son to come to his funeral… That’s
cold.’
Poliana immediately understood the situation. She knew that although
her stepmother and Liana hated her, they would’ve invited her to attend
her father’s funeral.
In a way, Frau was trapped in a vicious cycle. His unmarried status
worsened his reputation in his society and his bad reputation prevented
him from getting married.
‘Hmm.’
Poliana felt sorry for him. Just as Tory said, he seemed like a nice guy.
She was especially impressed because when all the doctors went to visit
Rebecca, Frau visited Stra to make sure she was ok. The other doctors
didn’t think much of Stra’s health because she was always sick, but Frau
seemed very caring, he took his job very seriously.
For some reason, Poliana felt closer to him.
As the night deepened, Poliana left her guards to finish up. She left the
Yapa castle to search for something.
‘I wonder if I can find it.’
So much time has passed, so she didn’t feel confident that she would
find it, but Poliana still wanted to try. She rode her horse slowly around
the castle wall. It was dark and she was alone.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if I see a ghost tonight.’
Poliana spent over 10 years in a war, yet she had never seen a ghost
before. She never used to believe in it, but after spending so much time
with the northern men, Poliana thought that perhaps it was possible for
ghosts to exist.
Then suddenly, she saw a shadow moving ahead of her.
“Who’s there?”
“Argghh!”
Poliana recognized his voice. She didn’t have to see his face to know
who it was.
Sir Ainno was urinating against the castle wall and when he spotted
Poliana, he glared at her. Poliana muttered, “There are plenty of
bathrooms in the castle, so why are you peeing here? You’re
disgusting.”
“Marquess, you ruined everything.”
“What are you talking about…? Could it be…?”
Sir Ainno nodded seriously, making Poliana gasp.
“A-are you serious? Man… You really like superstitions, don’t you? So
you really did it.”
“It was his highness’s order.”
Sir Ainno finished up and glared at Poliana again as he continued, “But
now that you found out, it’s not going to work. You ruined everything,
Marquess Winter.”
Apparently, there were two other unmarried men who were ordered to
pee on the outer walls of the castle. Sir Ainno believed that being found
out by Poliana meant that this wasn’t going to work. Poliana was
annoyed but she stopped herself from hitting him, she knew that she
couldn’t win against him.
‘Just ignore him.’
Sir Ainno asked her, “Why aren’t you at the feast?”
“None of your business.”
When Poliana refused to answer, Sir Ainno said to her coldly, “His
highness already visited the Bikpa princess’s grave.”
“…”
Well, that meant that Poliana didn’t have to try to find it. She was
impressed with the emperor again. He was indeed very wise and
organized. Sir Ainno pointed at the wall and said to her, “Just pour the
drink over there. I assumed you got the good stuff so let’s hope it works.”
After she was done, she got on her horse and muttered to him, “By the
way, it’s your fault for being found out by me.”
Sir Ainno laughed and replied, “You like to blame other people, don’t
you?”
“Well, I am powerful enough now that I am allowed to do it, right? Power
is such a great thing. Even you and his highness treat me with more
respect.”
Sir Ainno wondered if Poliana knew that Lucius the First was in love with
her. When Sir Ainno smiled, Poliana said to him, “Well, you know what? I
will give you my love luck this year. I think you will need it much more
than I do.”
Sir Ainno thought about saying that he didn’t need it, but he changed his
mind. Poliana ended up gaining the love of the greatest man in the
kingdom, so she obviously didn’t need this luck. He then replied, “Alright,
why don’t you give me your love luck for next year too then?”
“Fine, fine, take it all.”
‘I hope he gets rejected by Cekel.’
Poliana knew that she didn’t have much luck in love, and she never
would. So, who cares if Sir Ainno took it all? It wasn’t going to work for
him anyway.

Chapter 162: Book 3 – Story 16. Dance with the Flower

Snake – Chapter 162
Book 3
Story 16. Dance with the Flower Snake.
Chapter 162
People would usually assume that once they’ve become successful and
important, they would no longer have any worries in the world. But the
truth was that this wasn’t the case for everyone. There were many who
found their lives boring after they achieved everything they wanted in life.
One good example was Sir Ainno Seki. As the first-born son of Acreia’s
most influential family, Seki, he was the emperor’s close friend and
nicknamed the best knight in the kingdom. Even though this man had
everything, he rarely smiled. It would’ve been acceptable if he simply
didn’t smile, but in fact, he always had an ugly frown on his face. He had
the same expression even in front of the emperor, so people couldn’t
complain.
Another example was Marquess Poliana Winter. She was no longer
being mistreated by everyone, but Poliana still maintained a strict blank
expression on her face. Was it because it became her habit to always
look stern, or did she think it made her look more important? Either way,
Poliana made sure to always look bitter while working. She already had
harsh features, so people believed that Poliana must’ve hated the world.
It was considered a very rare occurrence to see the two knights smiling
kindly as they stood behind the emperor.
Today, Poliana was reading her letter with her usual blank face.
However, anyone who knew her well could see how her eyes sparkled
like a hawk that was eyeing delicious prey. The messenger tensed
anxiously. He knew Marquess Winter wasn’t a cruel person, but there
were occasions when an officer killed the messenger because he did not
like the message he received.
Her butler watched them curiously.
‘Why is she acting like that?’
The letter the messenger brought was from the southern region and it
was a personal one. Usually, Poliana enjoyed reading any letters from
her adopted brother and his family, but today, she looked very serious.
She acted like she was contemplating a battle strategy.
Then suddenly, she laughed. She didn’t care how loud she was being or
how people stared at her. She was at home after all, which meant that
she was the master of the house. The butler couldn’t stop his curiosity.
He whispered to the messenger, “Do you have an idea what was in that
letter?”
The messenger could think of only one thing. Cautiously, he whispered
back to the butler, “Viceroy Bika became a grandfather.”
“Aha!”
The butler nodded at him. Viceroy Bika and Marquess Winter were very
close. Because Viceroy Bika and Count Ribo moved to the south, there
was a great distance between the two families and Poliana, but they
wrote letters to each other frequently and their relationships were closer
than before.
The letter stated that Sir Howe had a son while Sir Donau had a
daughter. The butler now knew why his mistress was laughing so
happily. “Hahahaha!”
Her adopted brother and her close friend were now fathers. Poliana felt
overjoyed and her laugh became louder and louder. The messenger was
impressed at how boisterous the marquess was. It was no wonder she
became the leader of so many young knights. The butler was proud to
see how the messenger looked very impressed by the marquess.
‘That’s right, our mistress is definitely a great woman!’
Poliana continued to laugh and whistle loudly. Sir Howe and Vaxi had a
son while Sir Donau and Vanessa had a girl. The letter stated that both
the mothers and the babies were healthy. The babies were born only a
few days apart, so Poliana could guess how hectic it must’ve been for
the two families.
Poliana wanted to dance around, but she noticed the messenger staring
at her. She coughed and said to him, “Good work. I will have a letter
ready for you by the time you return from Nanaba.”
“Yes, Ma’am! I will see you later, Marquess!”
Poliana said her goodbye. The butler offered a room for the messenger
so he could stay the night to rest before leaving, but the messenger said
that he needed to leave immediately. Viceroy Bika’s parents were
waiting to get the news of their great-grandchildren, so the messenger
felt like he didn’t have any time to waste.
When their son’s family decided to leave Nanaba, The Bika seniors
decided to stay in the old capital. The messenger should’ve delivered the
letter to them first, but Poliana was on his way to Nanaba. So in the end,
Poliana ended up learning about Vaxi and Vanessa’s new babies before
their own grandparents.
***
“Good morning!”
Poliana greeted everyone she met enthusiastically. When she reached
her workplace, she found Rebecca sitting in the garden. She greeted
Poliana pleasantly because she knew why Poliana was feeling so happy.
Yesterday, a different messenger delivered a few letters to the castle so
Rebecca already knew of the news of the Bika and Ribo families’ new
babies.
Everyone was excited to hear the news. The letter was only delivered to
Lucius the First, so the only things Rebecca knew were what the
servants and the maids heard by rumors. Lady Rebecca had many
questions for Poliana.
The first question was, of course, about the health of the mothers and
their babies.
“Are they all ok?”
“Yes. They were worried because these were their first babies, but the
letter said that everything went very smoothly.”
“Thank god.”
It wasn’t uncommon for the births to go wrong. Rebecca was truly glad to
hear that everyone was doing well. She then asked, “And the genders of
the babies?”
“Sir Howe had a son and Sir Donau had a daughter.”
“Oh, how lovely. Congratulations, Poliana.”
Rebecca smiled, and even though it wasn’t her who had these babies,
Poliana shrugged her shoulders shyly. The main conversation topic that
day was, of course, Viceroy Bika’s new grandchildren. They were brand
new babies, but Tory already talked about what kind of education they
should receive while Stra talked about their future marriages. All
Rebecca did was smile as she listened. Poliana was busy letting the
ladies know of what she learned from the letters.
Of course, Poliana didn’t tell them everything that was written in Sir
Donau’s letter. In addition to the facts about the birth, Donau trusted
Poliana enough to reveal how he felt about being a new father. He
couldn’t believe that he had a baby now, but he was very happy. Donau
also talked about how angry he was that people kept telling him that he
shouldn’t worry because his next child should be a boy. Donau didn’t
care that he had a daughter as long as she was healthy but it seemed
that everyone else felt sad for him that he didn’t get a son.
Donau also thanked Poliana for the gifts. She sent ten sets of everything
because she thought that he might have twins. Since he only had once
baby, Donau promised that he will use whatever is left over for his next
baby.
The Bika twins were still recovering, so they couldn’t write Poliana their
own letters.
Since Tory was the one who helped Poliana pick out the gifts, Poliana
thanked the lady.
“Thank you so much for your help.”
“No worries! Like I said before, I am honored that you came to me for
help.”
Tory laughed delicately. Now that they knew the sex of the babies, she
told Poliana that it was going to be easier to pick out their main gifts.
Tory listed the most common gifts Acreians like to give. When she
mentioned the fur coat, Rebecca flinched and said to her, “Umm… There
is no need for something like that in the southern region.”
“But isn’t it cold in the winter even in the south?”
“Not really. We have wet and dry seasons, not summer and winter.”
Poliana remembered how humid it was in the south. She hated how
sticky her body felt, and she felt sorry for her adopted brother and his
family. The Bika and Ribo families used to live in the coldest part of the
continent, and now, they lived in a place that had the hottest weather.
Poliana could imagine how hard it must be for them. Her eyes began to
water a little just thinking about them.
“Marquess, are you ok?”
“Oh, I’m alright. I was just thinking about my new niece and nephew, and
I felt like crying.”
Stra replied with a blush, “I know exactly how you feel. It is a marvelous
feeling to get a new nephew or niece. When I first had mine, I cried
myself too because I was so happy. I am so impressed that you have
such a wonderful relationship with your adopted brother!”
Stra smiled and added, “In the southern region, we like to give silver
crafts rather than fur coats.”
“Hmm… But in Acreia, a fur scarf is a must for a young boy… Don’t you
think silver craft would be too feminine for a baby boy?”
“Oh, what you can do is make a thick silver chain and…”
Rebecca explained the traditional gift for baby boys in the south, and
Tory graciously listened and nodded at her.

Chapter 163: Chapter 163

Chapter 163
The conversation changed to the topic of Stra and her older brother, who
lived in the nearby area. After hearing about how close Poliana and her
adopted brother Donau was, even though he lived very far away, Stra
regretted not being diligent with her letters to her brother.
“I live very close to where my brother lives, yet I haven’t been sending
the letters often to him. I feel ashamed.”
Poliana then replied, “Well, it’s funny how these things work. Sometimes,
you drift apart when you live so close because you think you can see
him any time you want. Yet you actually don’t.”
“Yes… From now on, maybe I should write to him more often…”
‘I feel bad…’
Poliana felt terrible because any letters the emperor’s wives wrote were
examined before being sent out. This was part of Poliana’s job and she
hated it. The letters were written for the ladies’ friends and families,
which meant that these were personal. It was very rude to invade the
ladies’ privacy, but it couldn’t be helped. The other guards thought this
wasn’t a big deal since Poliana was also a woman, but this wasn’t true.
In fact, Poliana felt worse because of it.
Stra smiled pleasantly and innocently. Stra cried a lot, but she also
smiled often too. She asked Poliana, “Was there anything else on Sir
Donau’s letter?”
“No, nothing much. He just asked about any news in Yapa.”
‘It’s too bad there isn’t any good news in Yapa. Well, I guess there is that
crazy development, but…’
There was indeed something new that happened in the Yapa castle, but
this wasn’t something Poliana was free to disclose. Besides, she was
sure that a message about this event was already sent to the south by
now. It meant that Donau probably knew about it already.
‘I wonder if it will be a girl or a boy…’
No one knew yet, of course. Some believed that if the upper portion of
the pregnant woman’s belly was full, it was a son, but this was only a
myth. Even the emperor, who loved superstition, didn’t believe this one.
Besides, her belly wasn’t big enough yet.
Rebecca said to Poliana, “In the south, men often wear bracelets or
anklets too. If you fashion it like this, it should be fine.”
Rebecca rubbed her belly, which was a new habit for her. She was still
in the early stage, so it didn’t show at all. Poliana stared at Rebecca’s
belly expectantly.
Everyone will find out in a few months if there will be a new prince or
princess.
***
When it was confirmed by the doctors that Rebecca was pregnant,
Lucius the First did not fall off his horse this time. The emperor told
everyone over and over again to be careful with his pregnant wife. Lady
Rebecca needed to remain relaxed at all times.
Of course, it was easier said than done.
The emperor loved to tell people over and over again, “I will be a father
very soon.” There was no need for him to announce this to everyone
since everyone already knew, but he did it anyway.
As expected, everyone’s attention turned to Rebecca. The biggest
question people had was why it was Rebecca, out of the three wives,
who got pregnant first. She was the most fragile of them after all.
Of course, Rebecca might have been delicate, but her health wasn’t bad
enough that she couldn’t get pregnant. Rebecca, however, did go
through a very unstable period at the beginning where it looked like she
might have a miscarriage. The doctors recommended that she needed to
rest as much as possible. Once the wife of the emperor became
pregnant, her body was no longer her own. As soon as the doctors
ordered her to rest, she was forced to become bedridden. She was
ordered to stay in bed at all times unless she needed to go to the
washroom.
Stra and Tory visited her regularly. Last week, Rebecca was finally given
permission to get out of her bed from time to time. Poliana visited her
and after confirming that Rebecca was taking a nap, she went to see
Stra and Tory. Her guards reported to her several times a day about how
the ladies were doing, but Poliana liked to visit them to see how they
were for herself.
Tory already visited Rebecca earlier that day. After Poliana told her that
Rebecca was taking a nice nap, Tory nodded at her elegantly. She
looked worried.
“I am glad to hear that Lady Rebecca looked ok today. I really hope she
continues to be healthy.”
Tory sighed quietly and added, “I am very worried about her.”
Tory was the unofficial head of the emperor’s wives. She always looked
so elegant, but today, she ended up showing tears. Poliana consoled her
as best as she could. Rebecca’s pregnancy wasn’t an entirely a good
thing for Tory, so for Tory to be this worried made Poliana feel scared.
She said to Tory, “But the doctors said she’s okay.”
“The baby will continue to grow. Once it becomes too much for her
because of its weight, Lady Rebecca will have to be bedridden again.
She was ok before she got pregnant, but now…”
Tory became dizzy just thinking about her worst-case scenario. Poliana
tried to console her, telling her that it was all going to be ok and that Tory
should try not to think about it. “You need to think positively, Lady Tory.
The doctors are doing their best and Lady Rebecca is getting better
slowly, so I am sure everything will work out. Please try not to worry.”
“Yes, you’re right. I need to think positively.”
Tory gave Poliana a weak smile. The relationship between Tory and
Rebecca was an awkward one. If Tory looked too worried, people would
talk. They would think that she had ill wishes towards Rebecca, so Tory
had to make sure she didn’t show her concerns too much.
Poliana tactfully changed the subject. She thanked Tory again for
helping her pick out gifts for the new babies. Tory shook her head and
replied, “Oh, you’re welcome. Besides, it was my honor to help you.
Please let me know anytime if you need some help.”
“Oh, then I don’t mind if I do! I would love to hear your suggestion about
what the next set of gifts should be.”
Tory smiled brightly and her maids clapped in excitement.
“Oh, it’s so nice to see how close you are, Lady Tory and Poliana!”
Tory listed her gift ideas and Poliana wrote them down. Before the
babies were born, it was hard to pick the gifts because they didn’t know
the gender of the babies, but now that they knew, it was going to be
easier. Tory gave specific ideas and Rebecca helped them as well.
Poliana was happy to see that her list was long.
Tory offered, “For a boy, a toy bow and arrow would be a good idea. If
he starts playing with it when he is young, it will help strengthen his
arms. For a girl, how about an embroidery book? It usually is very
colorful, so most kids love it. Different materials are used for embroidery
in the north and southern regions, so I think you should get an
embroidery book from the southern region to send.”
This time, Tory did not suggest sending many sets of the items, but
Poliana thought of Vanessa and Sir Donau. Poliana knew that Donau
would get upset if his daughter didn’t receive the same toy bow. He
would insist that his daughter could play with the bow just as well as any
boys.
Poliana decided to purchase two sets of each gift so she can send them
to both babies. She could certainly afford it.
Tory added, “Oh, and it would be nice for you to send some gifts to the
new mothers too.”
“Of course!”
Poliana grinned eagerly. She completely agreed because after all, it was
the mothers who had to go through the birth of their babies. Poliana
already sent medicinal herbs that were recommended for the new
mothers, but she didn’t send any gifts yet. Tory advised her that Poliana
should put more effort into picking out the gifts for Vanessa than Vaxi.
“Because Vanessa probably feels disappointed that she had a
daughter.”
It was most likely that because she married the second son, Vanessa
was probably getting lesser gifts than her twin sister. Tory told Poliana of
the stories she heard before about the new mothers who were treated
poorly because she had a daughter instead of the coveted son.
Tory whispered to Poliana, “Can you imagine risking your life by giving
birth and your husband looks so disappointed because you had a
daughter? What a nightmare that would be… It would feel so awful.”
Tory didn’t have any children yet, so the stories she knew were probably
from her mother, sister, grandmother, or friends. Luckily for Vanessa,
Poliana knew Donau very well, which meant he would never be
disappointed just because he had a daughter. Poliana could imagine
Donau holding his wife’s hand and crying as he thanked her for their
beautiful new daughter. Both Sir Howe and Donau were taught very well
by Sir Baufallo. They were kind young men, so Poliana was certain that
they would treat their wives with respect and affection.
‘But I guess Vanessa’s mother-in-law might have said something nasty
to her.’
Poliana could see Lady Ribo saying something pointed, but thankfully,
the Bika family was much wealthier and higher-ranked than the Ribo
family. Even if Lady Ribo was disappointed with a new granddaughter,
she would’ve never said anything too bad to Vanessa. This was
specifically why Sir Rabi wanted his daughters to marry Sir Howe and Sir
Donau.
Poliana couldn’t even imagine how horrible it would feel to be criticized
for having a daughter.

Chapter 164: Chapter 164

Chapter 164
Before going home after work, Poliana visited Rebecca one more time.
She found Lady Rebecca awake and having her dinner. She asked
Poliana to join her, which surprised Poliana. Poliana would have gladly
accepted the invitation but unfortunately, she already had plans for the
night.
“I’m sorry, Lady Rebecca, but unfortunately, I already have a plan for
tonight.”
Lady Cekel, who was standing nearby, stepped forward politely and
offered to Poliana, “Marquess Winter, it’s ok if we push our dinner plan
for another day. I can invite you again in the future. Please don’t worry
about me and enjoy your dinner with Lady Rebecca.”
Poliana was supposed to have dinner at Cekel’s house tonight. With a
frown, Poliana replied awkwardly, “But of course I can’t, Lady Cekel.
How could I cancel our dinner plan like this on such a short notice? I am
sure you had the cook ready a wonderful meal for tonight…”
It was rude to cancel last-minute like this, and if Poliana didn’t go tonight,
it was going to hurt Cekel’s pride. In addition, although it was Cekel who
invited Poliana to dinner, it was Cekel’s father, Viscount Ingreter, who
allowed it. If Poliana didn’t go, it would mean she was being disrespectful
towards the viscount too. Poliana currently had a good relationship with
Viscount Ingreter as well as his three sons, and she wanted to continue
this friendship. If Lady Rebecca asked Poliana to join her for dinner a
few days ago, Poliana would’ve been able to cancel this dinner without
upsetting anyone.
Lady Rebecca, who didn’t do anything wrong but felt guilty as she
watched the two woman’s conversation in horror, said to Poliana hastily,
“Oh, forget what I just said. Please go ahead, Poliana. I wouldn’t want
you to cancel your plan like that.”
Cekel replied, “It’s really alright, Lady Rebecca and Marquess Winter.
The truth is, my brother told me this morning that he has a surprise lastminute
guest for tonight’s dinner. I didn’t know how to tell you, Marquess
Winter, so I have been worrying about this all day. This actually works
out perfectly for me.”
“A last-minute guest? Who?”
“Yes. It’s my brother’s superior, so he couldn’t refuse the request.”
Currently, Viscount Ingreter’s firstborn son and heir, Sir Aeke, belonged
to Sir Jainno’s Third Division. Sir Beke, on the other hand, ended up in
Sir Ainno’s division. Poliana knew that unlike Sir Ainno, his brother Sir
Jainno was a well-mannered knight. Sir Jainno would never insist on
being invited to his guard’s home for dinner like this.
This surprise guest had to be Sir Ainno. Poliana grabbed her forehead in
annoyance while Lady Rebecca looked confused.
Poliana could guess how this happened. Sir Ainno probably heard that
Poliana was invited to dinner by Cekel, so he most likely bullied Sir Beke
to invite him as well. Sir Beke would’ve had no choice but to invite Sir
Ainno. Cekel’s brother didn’t know that Sir Ainno was interested in
Cekel, so he probably thought Sir Ainno was just being his usual difficult
self.
Sir Ainno, an unmarried man of over 30 years old, was well known for
inviting himself to his guards’ homes for no good reason.
Poliana asked, “Are you going home then, Lady Cekel? Will you be
attending this dinner?”
Cekel smiled sneakily and replied, “Of course not. I am a spinster and
therefore an embarrassment to my family. This means that there is no
reason why I should attend a dinner that will include such an important
guest. I will be staying in the castle for the night, Marquess Winter.”
Sir Ainno was not going to be happy about this.
***
The emperor of Acreia, Lucius the First, was again working late tonight.
In fact, it was very likely that he might have to work all night. He wasn’t
allowed the luxury of spending much time with his lovely wives. He had
to be satisfied with just having a glimpse of his beautiful pregnant wife
sleeping.
The woman he loved was too busy nowadays to visit him. His best
friend, Sir Ainno, was too busy pursuing the woman he loved. Sir Ainno
was supposed to have dinner with the emperor tonight, but at the last
minute, Sir Ainno said he was invited to the Ingreter family for dinner.
Lucius the First felt envious.
‘I guess it can’t be helped. He should do whatever he can to get the
woman he wants.’
The emperor sighed deeply. Just because he wasn’t allowed to get the
woman of his dream didn’t mean his friend should lead an unhappy life
too.
‘I wonder what he did to get invited…’
To the emperor’s surprise, he saw Sir Ainno and Cekel together often
nowadays ever since the cleansing ritual. Lucius the First thought he
was supposed to be the lucky one, but it seemed that he was wrong
about it.
Would Sir Ainno really win over Lady Cekel?
But still… How could Sir Ainno abandon his friend for a girl? Didn’t he
know that a man’s friendship was supposed to come before love?
‘Bastard, he’s such a jerk.’
The emperor took a bite of his food unhappily. It was going to be a long
lonely night.
***
There were two reactions when a person of power walked on the street.
People either stepped aside to make a path, or they swarmed this
person. For Marquess Poliana Winter, the first usually happened. There
were odd times when a maid got enough courage to give her a gift, but
most of the days, people moved aside for her. The only ones she
chatted with on the street were either active-duty soldiers or retired
soldiers.
When she was the emperor’s personal guard, she got to know many
high ranking officials and scribes, but these men were rarely seen
nowadays because of their busy works.
Today, Poliana was invited to dinner by one of her guards. Non-military
officials hesitated to invite her, but there were plenty of knights and
soldiers who were eager to get closer to her. It began with one of her
men inviting her, and soon, all of her guards were inviting her for dinner.
There were many men in the Second Division, so it would take her over
two months to visit all of her men’s homes.
Poliana didn’t mind, however, because there was no one waiting for her
at her own home.
Lady Rebecca’s morning sickness and nausea were becoming worse
lately, which meant that the ladies’ late afternoon snack time no longer
occurred. It would have been rude to eat delicious snacks in front of a
woman who could not enjoy them. Lady Rebecca felt guilty, so
sometimes, Lady Stra brought some snacks for the ladies but today, she
didn’t bring any food. Poliana was used to eating lots of snacks after
lunch, so when she didn’t get to eat anything after lunch, she found
herself starving by dinner time.
When her stomach growled loudly, Frau, who was nearby, mustered up
the courage to ask her, “Marquess, if you are hungry, perhaps we could
have dinner together!”
“I have plans for tonight.”
This was the fifth time Frau asked for dinner, and Poliana had to say no
every time. She wondered, ‘I am not sure if he is just a bit slow or really
stupid…’
He looked upset as he murmured, “Oh, I see…”
He walked away sadly, and Poliana didn’t feel good about it. It felt like
she was being a bully to a nice man. She didn’t know when, but she
began to notice that Frau liked to hang around her often.
‘Doesn’t he know that I get invited to dinner all the time? I thought
everyone knew…’
It was a well-known fact that Marquess Winter rarely refused a dinner
invitation, which meant that she had plans almost every night.
‘If he just gives me a date that works for both of us, I would say yes.
Does he not know that?’
All Frau had to do was to ask her when she was available. It seemed
that although Frau was a smart doctor, he didn’t have any common
sense or basic social skills. Poliana saw him as a delicate man, so
seeing him unhappy made her feel guilty.
Was he being like this because he found her difficult? Was it because
she was a marquess?
‘Do I look that hard to talk to?’
But she wasn’t! Not at all! She was very easy to talk to!
What Poliana didn’t know was that any man who fell in love with her
found it very hard to approach her. Lucius the First, Sir Donau, and now
Frau… She was a very dense woman when it came to love and dating.
This was the fifth time Frau invited her for dinner. Poliana felt horrible, so
she promised herself, ‘The next time he asks me, I will just pick a date
for him.’
Poliana exhaled deeply; being a woman of power could be very tiring.
Chapter 165: Chapter 165
Chapter 165
The house Poliana was invited to belong to one of her guards and his
wife. The wife was a widower with a child, which meant that this was her
second marriage. A soldier returning from the war didn’t always insist on
marrying a young pretty girl. There were many men who offered to marry
their fellow soldiers’ spinster sisters or daughters. Sometimes, they also
decided to marry the widower of their fellow soldiers who passed away in
the war. The emperor strongly recommended such marriages.
It was a good dinner. The food itself wasn’t great, but the atmosphere
was pleasant. Poliana could see that this was a happy family. The wife,
although clearly not in love with her new husband, seemed pleased with
him because he showed great respect for her. Her son, who was still
very young, didn’t remember his own father so the young boy obviously
saw his stepfather like his real biological father. As long as this boy didn’t
become too rebellious as he grew up, this family was going to lead a
pleasant life.
Most soldiers and guards of Poliana’s age all had similarly aged children.
It was because they all married around the same time and had children
at the same time as well. High fertility rates were a good thing for a
kingdom, especially after a war. Perhaps the government officials
responsible for planning and maintaining the city’s infrastructures may
not like it, but this didn’t concern Poliana at all. She liked seeing lots of
kids in a family.
The guard’s wife was currently pregnant, and he’s praying for an easy
birth.
“Since I already have a son, I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. I just hope
he or she is born healthy.”
Poliana asked, “Is it ok that your son isn’t actually your real son? He isn’t
your blood.”
“Oh, you’re funny, Boss. Don’t you remember that we, who were part of
the recent war, are all brothers? Our camaraderie and friendship are
stronger than any blood.”
The soldiers did often say that their best of friends were the ones they
made during a war.
Poliana felt proud of her guard. She took a sip of her wine and grinned
as he joked, “If it’s a boy, I hope you will consider him as your potential
heir!”
The emperor’s favored knight, Marquess Winter, was single without her
own heir. Whenever someone nagged her about needing to get married
and have her children, Poliana always replied, “I can just adopt
someone. If I find a boy who isn’t the firstborn and has good talents, I will
appoint him as my heir.”
She was half-joking, but she’s half-serious as well. Poliana grinned and
joked back, “I won’t take in just any boy. There are at least twenty
parents who are dying to get me to adopt their sons. At this rate, I am
going to have to create a test so I could take my pick fairly.”
“Oh, that sounds fun. It could be called ‘Marquess Winter’s Heir
Selection Contest.'”
“I don’t like the sound of it.”
“No, it will be so fun. You should really consider it, Boss.”
“Hmm… Maybe, but I really mean it when I say I am not going to take in
just any random boy.”
“Of course, Marquess.”
A position of a marquis; it was an amazing opportunity. Even if for some
reason Poliana was demoted, she was still going to remain a very high
ranking noble. It was also a well-known fact that she was incredibly rich.
On top of various pieces of land, she also had a mine and a port. It made
a perfect sense that she should adopt the best boy possible as her heir.
‘I can’t give my name to just anyone. After all, it was given to me by the
emperor.’
The heir to Marquess Winter was going to create and lead the Winter
family after her death. She had to be very picky, so she would select the
best person for the job. The guard then asked, “Boss, are you really
serious about not getting married at all?”
“Well, there are rare times when I do want to get married, but I think
what I need is a wife, not a marriage.”
“A-ha! Of course! So that means that you want a man who isn’t really a
real man, huh? Someone who would be happy to have you wear the
pants in your marriage? Then you will never be able to get married.
What man would want to give up being a man?”
Poliana was a guest in this house and the guard’s wife was present. She
didn’t want to embarrass the guard for his rudeness, so she quietly did
sign language to him.
-If you keep talking, I am going to make YOU give up being a man.
The guards grinned and told her that he was only joking. His wife, who
has been quiet so far, suggested, “Marquess Winter, I really hope you
marry a handsome young man!” The wife’s eyes sparkled as she
continued, “A man who is handsome, rich, and a high ranking noble.”
The guard’s wife explained that a successful man often married a young
pretty noblewoman, so why not Poliana do the same?
Poliana just laughed quietly.
***
Lady Rebecca and Poliana were having their usual afternoon chat.
When Lady Rebecca looked bored, Poliana told her about her dinner last
night. Poliana mentioned how her guard’s wife hoped Poliana would
marry someone rich and handsome. Lady Rebecca gave her a nod. “I
totally agree.”
Rebecca even added a few more conditions, “And this man must be
intelligent and would never cheat on you.”
A handsome rich nobleman who was intelligent and completely faithful to
her? This was becoming too absurd. Poliana then asked, “Why would
such a perfect man be willing to marry me?”
If she did meet such a good man, the best thing she could do for him
was to introduce him to a good woman. Rebecca shook her head and
replied, “Poliana, you just don’t get your own position. You are the only
woman in this kingdom who has the right to choose your own husband.
You have achieved enough success that you can do this.”
The right to pick her own husband; it was a kind of a reward for being so
successful.
Successful men often took in young beautiful trophy wives. In theory, the
same logic should apply to Poliana’s situation. At first, the Acreian
noble’s society denied Poliana’s existence because they couldn’t
understand it. They pushed her away and only contacted her if
necessary. But as time passed, people got used to this idea. They
became used to her and now, seeing her in the blue uniform with the
gold stripe was considered a perfectly normal thing. Poliana also helped
in matchmaking a few times to several very influential families, which
made her an even more respected figure. She was also incredibly
wealthy, which made her look even more attractive. There were plenty of
people who wanted to get close to her. Lady Rebecca asked, “Don’t you
get marriage offers?”
“Yes, but nothing that makes sense. Mostly young boys…”
Poliana frowned unpleasantly. In the past, she only received marriage
offers to older men. For example, Lady Bika suggested a man in his
fifties or was it in his sixties, who already had grandchildren. At the time,
this was the best Poliana could dream of because she was an ugly
spinster who was rumored to be barren.
But now, things have changed. Her position as the leader of an entire
military division and her wealth made her look more attractive. So lately,
Poliana noticed that she received many portraits of boys in their late
teens. Of course, she hated the idea of people actually thinking she
might marry a young boy. If she ever got married, she wanted to marry
someone her age. Not someone who was much older or much younger
than her.
It was insulting that the people thought she would even consider
marrying such young boys when Lucius the First publicly denounced any
marriage with big age gaps. At first, Poliana thought that the portraits
were jokes, but they kept coming. When she made it known that she
would never marry someone so young, she began to receive portraits of
slightly older men, but they were still much younger than her.
This was because most men her age were already married. Any men her
age who weren’t married were either much higher-ranked noblemen or
someone not worth considering. Both types wouldn’t work for Poliana’s
situation.
And most men who offered her marriages were either third or fourth sons
of poor low-ranking noble families. It seemed that these people saw
Poliana as a goose that could lay golden eggs.
Lady Rebecca asked, “Don’t you have someone you like? Any man you
are interested in? If you offer marriage to that man, I am sure there is a
good chance he will accept it.”
“Nope. I don’t have anyone.”
There were a few men Poliana may have been slightly interested in, but
they were all married with kids. Besides, she never really liked them that
much. And anyone younger than her… Poliana could not see them as
men at all. Lady Rebecca nodded in understanding, “Well, I guess any
men your age are probably all married by now.”

Chapter 166: Chapter 166

Chapter 166
Lady Rebecca changed the subject, “Oh, would you like to have dinner
with me tonight again?”
“Oh, I’m sorry but I already have plans,” Poliana replied.
In some circumstances, Poliana would’ve changed her plans to accept
Lady Rebecca’s dinner invitation, but tonight, Poliana was supposed to
have dinner with Sir Bentier. Although he was never her director
superior, He used to be the deputy commander during the war, and he
was currently the kingdom’s chancellor. He was clearly a very important
figure who deserved great respect.
It would have been unwise of Poliana to cancel on someone like Sir
Bentier. In fact, she should’ve been honored to be invited by such an
important person.
‘This must be why.’
Things like this were why Lady Rebecca felt the invisible wall that most
women had to endure all their lives. She herself was one of the three
wives of the emperor, but in reality, she didn’t have any practical power
or authority as Poliana did.
Rebecca, however, did not feel disappointed or jealous. She was
actually a bit curious. She asked, “Oh, you must be well acquainted with
the chancellor?”
“Not on a personal level, but we saw each other sometimes during the
war.”
It was a secret that Sir Bentier was now on the emperor’s side rather
than on the elders’ side like most people believed. Poliana had to make
it look like her relationship with Sir Bentier was an awkward one so
people continued to believe this façade. It was also important to look like
they are maintaining a diplomatic connection as the two top officials in
the kingdom.
Unfortunately, Poliana couldn’t tell Lady Rebecca about these details, so
she offered the same official explanation she gave to everyone else.
“Since he is related to Lady Tory, I think Sir Bentier just wants to thank
me for doing my job.”
“Haha.”
Rebecca suddenly began to laugh, making Poliana nervous. Was her lie
too obvious? Poliana asked, “Did I say something funny?”
“No, it’s just… I remembered the rumor that Frau’s dinner offer was
rejected by you several times. You could be a bit nicer to him, but I
heard you are quite cold to him. Is that true?”
“I didn’t reject him. I just told him I couldn’t accept his invitation because I
already had plans.”
“Well, to the others, it looks like you are saying no because you don’t like
him. At least that is what everyone is saying.”
Poliana knew this, but it wasn’t her job to care about a mere doctor’s
feelings. She was the leader of the Second Division and therefore too
important to worry about these things.
Of course, she was still a human. She couldn’t help feeling guilty about
the situation and that was why she promised herself that the next time
he asked her, she would make sure to make a dinner plan with him.
Rebecca added, “I think you are doing the right thing. You need to make
sure not to interact with him on a personal level.”
Lady Rebecca was fragile, which meant that she saw the royal doctors
often. She had a friendly relationship with Frau, so it was a surprise to
Poliana that Rebecca talked badly about him. Only a few days ago, Lady
Rebecca rewarded him a small gift for being such a caring doctor.
Poliana wondered, ‘Did he do something wrong?’
The Frau Poliana knew was too docile to do anything that might upset
such an important lady. She asked Lady Rebecca, “Did he do something
wrong to you?”
“Not to me, but to you, Marquess Winter. As a doctor, Frau is excellent.
He is very kind and he knows how to comfort patients.”
“So why wouldn’t you want me to…”
“Don’t you get it, Marquess? He is showing his interest in you.”
Poliana understood immediately what Rebecca was talking about. To
Rebecca, it must’ve looked like Frau was being an ambitious jerk who
was approaching Poliana for her money and power.
‘But Lady Rebecca is mistaken.’
Half the world population were men, and different men had different
tastes in women. However, Poliana was no one’s type; she knew that
with absolute certainty.
“I know what you are saying, Lady Rebecca, but that is not the case.”
“To me, it looks like it.”
“But to me, it doesn’t feel like it.”
“It doesn’t matter, but I want you to know that Frau isn’t the one for you. I
mean, how dare he? He has nothing. He has no rank and no money. He
is barely a noble at this point, so how dare he even try to get you, the
one and only Marquess in this kingdom? I can’t believe it.”
“Umm… I thought he was a nice guy… Isn’t he?”
Poliana found herself defending the doctor for some reason. Perhaps it
was because she felt sorry for rejecting him so many times. She
remembered how sad he looked as he walked away every time.
Rebecca, who looked determined to convince Poliana, replied, “In terms
of personality, yes. I agree that he is a nice guy. He is also a great
doctor who takes his job very seriously. He is also very kind to his
patients. I have no complaints with him as my doctor. But Poliana, have
you ever thought about why?”
“Why what?”
“Why he still isn’t married?”
Poliana remembered Tory explaining to her Frau’s situation. How he was
kicked out from his own family, and how all the other noble families
refused to interact with Frau because they are afraid to anger the Sneke
family…
When Poliana told Rebecca what she heard from Tory, Rebecca shook
her head and replied, “If that is all, why wouldn’t he, who has a decent
job, be unable to marry? That’s not it at all.”
This was true especially during the war. There was a huge shortage in
men, so any healthy man could marry above their station easily.
Rebecca said to her, “Frau doesn’t have the most important thing a man
needs to have.”
“Oh, is he a eunuch? Or can’t perform his nightly duty as a husband?”
Rebecca flushed and Poliana apologized for her callousness. Rebecca
explained, “A position of a doctor isn’t a bad one. Sure, it’s not as good
as a knight or a government official, but it’s still a decent career.”
“Yes, I agree.”
“And he is the student of the royal doctor, which means that if he tries
hard enough, he could become a royal doctor too. And if he does, he will
get a noble rank as well.”
Any noble rank that came with a job had to be returned after retirement,
which meant that such a rank could not be inherited to one’s heir, but
one could still lead a respected life of a noble.
Poliana nodded, “Yes, that sounds right.”
“But the thing is… He has no ambition. Frau has no intention of pursuing
his career to the fullest. This is why he has a bad reputation. Even the
other students of the royal doctors look down on him. On top of that, I
heard that Frau likes to hang around with the commoners.”
“Oh.”
Being nice was one thing, but not being ambitious… It was one of the
worst qualities a man could have. A docile woman was considered
attractive, but a docile man? No woman would find such a person
attractive.
This was especially true in the aristocratic world. One thing the most
nobles had in common was ambition. A fiery need for power and wealth.
The nobles had huge pride and egos for being themselves, and they
didn’t look kindly on anyone among themselves who didn’t have the
same qualities.
Apparently, Frau even treated commoner patients. For an average
doctor, this would’ve been considered a kind deed, but for a royal doctor,
this was seen as a horrible act. A royal doctor should only treat noble
and royal patients, so how dare he see commoners?
Poliana tried to make an excuse for Frau, “But helping those in need
should be praised…”
Rebecca shook her head and sighed.
“He got paid for it. Frau accepted money from the commoners for his
service, and this was why Baron Redikal made it public that he doesn’t
even consider Frau as his successor.”
There were more commoner patients than the noble ones, but a doctor
could make much more money treating the nobles and the royal family.
Frau probably enjoyed interacting with the commoners more. If he
treated them for free, he would’ve been teased and nothing more, but he
charged the commoners for his service and this was a problem. This
ended up costing Frau his career and his life.
If he had only shown even a fake ambition, he would’ve been able to
marry by now. Most likely a commoner, but perhaps even a noble lady.
“Hmm…”
Poliana changed her mind about Frau a little bit. If he acted the way he
was supposed to, he would’ve led a much better life. So why did he treat
the commoners? Why did he ruin his life?
Now no one was going to marry him. He was still Baron Redikal’s
student, which was the only reason why he was allowed to remain in the
castle, but what will happen once Baron Redikal retires?
Rebecca said to Poliana firmly, “Do you now get it, Poliana?! Even if you
have your own power, if you marry someone like him, it will not end well
for you. So please, you need to make sure to stay away from him! Don’t
give him the idea that he might have a chance with you. Just being
associated with him will cause you troubles.”
Suddenly, Rebecca began to cough. Poliana offered her a glass of water
and replied, “It’s nothing like that, Lady Rebecca. You don’t need to
worry.”

Chapter 167: Chapter 167

Chapter 167
Poliana wondered in confusion, ‘Is Frau trying to get me to offer him a
job? Maybe he wants to become my personal doctor so he could have a
good job for life.’
Poliana welcomed the idea. She had more than enough money and
having a personal doctor on call for her would be very convenient. She
knew Frau was a talented doctor, and he also had a mild manner; this
could work out perfectly.
So when Frau asked her to have dinner with him again, Poliana refused.
“I have plans for tonight again.”
“Oh, alright…”
She felt so guilty as she watched him looking weak and upset. Why
couldn’t he straighten up like a man? Why could he not be confident in
himself? Did he think she was going to hit him or something? Well, she
had to admit that if he was one of her guards, she probably would’ve
kicked him for looking so weak.
With a sigh, Poliana said to Frau, “But I have some time next week, so
we can have dinner then, would you like that?”
Why couldn’t he just ask her straight out when she would be free?
As soon as Poliana said this to him, Frau smiled brightly like he was
given the greatest gift in the world. Poliana liked seeing his usual kind
smile. It was also odd yet flattering to see how he reacted to her every
word.
That night, when she was having dinner with Sir Bentier, she asked him
how much she should pay for a personal doctor.
***
Lucius the First and Sir Bentier Seeze had a secret alliance. As the Elder
Marquis Seeze’s successor, Sir Bentier was supposed to be the
emperor’s political opponent. But during the war, Sir Bentier changed his
side. Only a few people knew of his decision. It was considered one of
the top secrets that they have.
Sir Bentier did not want to worsen the tension between the elders and
the emperor. He tried his best to convince the elders to obey the
emperor, but things weren’t going very well. The elders were very
stubborn and refused to change.
The elders continued to increase the size of their private armies. They
ruled their own lands like they were the king, which didn’t agree with the
emperor. Thankfully, no big incidents happened between the two sides
just yet.
The emperor’s sudden and sneaky change of the capital continued to
anger the elders while the elders’ increasing military forces frustrated the
emperor. It seemed that each was waiting for the other side to explode.
The emperor was a very patient man. He was very young and could
afford to wait much longer than the elders could. Lucius the First
believed that the goddess of victory was going to be on his side. After all,
the goddess’s loved good-looking men.
The emperor wanted to watch and see what would happen. The fact that
Lady Rebecca from the southern region became the first of the wives to
get pregnant was a huge bonus. This seemed to weaken Marquis
Seeze’s power a little.
The elders began to regret insisting that Lady Tory should immediately
be assigned as the empress.
“That girl is too smart for her own good. What is the purpose of
intelligence in a girl? Nothing, right?”
“I hear Lady Tory is too busy working to maintain the lady’s quarters that
she has no time to serve the emperor. Is this right?”
“That girl… She should be doing those things after she officially
becomes the empress.”
“I agree. I mean, look at Lady Rebecca. The only thing a woman needs
is beauty. Lady Rebecca is so small and fragile and she knows how to
work this quality to her advantage. After all, she was able to get herself
pregnant first.”
The angry elders sent a scathing letter to Lady Tory, blaming her for not
getting pregnant first. Poliana read the letter before delivering it to Lady
Tory as part of her job, and she frowned at it bitterly. The letter was rude
and unfair. In addition, Poliana noticed that the elders pressured anyone
they could command to control Lady Tory. Watching from afar, Poliana
felt sorry for the lady. She began to monitor Lady Tory carefully to make
sure she was okay.
While all these things happened, one night, Marquis Seeze’s grandson,
Sir Bentier, invited Marquess Winter for dinner. Poliana thought carefully
about the meaning of this invitation. She was the only guest to this
dinner and on the table, there were Sir Bentier, his wife, and his son.
This was a very personal event and on the surface, this was for Sir
Bentier to thank Poliana for her hard work. Lady Tory was Sir Bentier’s
relative, and he was to thank Poliana for protecting her. This was a good
excuse because lately, it was well known that Poliana spent a lot of time
with Lady Tory.
Poliana was very unfamiliar with this political war. It felt strange to her
oftentimes. She studied hard to learn as much as possible, but this was
nothing like the real physical battles she was used to. Poliana felt
disappointed that she wasn’t doing as well as she should.
The dinner went very smoothly. The only topics they discussed on the
table were safe personal subjects. Sir Bentier talked of mundane things,
and Poliana replied in the same fashion.
“You must be very busy nowadays, so thank you so much for inviting me
to dinner.”
“It’s his highness who is truly busy, not me. Besides, you must be busy
as well, Marquess Winter, so thank you for accepting my invitation.”
People who have known Poliana for a long time were used to calling her
Sir Pol. They felt awkward calling her by her new rank, Marquess Winter,
but it seemed that Sir Bentier felt very comfortable about it. He acted like
she had always been a marquess, which made Poliana feel a little
embarrassed.
Poliana, on the other hand, didn’t know how to address Sir Bentier. He
used to be the deputy commander during the war and now, he retired
from the military and became their new chancellor. Because Marquis
Seeze was still alive, Sir Bentier was still just a “Sir.” The job of the
chancellor came with the rank of a Duke, but it was considered lower
than being the heir of a Marquis, so Sir Bentier kept his current status.
Technically and currently, Poliana was of higher rank than Sir Bentier
politically, but in the military, Sir Bentier used to be her superior. Every
soldier knows that what really counts in this world was one’s military
rank, which would define them until they die. Sir Bentier was no longer in
the military, but it didn’t matter.
Sir Bentier’s wife said to Poliana, “Lady Tory thinks very highly of you,
Marquess Winter.”
“Oh, I’m very flattered. All the emperor’s wives have been very kind to
me, but I must say that Lady Tory has been most helpful to me.”
Poliana and the young Lady Seeze carried a smooth conversation.
Poliana has been having countless dinners with many noble families that
she was used to chatting with the ladies now. Their common subject was
Lady Tory. Lady Seeze visited Lady Tory often, so Poliana and Lady
Seeze had a lot to talk about.
The next topic was Sir Bentier’s child. Poliana looked at Sir Bentier’s
firstborn son, Sote Seeze, who was eating his dinner quietly. He was in
his early teens, which meant it was about time for him to start training.
Poliana herself began learning how to use her sword at a younger age,
but Poliana heard recently that Sir Bentier was not training his firstborn
to become a knight.
Poliana asked, “So, you really aren’t going to give him the knight’s
training?”
“Yes, it’s true. Since I became a chancellor, I thought it would be a good
idea for him to follow my footsteps.”
“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea.”
Poliana could imagine Lucius the First loving this idea. For a second,
she worried that Sir Bentier might betray the emperor, but she knew
better. What she had seen so far from Sir Bentier told her that he wasn’t
the kind of guy who could play the double agent. He wasn’t bold enough
to pull it off. Besides, the emperor trusted him and Poliana trusted Lucius
the First’s decision.
Both Lucius the First and Sir Bentier were waiting patiently for all the
elders to die of old age. This was the most peaceful solution they have,
and it wasn’t such an evil idea. Old people die no matter what, so no one
could fault the emperor or Sir Bentier for it.
On the other hand, the elders were waiting for Lady Tory to bear a son.
This was why Sir Bentier invited Poliana for dinner. When the meal was
over, Lady Seeze wanted to stay a little longer, but Sir Bentier asked her
to leave. It didn’t look like the couple had a bad relationship, but…
Poliana could see what was happening.
‘He doesn’t trust his wife…’

Chapter 168: Chapter 168

Chapter 168
Poliana thought that perhaps Sir Bentier was the loneliest person in
Yapa. To not be able to trust even his own wife and son… Of course,
from Lady Seeze and Sote’s point of view, Sir Bentier was probably a
traitor who refused to trust his own family. Poliana realized that having a
very small or no family could be advantageous. Perhaps being alone
was not such a bad thing!
But then…
‘Couldn’t he trust his wife at least?’
Immediately, Poliana shook her head, realizing how naïve her thinking
was. Most nobles went through arranged marriages for political or
financial reasons. It was most likely that Marquis Seeze, Sir Bentier’s
grandfather, was the one who arranged Sir Bentier’s marriage. This
meant that Marquis Seeze most likely chose a woman whose family
would be loyal to him, not necessarily to her own husband Sir Bentier.
Poliana followed Sir Bentier to his library. They behaved perfectly,
exactly the way everyone would expect them to be. Not too close, but
not too distant either; awkward but polite.
Sir Bentier asked her, “Hmm… Would you like to have a drink with me
before you leave?”
“Sure, that would be nice. We’ve drank in groups many times, but I
guess we never shared a drink with each other.”
“You and I are both very busy, so why not just share one drink each?
Does that sound fair?”
“That sounds perfect, Sir Bentier.”
Sir Bentier sent the servants away, telling them that they weren’t
needed. As soon as they were alone, Sir Bentier and Poliana stopped
acting although their demeanors did not change much. Even though they
fought the same war for 10 years together, they rarely spent much time
with each other before. They liked each other and wanted to get to know
each other better, but they did not have such an opportunity to do so.
After a short silence, Sir Bentier said to her, “I think… The elders are
planning something, something is going to happen soon.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know exactly. In truth, the elders aren’t a very well-organized
group. It is made up of selfish old men who only happened to work
together because of their greed… There are plenty of times when an
individual elder acted on his own, so there is no way I can predict these
things. Anyway, all we can do is to monitor them closely. Please keep a
close eye on those inside the lady’s quarters. You need to especially
keep Lady Rebecca safe.”
The emperor was able to unite the entire continent, but the northern
nobles were banding together to discriminate against the people of other
regions. It seemed that some people just could not accept the fact that
their kingdom now included everyone. They were all Acreians now, but
the elders were busy trying to undermine the “foreigners.”
For now, the emperor was just watching them, but things could become
dangerous very quickly.
Sir Bentier wanted Lucius the First to do something. He wanted him to
punish those who did not obey him, but the emperor was a human
himself, and he couldn’t help wanting to protect people from his
homeland if it was possible. The problem was that these elders were
taking advantage of the emperor’s kindness.
Sir Bentier said to Poliana, “It seems that Lady Rebecca’s pregnancy
seemed to have shocked the elders…”
“I can understand that; I heard that this news shocked the entirety of
Nanaba.”
“Recently, Duchess Luzo was insulted. Duke Luzo did his best to stop
this story from spreading, but the rumors already reached Yapa.”
This was true. Poliana already heard how Duchess Luzo, Duke Luzo’s
wife, was disrespected at a feast in Nanaba. Duke Luzo did not want to
worry the emperor, so he tried to cover it up, but by now, everyone knew
that story. In this matter, Lucius the First and Sir Bentier had completely
different ideas. Lucius the First wanted to watch and wait while Sir
Bentier believed that this problem needed to be solved right now before
it got worse.
Sir Bentier saw the current situation as an infection. A boil to be specific;
if lanced and drained early, would heal eventually without a permanent
scar, but if the infection was left alone, it was going to become worse
until it was too late. Sir Bentier wanted the emperor to use his power to
fix this problem. He wanted Lucius the First to pierce this boil and drain
the pus.
When he shared his opinion to him, the emperor grumbled and replied,
“You are asking me to act too harshly.”
Many government officials wanted this tension to be resolved as soon as
possible, but since the emperor wanted to “monitor the situation,” there
was nothing that could be done other than making sure it didn’t escalate
too drastically.
Not many people knew about it, but there were several assassination
attempts in the lady’s quarters. It was thanks to Poliana and her
vigilance that prevented a huge tragedy from happening. The apparent
peace in the lady’s quarters was all because of Poliana.
Sir Bentier said to Poliana, “Please keep your eyes on Lady Tory and the
maids. You need to monitor them closely.”
“But…”
Lady Tory was incredibly intelligent. She maintained the appearance of
being obedient, but she was, in fact, the one who had firm control over
the entire lady’s quarters. It was no wonder Lucius the First called her
smart.
Poliana had the opportunity to watch how Lady Tory worked, and she
was very impressed. The way Lady Tory dealt with the maids and the
servants was amazing. She was tactful, strong, and kind all at the same
time. In the northern region, the women led more restricted lives. They
weren’t allowed to interact even with each other too freely, but this was
different in the southern regions. At first, Tory seemed to feel awkward at
the more open social rules, but she quickly adapted to her current
situation. Within one year, she was able to gain absolute control over the
major noble social circles around the castle. She, of course, had help
from her family, but even considering this, it was a commendable
achievement.
Lady Tory was charismatic and kind-hearted at the same time. Poliana
saw her as the perfect wife material for the emperor. Lady Tory was
feminine and obedient to men. She most likely felt jealous of the other
wives from time to time, but Lady Tory never showed it to anyone. She
actually made sure everyone got along well and kept peace in the lady’s
quarters. If anyone tried to criticize Rebecca for her fragile health, it was
Tory who stopped them.
Poliana may be the one who protected everyone in the lady’s quarters,
but it was Lady Tory who kept the peace within. If anyone found out
Poliana was monitoring Lady Tory, it was going to be a huge problem.
‘The ladies also don’t know that I read their letters. If they find out…’
Tory was too smart to do anything irrational or stupid. Her relatives, of
course, were another matter.
Poliana asked, “Do you not trust Lady Tory? I can tell you, Sir Bentier,
that she would not do anything careless or harmful.”
“I know for a fact that Lady Tory is perfect. The problem is that this will
be used against her. Her perfection will become her weakness.”
Because Tory was a perfect Acreian lady, Sir Bentier believed that she
would not be able to disobey Marquis Seeze. Lady Tory would, of
course, never knowingly do anything to harm Lucius the First or Acreia,
but the elders were sneaky. They would try to convince her otherwise
and that whatever they were planning was for the good of herself, the
kingdom, and ultimately the emperor.
No matter what, Tory was part of the Seeze family. If the Seeze family
failed, Tory would lose her own power as well. If Tory refused to obey
them, Marquis Seeze would not hesitate to threaten her.
But Poliana believed in Tory.
“Please believe in Lady Tory, Sir Bentier.”
“I do. I do trust her. But Marquess Winter, Tory was raised to be
obedient, and she is surrounded by the ladies who grew up the same
way.”
Tory’s maids and ladies-in-waiting were all from the influential Acreian
noble families. Their families were all loyal to Marquess Seeze, which
meant that although these ladies were Lady Tory’s friends, they were
also spies for Marquess Seeze to monitor Tory.
Poliana could not blame these ladies. She said to Sir Bentier, “But Lady
Tory has changed.”
People evolve; yesterday’s Tory was different from today’s Tory, she
would continue to evolve.
Wasn’t it too much to ask of your children to remain the same even after
they got married? For example, Sir Bentier himself turned against his
own family and was now on the emperor’s side.
Poliana wanted to mention this fact, but she kept her mouth shut. When
Sir Bentier nodded, Poliana suggested, “Lady Tory can decide for herself
what is right and wrong. Why can’t you just talk to his highness so the
emperor can let Lady Tory know of our current situation?”
“As you know, Marquess Winter, that his highness has no intention of
purging the elders. As long as the elders do not cross the line too much,
the emperor wishes to let them live and wait it out. Unless something
drastic happens, he will not do anything, and if we assume that nothing
would happen, it would be best not to let Lady Tory know.”
It seemed that Sir Bentier understood what Poliana was trying to say, but
he still refused to accept her idea.

Chapter 169: Chapter 169

Chapter 169
Lady Rebecca, who grew up in the southern region, did not do well in the
cold. Her weakness against the cold weather worsened after she got
pregnant. Everyone sat around feeling warm while Lady Rebecca alone
trembled uncontrollably because of the weather.
Lady Tory gave Rebecca her own fur coat to wear while Stra knitted a
pair of warm socks for her. They even brought in the brazier, which was
only used in the dead of the winter. Unfortunately, the windows had to be
opened frequently when using a brazier because the burning coals
caused the room to be filled with smoke.
Poliana, who was sitting next to Lady Rebecca, was sweating profusely.
Poliana was especially weak against the hot weather because she grew
up in the north.
‘Isn’t she hot? How could she stand this heat?’
Poliana was shocked to see how Lady Rebecca continued to shake. She
was in her bed that was covered in multiple layers of fur blankets. It
should’ve been enough to make most people sweat, but Lady Rebecca’s
hands were still ice cold. It seemed that no matter how hard she and
everyone tried, Lady Rebecca could not get warm.
The common thought was that one could overcome coldness with
enough exercise but unfortunately, Lady Rebecca was pregnant and
therefore, she wasn’t allowed to move around too much. She would’ve
felt better if she at least ate well, but because of nausea, Lady Rebecca
could barely hold down little bits of food. Most of the time, she ended up
throwing up anything she ate.
There were two different opinions regarding this situation. Some
believed that Lady Rebecca was overreacting. Most women went
through one or several pregnancies in their lifetimes, so why did she
have to make such a big deal about it? Some, however, sympathized
with her. Most did show concern for her condition.
Rebecca had always been fragile, but she was never this sick. Her
pregnancy seemed to have dramatically worsened her health. The
unmarried maids, when they saw how Rebecca was suffering, became
afraid for her and also for themselves. Would they have to go through
the same hardship when they became pregnant in the future? The other
women, however, who went through the pregnancies themselves or had
family members who went through it, consoled these young girls. They
told them that it was all a natural process.
“Besides, Lady Rebecca’s case is a bit rare. Most women don’t have it
this bad. She was very fragile to begin with, and she is so far away from
her home, which doesn’t help.”
“Look at your own mothers. Some didn’t survive, but there are plenty
who had safe births, right? There is no need for you to worry.”
Poliana herself was becoming concerned, so she liked to hear these
positive things from the women who seemed to know better. Poliana’s
own birth mother died soon after her birth, but her stepmother was
perfectly fine after the birth of her half-sister Liana.
Giving birth was certainly a dangerous thing, but not every woman died
from it. Giving birth was like a war. Anyone who went to war risked
themselves being killed, but not every soldier who battled died. If they
were lucky enough, they could enter tens or even hundreds of battles
and survive them all. Similarly, a lucky woman could survive ten births. A
soldier who survived many battles was respected as a great soldier while
a woman who survived many births was honored as a blessed mother.
Rebecca was not the sturdiest woman she had ever met, but she had
never been seriously sick. If she was, she wouldn’t have been chosen as
Lucius the First’s wife. Rebecca’s mother gave multiple births and was
still well and alive in Nanikun. Rebecca had never been afraid of giving
birth because of her mother since it was believed that genetics played an
important role in a woman’s health. Rebecca always believed that she
would have many safe births in her life.
But of course, there were exceptions. Not all children resembled their
parents, and it seemed that unlike her mother, Lady Rebecca’s body did
not like being pregnant. She felt like her body was wasting away slowly,
and it was frightening.
Everyone was interested in Rebecca’s health since she was with the first
child of the emperor. When she showed signs of a potential miscarriage
even during the early stage of her pregnancy, people became more and
more concerned. Lady Rebecca hated all of this attention, so she tried
her best to look okay. She joked, “They say that the people who look
fragile actually live longer, huh?”
Rebecca tried to act like she was getting better, but everyone could see
that her condition was getting worse. Poliana became so concerned that
she ordered the best medicinal products money could buy from the
south. When she received the package and found that it was filled with
dried white-tailed lizards, the same kind she used to catch often to feed
to the emperor, Poliana became disappointed.
‘I caught so many of these when I used to live in the south.’
Poliana asked the deliverer, “Isn’t this good for only men?”
“It’s actually great for women too. This will help Lady Tory for sure.”
It was explained to her that although some people believed it was only
good for men’s stamina, it was actually good for everyone. It was
considered one of the best health foods in the south. Pregnant women
ate it all the time to gain their strength.
Many different medicines were offered to Lady Rebecca. Every morning,
the royal doctors visited her the first to make sure she was fine. All the
doctors believed that she needed to gain strength so she could safely
give birth when the time came.
Poliana quietly watched Rebecca, who was stroking her belly tenderly.
She was starting to show and Poliana wondered what the baby would
look like. Everyone prayed that it was a boy since Lucius the First did not
have an heir yet; a daughter was going to be useless.
Rebecca murmured quietly, “I hope it’s a boy.”
Poliana nodded in understanding. Of course, a son would be great. Lady
Rebecca would become the most powerful woman in the kingdom if her
child was a boy. If her son became the future emperor, she would
become the dowager empress.
But this was not what Rebecca meant. She shook her head and
explained, “It’s not because I really want a son. Not because I want more
power. I would just feel sorry for the baby if she was a girl. I would feel
guilty.”
“Why would you feel that way? I don’t understand”
“I acted greedily and got myself to this very important position. This
means that any daughter of mine would lose her status over time in her
life.”
The most important women in the kingdom were the emperor’s wives. If
Rebecca had a daughter, she would become the most important
unmarried woman in the kingdom. She was going to be the very first
child and therefore the oldest child of the emperor, which meant that her
importance and rank would be immense. But as she became older, her
position would decline. There was going to be no man in the kingdom
who had a higher status than her, which meant that she would have to
marry below her station. She would end up marrying a nobleman, and as
soon as she did, she would lose her royal status. Rebecca didn’t like this
at all. One should always try to climb up, not down.
Rebecca gave Poliana a small smile. This smile was different than any
others Rebecca gave to her before.
It was the smile of a mother.
Rebecca added, “I know for a fact that if my daughter resembles me at
all, she would be a very greedy girl; she would hate to lose her status.”
“I am sure your baby will resemble both you and the emperor.”
“Well, in terms of looks, I hope this baby resembles the emperor more
than me.”
There was no doubt that Lady Rebecca was a beauty, but she could not
compare to Lucius the First’s incredible gorgeousness. All the wives felt
self-conscious about their looks when they were around the emperor. If
the baby had to resemble one of them, why not resemble the more
beautiful one? It would work for both a girl and a boy.
“Or the baby could resemble the emperor’s mother, that would be great
too.”
It was common knowledge that Lucius the First’s beauty came mostly
from his mother. Poliana remembered looking at the portrait of the
emperor’s mother in the “Emperor’s Room.” The emperor’s mother had a
very feminine beauty who looked like a delightful flower blooming on a
sunny summer day.
Poliana always dreamt of the emperor having many beautiful princesses.
A lovely princess would be loved by all, including herself. She smiled just
thinking about it.
A baby was indeed a wonderful thing. The possibilities for a newborn
child could be endless. Poliana couldn’t wait for Lady Rebecca and the
emperor’s baby to be born.

Chapter 170: Chapter 170

Chapter 170
The golden-haired emperor, Lucius the First, sat at his desk that was
piled up with paperwork and books. He looked down at the petition
regarding the banning of the toll the landowners could charge to
travelers when people crossed their cities. He contemplated with a
frown, wondering what he should do.
A toll was one of the surest and most lucrative ways to make money for
the lords who owned their own lands. It also meant power for them
because they could use it to negotiate with the other landlords from the
surrounding cities. For the kingdom as a whole, and for the royal family,
the best thing was to ban this practice. It would allow free travel for
everyone, which would boost many types of businesses. The entire
continent belonged to the emperor now, and the new system meant that
the nobles were technically leasing the lands from the emperor. Banning
this toll system shouldn’t have been a problem.
But of course, the nobles who were also the landlords were going to
protest; the emperor knew this very well.
‘The southern region will accept this; I know the mid-continent will be
okay too.’
The south, which used to be made up of several small kingdoms, was
used to obeying their kings’ orders without a fight. Now that Lucius the
First was their emperor, he knew that they would agree with whatever
decision he made. The lands in the mid-continent region were given to
those very close and loyal to the emperor, so Lucius the First knew they
would back him up as well.
The problem was always Acreia. Acreia was where the emperor was
born and grew up, yet it was always Acreia that fought him tooth and nail
on every matter. Unfortunately, unlike in the south and mid-continental
regions, the emperor’s power wasn’t as absolute in Acreia. It was a very
ironic situation. The truth was that the elders and high-ranking nobles
had a great authority in this kingdom that rivaled that of the emperor.
It wasn’t that Lucius the First never considered getting rid of them. It
would make things so much easier, but he hesitated because these
elders and the nobles did not outright commit treason. They opposed
him often and they were drunk on power, but these men never did
anything illegal. Lucius the First had to admit that these nobles did not
mean to replace him. They just wanted to make his life more difficult.
In addition, if the emperor destroyed the Acreian nobles, Acreia would
lose its power over the other regions. The south was culturally more
advanced than the northern region. After the capital was moved to Yapa,
Acreia was slowly learning their new culture, but it was still not as
sophisticated as the southern areas. If Lucius the First replaced the
Acreian nobles, everyone was going to think that he bowed down to the
superior southern culture. The people of the south already believed that
the northerners were uneducated and barbaric.
‘I thought the elders would die soon, yet they are still so healthy. What
the heck?’
He truly believed that the elders would’ve been dead by the time he
returned to Acreia, but he was mistaken. It seemed that Lucius the First
was becoming weaker and more tired from all the work while the elders
were becoming healthier.
Lucius the First tapped his desk a few times.
Tap, tap.
“…”
Suddenly, he grinned and pushed himself away from his desk.
‘Whatever. It’s the next emperor’s problem, not mine.’
He united the continent, restructured the noble system to strengthen the
royal family, and changed the capital city. Lucius the First believed he
did plenty on his part, so this toll problem will have to be dealt with by the
next generation.
He was about to take a well-deserved break when one of the royal
doctors requested an audience with him. It if was about something
unimportant, the emperor would’ve refused but apparently, the doctor
wanted to talk about his pregnant wife. Lucius the First immediately
agreed.
After a respectful bow, the royal doctor asked apologetically, “Your
highness, I am very sorry to have to ask you this question, but I must. If
we come to an unfortunate situation… Who is more important to you?
The mother or the child?”
Lucius the First became upset, and when his smile disappeared, the
doctor trembled in fear. The emperor replied angrily, “Thinking so
negatively like that will help no one. This is not the way you should be
thinking.”
The royal doctor apologized and left. Lucius the First grabbed his
forehead in concern. He was worried and he didn’t know what to do. All
his life, the emperor had a clear picture of his dream. To unite the
continent, to become the emperor of the world, to strengthen his
kingdom, to inherit a stable kingdom to his heir, and live his final years in
peace.
But things didn’t always work according to his plan. Unexpected events
happened and he needed to be prepared for such things.
But the death of his wife during her birth… That was not something he
could plan for. It wasn’t unthinkable that something like this could
happen. The truth was, Lucius the First just didn’t want to think about it.
The mortality rate of the mothers and their new babies were
unfortunately very high, and there was nothing he could do about it.
Lucius the First felt so hopeless. He would’ve much preferred a rebellion,
which would be so much easier to control.
‘It’s going to be ok. It has to. We did the cleansing ritual, so everything is
going to work out this year.’
After Lucius the First united the continent, the overall condition of the
kingdom improved significantly. The number of crops harvested was
about the same, but because he lowered the tax rate, the people’s lives
were much better. The farmers praised the emperor and the people were
generally happier than before.
So why? Why was his life becoming more and more complicated?
Lucius the First shook his head, trying not to think about it. He knew that
worrying about things he couldn’t control would not help at all. It was
easier said than done, but he tried anyway.
Just then, Master Chail walked in with a tray of tea.
The emperor said to him, “You must be very busy, so you should just let
the servants do small things like this. Don’t you have more important
things to do?”
“There is nothing more important for me to do than serving you, your
highness.”
The emperor grinned. He picked up the teacup when he noticed a piece
of paper stuck underneath the cup. There was a strange writing on it.
The emperor quickly realized that it was the secret code the Acreians
used to use during the war.
Lucius the First laughed. He found it ridiculous that someone thought
that it was necessary to use the code again.
“Whose idea was this?”
“It was mine, your highness.”
“Chail, you are being silly.”
“Sir Deke agreed that this is a good idea.”
‘Oh boy…’
Lucius the First was dying to take a break, but he picked up the paper
and began to read. It was a report, which meant that Chail or Sir Deke
could’ve just told him in person to make it easier. Why did they have to
waste time and energy like this?
Lucius the First created an Intelligent Unit recently and Master Chail was
involved in it. Chail could be overly cautious and suspicious, but these
qualities also made him very effective. Chail even brought him the
information on his wives and things that were happening in the lady’s
quarters. Master Chail was, without a doubt, a talented spy because
even Poliana didn’t seem to know what Chail was doing.
Or perhaps she was already aware of it and didn’t mind because she
knew the emperor was behind it.
The Intelligence Unit was still in its infancy. Both the emperor and his
men were new to the idea, so for now, they focused only on gathering as
much information as possible. At this point, they didn’t even know how to
sort through all the information that they obtained.
Minor squabbles between the nobles, different arranged marriages that
are in plans, and rumors of land purchases by some… The information
that the emperor received was random at best.
After reading the report, Lucius the First burnt the paper. As he watched
it turn to ashes, he frowned. It was such a waste of paper and ink!
The report didn’t even include anything important. The fact that Sir Deke
used the secret code could be seen as his insult to the First Division or
to Master Chail.
But if Sir Deke could not trust Chail, why did he give the report to Chail?
This was too ridiculous.
‘I’m going to have to figure out who gave Sir Deke this idea.’
The emperor was determined, but what he didn’t know was the fact that
it was Master Chail who got Sir Deke to become interested in the spy
novels.

Chapter 171: Chapter 171

Chapter 171
Lady Rebecca’s pregnancy angered the elders and high-ranking nobles
still living in Acreia. Unfortunately, their frustration affected Duke Luzo,
who currently resided in the Nanaba castle.
Duke Luzo tried to cover up what happened at the feast, but the emperor
already knew about it; it was the Intelligence Unit that delivered the
news.
Lucius the First thought secretly, ‘I better go and take care of this…’
The National Day was coming up and the emperor decided to go visit the
Nanaba castle in Acreia and deal with the Acreian nobles who have
been incredibly rude to Duke and Duchess Luzo.
To do this, the emperor was going to leave Yapa for the next two
months. There was going to be a huge celebration in Nanaba which was
going to last for 15 days. The travel time alone was going to take over a
month unfortunately because there would be a huge number of people
going with him. Last year, the emperor’s wives did not follow him, but
this year, they planned to attend the celebration as well.
Of course, Lady Rebecca was going to be an exception.
“Will Lady Rebecca be going as well, your highness?”
“Of course not. Can you imagine how hard it would be for her to travel
that long in a carriage? She will be staying here.”
What mad man would take his pregnant wife on a long journey,
especially a fragile one like Lady Rebecca?
He would’ve hated to be absent when his wife would go into labor, so
Lucius the First thought carefully about his schedule. If things worked out
according to his plan, he could return to Yapa by the time Rebecca was
just a little over 8 months pregnant. It was very rare for a woman to give
birth this early, so he felt sure that this would work.
‘I don’t care if it’s a son or a daughter as long as the baby and the
mother are healthy.’
Lady Rebecca was informed of this decision immediately. The emperor
sent a servant to relay the message, and after hearing the news,
Rebecca nodded. She knew better than anyone that she could not go
with the emperor on such a long journey.
Everyone was leaving for Nanaba except for her. Lady Rebecca felt a
little lonely just thinking about it. She was having a difficult time with her
pregnancy, both physically and emotionally, and she didn’t want to be
left alone in Yapa. She knew she shouldn’t be complaining, but to
Poliana, who was her friend, Lady Rebecca grumbled honestly, “I don’t
want to be left alone here.”
Poliana’s expression became awkward. As a friend, she should’ve
stayed, but as the leader of the Second Division, she needed to go to
protect Ladies Tory and Stra
Poliana replied, “I want to stay here for you, Lady Rebecca…”
Suddenly, Rebecca interrupted her, “You must go! Of course, you must!
Were you even considering staying here? If you don’t go, those against
me are going to try to use the emperor. I can’t go for an obvious reason,
but you can, Marquess. Just because I said I wanted you to stay doesn’t
mean you should say yes; we have a better friendship than that!”
Poliana was about to nod, but she still hesitated. No matter how hard
she thought, it didn’t feel right to leave Rebecca alone. When Poliana
couldn’t answer, Lady Rebecca nagged her, “Come on! You want to
protect me because I am the emperor’s wife, right? But I will be perfectly
safe here! It’s not like I’m going to run away or something! Why are you
so hesitant about this?”
Was it because she was going to become a mother soon? Lady
Rebecca’s nagging was becoming better and better every day. Poliana
raised her hands in defeat.
Luckily, everything worked out in the end. The next day, Tory and Stra
came to visit Rebecca. Tory talked to Rebecca’s doctor while Stra
brought another pair of knitted socks.
Tory said to Rebecca, “I asked the emperor to bring Duchess Nani here
for you.”
“Oh!”
Duchess Nani used to be the queen of Nanikun, one of the kingdoms
Lucius the First conquered. After the continent was united, Queen Nani
was given the rank of a duchess. Rebecca used to be one of the
princesses of Nanikun, which meant that Tory made an arrangement to
bring Lady Rebecca’s mother to her while the other ladies were away.
Rebecca’s eyes teared up. Stra also seemed very impressed. Lady Stra
complimented Tory, “Wow, you are so thoughtful, Lady Tory. I didn’t
even think of that.”
Rebecca thanked her as well, “Thank you so much, Lady Tory.”
Rebecca’s mother, Duchess Nani, had three sons and four daughters.
Having a mother who had many successful pregnancies made Lady
Rebecca feel relieved.
Lady Tory had heard that Poliana was hesitant about going on the
journey because of Rebecca. With a kind smile, but in a firm tone, Lady
Tory said to Poliana, “So now, you needn’t worry, Marquess. I know you
and Lady Rebecca are very close, but who will protect us, Lady Stra and
myself, if not you?”
Lady Stra added, “That’s right! You should’ve told us if you were worried
about Lady Rebecca. We could’ve discussed it together.”
Poliana gave them a nod. It seemed that Poliana was definitely going to
Nanaba after all.
***
The servants became busy packing for the journey. They were divided
into two groups; those who were going and those who weren’t. Poliana
was busy as well. The main guard duty during the travel was to be taken
care of by the First Division, but a few men from the Second Division
were to accompany them as well.
Poliana thought, ‘I feel like I keep losing to that bastard lately…’
She was referring to Sir Ainno. Just like Ladies Tory and Stra, who felt
disappointed that Poliana didn’t consult them often, Poliana felt the same
way towards Lucius the First. It has been a very long time since she
spent much time with the emperor. It almost felt like he was avoiding her,
but Poliana knew better. She knew very well that Lucius the First had
been incredibly busy with his work.
Poliana remembered the good days when she never left the emperor’s
side. She used to enjoy admiring his golden hair. Just watching him used
to make her feel happy. It wasn’t that long ago that she was his personal
guard, but it certainly felt like it was a lifetime ago.
On the list of maids from the lady’s quarters who weren’t going on this
journey, Cekel Ingreter’s name was present. Poliana blinked in surprise.
Even if Cekel didn’t attend the castle celebration, Poliana was told that
Cekel would still be going to Nanaba to visit her relatives. Because
Cekel was only a maid, she wasn’t required to attend the royal
celebration, but… It bothered Poliana that Cekel wasn’t going at all.
‘Could it be… Is it because of that bastard Ainno? Is that the reason why
she isn’t going?’
The way Sir Ainno acted was shameless. It seemed that he was so
confident that he truly believed no woman could resist him.
‘What an idiot.’
Because Sir Ainno spent his entire life by the emperor’s side working, he
was ignorant when it came to the topic of love. He may have been the
greatest knight in the world, but he was the worst at seduction.
Poliana went out to find Cekel in the maid’s rest area. Even here, all the
maids were working busily. Some were packing while others were writing
letters. Poliana found Cekel alone in the corner. Unlike the other maids,
who were chatting with each other, Cekel was alone.
As soon as the maids saw Poliana, they smiled and greeted her. The
women quickly surrounded the knightess and exclaimed, “Marquess
Winter! What brings you here?”
“We have some snacks here, would you like some?”
“Would you like me to pin a pretty flower on your uniform?”
“I was making an embroidered handkerchief for you! What kind of flower
do you like?”
Poliana enjoyed all the attention from the pretty girls that surrounded
her.
‘I can’t believe how popular I am.’
There was a simple reason why Poliana was so popular among the
ladies. Poliana was the only knight who the ladies could gift
handkerchiefs and flowers without damaging their reputations. Besides,
Poliana was becoming a very important figure in the matchmaking field
in Yapa, which meant it was not a bad idea to be on her good side.
One of the maids asked Poliana, “Marquess, have you heard about what
Lady Tory said for Lady Rebecca?”
“About bringing Lady Rebecca’s mother here? Yes, I heard about it
today.”
“Oh, so you didn’t know about it either until today! We were all so
surprised to hear about it. She didn’t even tell us, her own maids, about
her plan! We only found out because Lady Rebecca’s maids told us. We
were so shocked. I wish Lady Tory would’ve told us about it.”
Another maid agreed, “Totally! I know Lady Tory wanted to surprise Lady
Rebecca, but we would’ve kept her secret safe!”
‘Her own maids didn’t know about this?’
This was supposed to be a surprise just for Rebecca, which meant that
Lady Tory didn’t have to keep this a secret to her own maids. There was
no need for Lady Tory to not trust her own maids. All the women serving
Lady Tory were quiet trustworthy girls.
‘Could it be…’

Chapter 172: Chapter 172

Chapter 172
Something didn’t feel right, but Poliana didn’t have anything concrete to
work on. All she had was a few maids grumbling and nothing else.
Poliana continued to let the maids chat among themselves, trying to get
as much information as possible about this situation.
“Apparently, Duchess Nani is going to bring many of her own maids, so
more of us here will be going on the journey to Nanaba.”
“We are so excited to visit our home again!”
It seemed that all of Lady Tory’s maids were going to Nanaba. The only
maid from Acreia who wasn’t going on this journey was Lady Cekel. One
of the maids turned towards Cekel and asked, “Lady Ingreter, don’t you
want to go too? I heard the rest of your family are all going, so you will
be all alone in your house. Wouldn’t you get scared at night?”
“Of course, I would. That is why I am going to stay in the castle the
whole time; I won’t go home.”
“Oh, but we won’t be here so you will be alone in the maid’s quarters
anyway. Won’t you get scared here too?”
“Lady Rebecca graciously gave the me permission to stay in her
quarters. I am so thankful to her.”
“But still… Wouldn’t it be better for you to go to visit everyone?”
“Well, the thing is… It’s just going to be very difficult seeing my
relatives…”
Cekel shook her head quietly. Cekel was at least 8 years older than
most maids here, so the other girls nodded in understanding and did not
prod any further. Poliana understood as well. Cekel was a spinster,
which meant that her relatives were going to nag her mercilessly about
finding a husband.
‘So I guess it wasn’t just because of Sir Ainno that she isn’t going…’
Poliana looked towards the door. It was getting late, which meant it was
time for her to leave. The maids seemed so disappointed.
“Are you busy right now?”
“Yes, I have been invited to dinner.”
“Oh, who invited you this time?”
Poliana thought about saying his family name, but she changed her
mind.
“It’s Dr. Frau.”
‘I guess I shouldn’t address him by his family name since he was kicked
out.’
“Oh, really? Well, Dr. Frau must be so happy that you finally agreed to
have dinner with him.”
Everyone already knew how Frau invited Marquess Winter to dinner
many times only to be rejected. The maids laughed excitedly.
When Poliana left, Cekel followed her.
“Marquess.”
“Yes? What is it, Lady Cekel? Do you need to tell me something?”
“So you really are having dinner with Frau Sneke tonight?”
“Yes. I think he wants to get a job as my personal doctor.”
“Um… I don’t think that’s it… Marquess… I’m sorry. I know it isn’t my
place to tell you, but I must. Dr. Frau has a very bad reputation.”
“I already know.”
“Well…”
Cekel looked around, making sure there was no one listening to their
conversation. Cekel appeared to be very uncomfortable talking about
this topic. When Poliana made sure that they were alone, she tried to
calm Cekel down. Poliana already knew why Frau had a bad reputation.
It seemed that Cekel was worried because she thought Poliana was
ignorant, so Poliana told her what she heard from Lady Tory and Lady
Rebecca.
Even after hearing it, Cekel seemed concerned.
“The thing is, Marquess Winter, the rumors these important ladies hear
are sometimes very edited for their delicate ears. What I heard is a bit
different. They are more worrisome.”
This was true. Depending on the audience, the gossip changed
frequently. It would’ve been unfair to judge someone based just on some
gossip, but the information Cekel was about to give was most likely
accurate. There was a time when Cekel’s parents researched every
eligible man to find her a husband, so Cekel and her parents knew many
in-depth facts about different noblemen from Acreia.
Cekel whispered to Poliana, “That man used to have a troubling history
with women.”
Cough, cough!
Poliana laughed so hard that she began to cough. She wiped her mouth
and tried her best to stop laughing. A troubling history with women?
Frau?
The man who wasn’t that good looking and had a chubby body?
Poliana didn’t have to say anything. Cekel nodded in understanding and
said to her, “Yes, I know what you are thinking. I thought the same thing
myself, but you need to know that there was a time when such a rumor
existed.”
Apparently, it was before Frau was kicked out from his family. Soon after
he was disowned by the Sneke family, this rumor was quickly forgotten.
Some even believed, considering Frau’s average-at-best look, that
perhaps it was actually Frau himself who spread such a rumor. There
were others, however, who thought that the real reason why Frau was
disowned by his family was because of a woman problem.
Poliana wondered, ‘Hmm… Maybe there was a woman who tried to
seduce him since he belonged to a wealthy noble family, but dumped
him after he was disowned?’
Frau looked so naïve and vulnerable that it was very possible a sly
woman tried to take advantage of him. Poliana nodded, deciding that this
must be what really happened. Frau Sneke was not a handsome man
like Lucius the First. He was also not a talented and skilled man like Sir
Ainno. His family, even when he still belonged to it, wasn’t exactly one of
the top Acreian nobles. The only positive thing about him was his
kindness, so how could he have been a womanizer?
Poliana decided not to take Cekel’s warning seriously. She said to
Cekel, “I don’t think I should be judging him based on an old rumor. I still
think he is a decent guy.”
Poliana was no stranger to ugly rumors. People used to hear the gossip
that she was the greatest seductress who controlled the greatest
emperor in history. They said Poliana enjoyed having a different man
every night and that she slept with every knight in Acreia. Clearly, not all
gossips could be trusted.
‘It has been a long time since I thought of these rumors.’
Ever since she became a marquess, she stopped hearing such rumors
about her. The old gossips still existed, but there weren’t any newer
versions.
How boring.
Poliana said to the maid, “I am a bit disappointed in you, Lady Cekel.”
Poliana liked Cekel a lot for her sarcasm and aloofness. Lady Cekel was
a very sharp woman, so Poliana couldn’t help feeling disappointed that
she believed such a ridiculous rumor. Cekel apologized again for her
rudeness and Poliana immediately forgave her.
“Bur Marquess Winter, please remember this one thing. It was the Sneke
family that covered up this rumor.”
A family, no matter how powerful, could not cover up the fact that it
disowned one of its sons. But any noble family could certainly cover up
any rumors that involved a woman. In fact, it was done often to protect
the family’s reputation.
Cekel’s parents were in the process of trying to find the details of Frau’s
rumor, but their track ended quickly because of the Sneke family’s
intervention.
Cekel met Frau many times so far, so she knew that he was a good
man. Cekel also knew how false a rumor could be.
But she couldn’t help feeling that something wasn’t quite right. She also
knew that a rumor can be deadlier to a woman than a man. All Cekel
wanted to do was to warn Poliana to be careful. What Cekel saw so far
told her that Frau was interested in Poliana, not a job opportunity.
It was always a woman who got hurt if something didn’t go well between
a man and a woman. It was never a bad thing to be cautious. Poliana
left, saying she couldn’t be late. To that, Cekel sighed quietly.
“…”
Poliana was a strict disciplined person, but would this help her if things
didn’t go well?
‘She is a strong person, so maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.’
After all, Poliana was in a very different situation than Cekel. Poliana
was a marquess and the head of the Second Division. They were both
spinsters, but Cekel was a spinster from a low-ranking noble family while
Poliana was the emperor’s beloved marquess.
If something did happen, Cekel believed that Poliana could take care of
herself, just like she did during the war. One of Poliana’s nicknames was
the “Strategy Witch.” She was intelligent and powerful.
Cekel began to regret interfering. She shouldn’t have said anything.
Poliana wasn’t someone she should annoy, especially since her brother
recently got an amazing promotion thanks to Poliana’s recommendation
to the emperor.
‘I should’ve kept my mouth shut.’
She was contemplating when suddenly, Cekel felt someone staring at
her. When she turned around, she saw Sir Ainno gazing at her from afar.
It looked like he was actually glaring at her intensely.
Was he going to approach her and say some nonsense again? Or try to
harass her again like before?
Chapter 173: Chapter 173
Chapter 173
Thankfully, Sir Ainno left without a word after staring at her for a few
more minutes.
“Phew…”
Feeling relieved, Cekel sighed deeply. What the heck was wrong with
that man?
Sir Ainno, who was one of the very few unmarried men in all of the
divisions, often visited the other guards’ homes on short notice and
demanded that they eat and drink with him. He was such a nuisance but
no one could dare to refuse him because of his status.
Cekel was different from Poliana. Cekel was a spinster maid unlike
Poliana, who was a marquess. Poliana could survive most rumors, but if
a scandal began between Cekel and Sir Ainno, Cekel knew she would
not survive it. Her life as an independent spinster was going to be over.
It was one thing for her to embarrass her family by not getting married,
but she could never shame her family by getting involved with a man.
Her brothers were able to improve their family name by going to war; she
should never do anything to undo their hard work.
Cekel left the lady’s quarters and walked towards the main part of the
castle. A maid from the lady’s quarters walked freely, but no one thought
it strange because people knew Cekel had her brothers working in the
main castle. Everyone assumed that she came to visit her brothers.
It wasn’t hard to find her brother, Sir Deke. Sir Deke just returned from
Nanaba per the emperor’s order. Seeing how hard her brother worked
without rest, she asked worriedly, “Have you eaten today?”
“Sis, is it true?”
“What is?”
“There is a rumor that the boss is eyeing you to scout you because you
are a genius swordsman… Gyaa!”‘
Cekel covered Sir Deke’s mouth with her hand. It had been a month
since they last saw each other, and this was what her brother said to
her! Cekel was furious.
She had to admit, however, that there indeed were strange rumors about
her. People whispered that she was a genius swordsman who actually
won against Sir Ainno. They believed this was why Sir Ainno was eyeing
her.
For now, thankfully, most people thought that these rumors were just
funny jokes, but if anything more happened… Cekel didn’t even want to
think about what kind of damage it would do to her family.
Her parents, her brothers and their wives… She would ruin all of their
lives.
Sir Deke protested, “Hey! Why did you do that?! I was just joking.
Everyone knows that it’s just a joke!”
“It’s a horrible and dangerous joke. Don’t you understand how it makes
our family look? It would upset your wife too to hear such a thing.”
“Wait a minute… The way you just reacted… It looks like this story is
actually true!”
“Gosh! Just stop!”
His sister used to be a delicate girl before he left for war, but in the 10
years he and his brothers were away, Cekel turned into a woman who
learned to protect her family and support her parents in the absence of
any men in the house. She also became very scary and unafraid to
smack him.
Sir Deke guessed, ‘She must’ve changed because her engagement was
broken…’
He was a very simple boy, especially considering that he headed the
new Intelligence Unit.
After being hit a few times, they finally began to chat. Cekel was helping
his brother by telling him things that were happening inside the lady’s
quarters. She gave him information that most outsiders would not know.
It wasn’t a hard thing to do, and Cekel was happy to help her brother.
Cekel never got close to any of the maids in the lady’s quarters, which
meant that she didn’t know any truly sensitive secrets. This meant that
she didn’t feel guilty about telling her brother what she knew. Whatever
she told him was usually a very well known story inside the lady’s
quarters by the time she disclosed it to him. Besides, she felt proud that
she was helping the emperor.
Afterward, Sir Deke thanked his sister.
“Thanks a lot, Sis. I feel like I should be paying you a salary for your
good work.”
The only source of information for him on what was happening inside the
lady’s quarters was his sister. She was doing a better job than a lot of his
men, so using her without paying her anything made Sir Deke feel guilty.
Cekel replied, “It’s fine. I am working inside his highness’s castle, so it is
my job to help him in any way I can.”
Cekel didn’t have big dreams. During the last 10 years, her biggest wish
was for all of her brothers to return alive and well, and this dream came
true. She couldn’t ask for any more than that.
Her parents were no longer worried about their sons. They also
accepted her declaration to remain a single woman, which was a huge
surprise to her. Cekel also found a stable job.
Everything was going so well, but Cekel still couldn’t help feeling
concerned.
Ainno Seki.
She couldn’t remember when it began, but somehow, this man became
a huge source of worry for her.
When she was abandoned by her fiancé and their engagement broke,
the people around her consoled her and told her she will find a better
man very soon. But unfortunately, she didn’t end up finding anyone. And
now, even if a good man appeared in front of her, it was too late. She
was beyond her marriageable age. Just like any spinsters, she would
live like she didn’t exist. Ainno Seki appeared in front of her out of blue,
but he wasn’t the one for him. He really wasn’t, she had thought up a lot
of reasons as to explain why. For example, there was too big of a gap
between their family stations, and the most important reason she had
was the fact that he was an absolute jerk.
Besides, this man did not have an honorable intention towards her. He
didn’t really want her as his wife. Because he didn’t have genuine
feelings for her, Cekel was certain that he would lose interest in her.
Soon, he would stop following her around and stalk her.
Cekel shook her head. This wasn’t the time to think about this matter. It
was best to forget about it; thinking about a man like Sir Ainno was a
waste of her time.
She turned her thoughts to Marquess Winter. She still regretted sharing
her opinion with Poliana regarding Doctor Frau, but Cekel also couldn’t
stop feeling like something wasn’t right. Something felt… ominous.
Cekel asked her brother, “Hey, so your job is to gather information on
people, right?”
“Yup. That’s it.”
“Then there is a rumor I want you to investigate. It’s a really old one and
it happened when you were away. Think of it as your payment for my
work. Can you do it?”
“But Sis… I’m busy… W-wait! I meant to say yes, of course! I am all
yours, Big Sis!”
Sir Deke was about to refuse her request, but he saw Cekel raising her
fist. He fearfully agreed to help her and Cekel nodded in satisfaction. Sir
Deke, a brave knight who survived the recent war, acted like a tame
lamb in front of his big sister.
***
Sometimes, people were blind to the obvious danger they were about to
face.
Poliana didn’t think much about what Cekel and Lady Rebecca told her.
They both claimed that Frau was interested in Poliana as a woman, but
Poliana didn’t agree with them.
It wasn’t that Poliana was rash or stupid. She just didn’t think their
warning was necessary because she wasn’t afraid of him at all. What if
Frau tried to attack her or take her against her will? Well, if something
this ridiculous happened, Poliana felt confident that she could take him
down easily. She knew that she was stronger than Frau. Poliana was
certain that she could beat him up if she wanted to.
In her life, Poliana went through many situations where she was almost
raped. She remembered Sir Batre very well, who sodomized not only her
but the other boys as well. One thing she appreciated from this
unfortunate incident was that she learned something very important.
What she realized after the ordeal was that she wasn’t raped because
she was a girl; she was raped because she was weak. The other boys
were raped because they were weak too, not because they certainly
weren’t girls. Poliana knew that she, and many men, would never be
able to forget Sir Batre.
A person with power didn’t have to fear anyone. This was why the
emperor could always hold a relaxed smile on his face. This was also his
way to show everyone how powerful he was.
Poliana followed suit and tried to act relaxed at all times. Frau was going
to be no match to her in any circumstances.
Poliana was the first to arrive, and soon after, Frau appeared.
Awkwardly, he bowed to her and greeted her, “Hello, Marquess Winter.”
“Hello there.”

Chapter 174: Chapter 174

Chapter 174
Frau quickly apologized to Poliana for making her wait. Poliana waved
her hand and told him an apology was not necessary since she arrived
earlier than their arranged time. Poliana asked, “Which direction is your
home?”
Poliana didn’t think that Frau lived near the royal castle. He probably
couldn’t afford to. She wondered if she should bring out her horse when
Frau gave her an unexpected answer, “I could never allow myself to
bring you to such an unworthy place like my own home, Marquess
Winter. I made a reservation at a restaurant…”
Frau sounded uncertain and hesitant, annoying Poliana. If he was one of
her men, she would’ve reprimanded him for being so weak. She could
understand why Frau failed the knight’s training.
‘Hmm… A restaurant…’
It was customary to serve a guest at one’s own home for dinner. Going
to a restaurant was definitely something new for Poliana. Nobles invited
guests to their own homes so they could show off their mansions and
what their chefs could do. All wealthy nobles had professional chefs in
their homes. They could afford the best ingredients, so it was rare for a
nobleman to go out to a restaurant to eat especially when a guest was
invited.
Even the commoners did not go to the restaurants often. The
ingredients, especially in Aehas, are very expensive, which meant that
the cost to go to a restaurant was even more expensive. It was much
more affordable to just cook at home.
In Aehas and Kukda, the commoners were mostly poor because of the
ongoing war. They were in a better situation in terms of food shortage
compared to Acreia, but not by much.
This meant that most restaurants in the northern regions made most of
its money from travellers. And most restaurants included a bar inside,
which meant that they were not appropriate places to serve an important
guest.
Poliana took her men sometimes to a pub a few times before but only to
drink, not to eat. The restaurant Frau took her to was different than the
ones Poliana was used to. She was surprised that it was filled with
customers.
Poliana looked around the restaurant with interest. Frau immediately
noticed her curiosity and began to explain. After Yapa became the new
capital, its population grew exponentially. The city walls were furthered
out to expand the city and various infrastructure projects began,
attracting even more people to the area for the new job opportunities.
Yapa was always short on housings, and when more and more people
poured into the city, the housing price went up significantly. To
accompany this new influx, the landowners started building houses
without proper kitchens. The house, of course, included a brazier for
heat, but most of these houses were occupied by single men who did not
know how to cook to begin with.
It wasn’t that the restaurant culture was well developed in the midcontinent, but
with the increased population and cooking ingredients, the
people began to use the restaurants more and more. This change was,
however, still at an early stage so most restaurants weren’t high end or
luxurious. Frau chose the most expensive restaurant in Yapa, but he still
felt embarrassed. He explained, “I know the proper thing to do is to serve
you at home, but I couldn’t afford a chef and I can’t cook myself, so I
thought this restaurant would be the best option…”
“It’s alright.”
Frau, being from a noble family, knew better than anyone that he was
being unconventional, but Poliana genuinely didn’t care. She looked
around carefully. If it wasn’t for Frau, she would’ve never visited a place
like this. It actually felt refreshing to experience something new again.
When Poliana continued to look around, Frau assumed that she was
unhappy with the place and their situation. He looked down and said to
her in a sad voice, “I know this place is not worthy to serve someone so
important like you, Marquess, but…”
“It’s fine. It’s actually better than the pubs I sometimes take my guards
to.”
Poliana meant what she said. It was difficult to find a pub that felt
comfortable serving a bunch of large muscular men, who drank loudly.
At first, Poliana considered inviting her guards to drink at her own home,
but she didn’t have enough maids and servants to serve them. She lived
alone and she didn’t need many servants. She thought about hiring more
just so she could entertain more, but her butler rejected the idea, telling
her it would be a waste of money for her.
She also considered perhaps designating one of the guards’ homes, but
none of her men had a big enough home that was well stocked like the
Bika family’s mansion.
In the end, it was decided that they should just use a pub.
They did not consider many factors when choosing the perfect place for
them. They didn’t care about the quality of the drinks, the location, or the
safety of the area. The only thing they considered was the size of the
pub. It had to be big enough to house many guards.
After they chose a place and frequented it often, the pub expanded
quickly to become specialized in entertaining large groups. It used to
also run a small lodging, but the pub gave it up and focused on its pub
business. The entire three-story building became a one large tavern.
Poliana realized that the city had changed a lot since the last time she
explored it.
‘Oh, I can see there are even more taverns now.’
There were also many more restaurants. Becoming a capital of the
kingdom seemed to have caused many changes to the city. Poliana felt
disappointed in herself for not realizing this sooner. She had been so
focused on her work that she had no idea what was happening outside
the castle.
It was the Third Division’s responsibility to protect the city, so she hasn’t
been paying any attention to it. The Third Division was run by Sir Wook
and Sir Jainno, who used to be her own men. They were now her
colleagues, and it seemed that she hadn’t been interacting with them at
all.
‘I better fix that.’
Sir Baufallo and Sir Rabi, even after Poliana left their units, continued to
look out for her. She should’ve done the same for her own men. She felt
ashamed of herself.
The food quickly arrived and it tasted better than what she expected.
Poliana was a good eater to begin with; she could eat basically anything
that wouldn’t kill her; she did miss her adopted brother’s cooking
sometimes.
‘I wonder if he got my gifts.’
It was unlikely that someone would raid the gifts sent by Marquess
Winter to the family of a Viceroy, but one never knew. Sometimes, the
gifts would also get damaged during the delivery.
Poliana didn’t say a word. It was her habit to become fixated on things
that are new to her, such as new food or places. Normally, when invited
to a nobleman’s home, she would’ve carried a social conversation with
the mistress of the house, but today, her mind kept a busy stream of
random thoughts.
‘Oops.’
After finishing off her place, Poliana suddenly realized that Frau was still
sitting in front of her. He was sweating uncomfortably. She coughed and
Frau flinched noticeably. She looked at him directly and asked, “So, how
much were you thinking?”
“Pardon?”
“Tell me what salary and conditions you were hoping for. And when can
you start working? I can provide you housing in my own home, but if you
insist on having your own place, I can make that happen too. Of course,
it will have to be a place very close to mine in case I need you for a quick
treatment.”
“Marquess, I…”
“I won’t try to underpay you, but I also can’t overpay you. I asked around
so I know what the going rate is. The thing is, I don’t really need a
personal doctor since there is just me in my family. However, I am willing
to offer you a position since you seem like a good man who works very
hard…”
“Umm, Marquess… I think you are mistaken.”
“Hmm?”
“I asked you to have dinner with me because I wanted to get to know
you. It wasn’t because I wanted to become your personal doctor.”
“You want to be better acquainted so you can become my personal
doctor, right?”
“N-no, It’s not like that.”
“Then why? Why would you want to get to know me? You should know
that I am not the kind of person you can bribe or use. Just because you
and I become better acquainted doesn’t mean I will use my power to
further your career or something.”
Frau’s face turned bright red, and Poliana assumed that he was
embarrassed because she figured out his intention. She was about to tell
him that it was okay, when Frau blurted out, “I asked you here so I can
propose to you!”

Chapter 175: Chapter 175

Chapter 175
Clink!
Poliana dropped her fork. Her eyes widened, and Frau continued to blurt
out, “I was planning to propose to you because I want your money!”
His voice became louder, and he practically shouted his last sentence.
Everyone in the restaurant stared at them, but thankfully, he didn’t yell
out the word “marquess.” It didn’t seem like anyone heard him
addressing her by her title, and Poliana was glad that she changed her
clothes before coming here. If she was wearing her blue uniform… The
rumor from this incident would’ve been a juicy one.
Perhaps Lady Rebecca was wrong. Poliana realized that Frau Sneke
was actually a very ambitious man.
Poliana worked as Lucius the First’s strategist during the war. Because
the emperor didn’t have an actual strategy unit, Poliana’s official title was
the emperor’s personal guard, but if there was such a unit, Poliana didn’t
doubt that she would’ve led that division. She was called the “Witch of
War” and her specialty was using the existing landscapes as part of her
battle strategy. If she was given a map and ordered to get to the other
side of an unfamiliar mountain, she had no doubt that she would
accomplish this without a problem.
Most strategists were superstitious with specific jinks. Poliana didn’t like
it when one was forced to battle without any advanced information. She
hated going into a battle without knowing as much as she could find out
about the landscape and her enemy. She believed that information was
the basis of any victory.
How many enemy soldiers would be coming? Who was going to be their
leader? How did they fight their last battle? What kind of path would the
enemies take to get to the battlefield? What would the landscape look
like?
Poliana could be very easy going about many things, but if there was
anything unexpected, such as an unexpectedly large number of enemies
or a surprise attack, she would react at it violently. She became so
furious and vicious that even Lucius the First had a hard time calming
her down in these situations.
And today… Frau’s attack was something that Poliana never expected. It
was a complete shock to her.
Well, Poliana decided to be brutally honest to herself. The truth was that
the people around her warned her about Frau, but she ignored them. A
leader who ignored other’s advice and information was a useless one. A
long time ago when Poliana worked as a knightess for Aehas, she once
warned her superiors of the impending attack from Acreia. At the time,
she was ignored and even laughed at.
Poliana knew better than not to listen to others. Even if what they said
sounded ridiculous, it was a job of a good strategist to listen and
consider the possibility of it even occurring. Now that she broke her own
rule, Poliana felt ashamed. She ignored the warnings from the others,
and she ended up coming here absolutely unprepared. If this was a
battle, she would’ve died along with all of her men.
Didn’t people say that marriage was the grave of life? She was so
shocked that she almost said yes to Frau.
If Frau was smarter and continued with his surprise attack, he might
have won, but unfortunately, Frau was an awkward indecisive man. Just
like Poliana, Frau himself seemed shocked at what he said. They both
looked at each other uneasily as they contemplated.
Frau Sneke proposed to Marquess Winter because he was interested in
her money.
In his defense, Frau actually wasn’t planning on proposing to Poliana
tonight. He wanted to get closer to her before asking her to marry him,
but he was so nervous that he made a mistake. He even blurted out the
real reason why he wanted to marry her. He obviously didn’t mean to
ever tell her that.
It was game over.
Frau wanted to disappear. He didn’t know what to say, so he continued
to blurt out.
Frau stammered, “Marquess… I… I didn’t mean to… I was so nervous
that I…”
Poliana thought quietly, ‘So he really means it… He wants to marry me
for my money…’
She was so shocked that she couldn’t think. She asked, “Marriage? With
me?”
“I-I… I know I am not worthy, Marquess, but this marriage can benefit
you too. If you can read my plan here… I wrote it down…”
Oh boy, he wrote a report for her about his proposal.
Frau clumsily took out his paperwork, giving some time for Poliana to
think about it clearly. It seemed that Frau was even more nervous than
he looked because he kept muttering, “Dammit, dammit, dammit,
dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit.”
Swearing did not suit him at all. Besides, if he was thinking clearly, he
would’ve never sworn in front of a noblewoman like this. His hands were
shaking violently as he took out his paperwork. He dropped them, and as
he gathered them off the ground again, Poliana noticed his lips
tightening. It was an expression Poliana was familiar with.
It was the expression a man had before he was about to die. An
expression one had when he knew his life was over at a specific
moment.
It was true that what Frau just did was an unforgivable sin. To ask the
greatest Marquess of this kingdom to marry him because he wanted her
money when he was barely a noble himself? A man who had nothing,
not even his family name? This was ridiculous.
There were plenty of higher-ranking nobles who wanted to marry her. All
of them obviously wanted her status and money, but none of them were
stupid and rude enough to every disclose their true intentions to her.
‘Bastard.’
Poliana narrowed her eyes. How could this man be so vulgar? There
were basic unspoken rules in this world, and he was breaking them.
Frau’s hands continued to tremble as he kneeled in front of her.
“Please just kill me now, Marquess Winter. I deserve it.”
“Hmm…”
Poliana briefly considered smashing his head with her empty plate, but
she thought against it. It seemed that he was aware of his mistake, and
besides, she was interested in finding out more about his intentions.
“Continue with your explanation.”
It was strange, but Poliana was actually impressed with Frau’s ambition.
It was so unexpected because he has been acting so weak until now. It
actually felt refreshing. Poliana also needed more time to organize her
thoughts, so she wanted him to continue talking.
Frau’s face became pale before bowing deeply.
“I am so sorry, Marquess Winter.”
Frau kept his face bowed and everyone around them continued to stare.
They whispered, “Did you hear that? That man just proposed to that
woman!”
“He said he wanted her money!”
“Well, look at her face. She better be wealthy or else, no one would ever
propose to her.”
“Why does that woman’s hair so short?”
“That’s a woman?!”
“How poor is that man that he asks a woman like that to marry him?”
‘F*ck.’
Poliana could hear them whispering. She glared at them, making most of
the people look away. Poliana, however, knew that although they weren’t
looking at her, they were trying their best to listen to her conversation.
Although Poliana hated them, she couldn’t blame them. If she witnessed
something like this, she would’ve certainly stared too.
She was Marquess Poliana Winter, the one and only knightess in the
world. She wasn’t wearing her uniform, but it was possible that some
people recognized her. She had distinct scars on her face and was
wearing a very masculine outfit.
Poliana gestured Frau to take a seat; when he hesitated, she kicked him.
Even the way he stood up and sat down looked weak and unmanly.
Poliana repeated, “I told you to continue.”
“I didn’t mean to do this, Marquess. And it’s true that when I first heard
about you, a woman knightess, I was very impressed. After I met you, I
admit that I began to feel sorry for myself because I could never become
a knight myself. I also felt jealous, but I never lost my great respect for
you and your work, Marquess Winter. But then, I heard people talking
about how you could never get married because no man would have
you… And I began to think that maybe I can propose… If you come to
like me, maybe you will marry me… I thought it might be a good idea…”
Even an unambitious man couldn’t help dreaming when he saw a
chance. Frau wanted a new successful life for himself. He actually
couldn’t understand why more men weren’t proposing to her. Although
Poliana was not a beauty, in terms of her wealth and status, Marquess
Poliana Winter was the best wife material. Even though he wouldn’t be
able to get a new title with this marriage… Even though he wouldn’t be
the head of the household… Even though he would have to change his
last name rather than the other way around… Even though she was ugly
and barren… Even though people would point their fingers at him
because he married for money and power…
Even though he would lose so much with this marriage, he would gain
even more with it. Besides, Frau had nothing to lose at this point, so this
would actually be a dream come true for him.

Chapter 176: Chapter 176

Chapter 176
Things went totally wrong for Frau. If Poliana didn’t assume that he was
looking for a position, he would have carried on his original plan and try
to slowly woo Poliana. Unfortunately, Poliana was very dense when it
concerns a relationship between a man and a woman. She honestly had
no idea what Frau’s intention was. What Frau did to get her attention and
make her see him as a viable husband material… Poliana instead saw
his actions a doctor did to get a job.
The whole event was ruined from the beginning. Poliana arrived earlier
than he did and while they were eating, Poliana was interested in only
her food and barely looked up at Frau.
When they were done eating, Frau was planning to ask her out on a
second date, but Poliana began the conversation with a salary
negotiation. Frau was so shocked and confused that he ended up
blurting out his true intentions.
It was game over for him.
Frau said to him, “Marquess, since I was disowned by my family, I don’t
care if I have to change my last name to yours. I am a semi-noble now,
and if you marry me, my nobility will finally be established and
acknowledged. Oh, and I don’t care if I don’t have any children! I will
continue working as a doctor, so you, of course, can continue to lead the
Second Division… So I…”
As he talked, his voice became quieter and quieter. He was telling
Poliana that he would love to be used by her because she was rich.
Ha! Dream on!
Poliana glanced at the paperwork Frau placed on the table. It looked like
some kind of a prenup. Based on what she saw, it didn’t seem like he
included any words like “love” or “affection,” which confirmed that he was
definitely from a proper noble family.
Poliana pushed herself away from the paperwork and replied, “Even
considering all you told me right now, it would still not be worth it for me.
Marrying you… I gain nothing from it. Instead, I will actually become an
enemy of the Sneke family. They will hate me for marrying their
disowned son.”
Frau must’ve expected such questions because he answered her
without a shred of hesitation.”The thing is, someone like you who is a
high-ranking noble… Being single will work against you more and more
as time passes.”
Poliana agreed secretly, ‘That’s true.’ For now, she didn’t hear about it
often, but Poliana was well aware of reality. There were and will be many
aspects of her life that were going to be negatively affected if she
remained unmarried.
It was extremely rare for someone like Poliana, who was a very highranking
aristocrat, to not marry. A powerful noble could be missing all of
his or her limbs and still have plenty of marriage offers because wealth
and power would make up for their missing body parts. This was
especially the case for a woman. In the north, there was even a myth
that if an unmarried woman died, her disappointment and anger could
curse the entire kingdom.
A woman, all women, needed to marry.
Period.
No matter what the reasons Poliana had for why she didn’t feel the need
for marriage, nothing changed. People’s perceptions and beliefs would
never change.
Everyone needed to marry.
Period.
Everyone needed to form a family to become accepted as a normal
person, and this rule was especially true for those in power.
No matter how powerful Poliana becomes, whenever people see her,
they would only see the fact that she was a spinster. There will always
be those who would want to bring her down, and these people would use
her single status against her. This wasn’t just the case in Acreia. It was
the same everywhere on the continent.
Poliana then replied, “You are right about that, but it doesn’t mean that I
have to marry you.”
Even if she needed to get married, it didn’t mean that she was obligated
to marry Frau. There have been many marriage offers sent to her, and
most of them were from men who were better looking and younger than
Frau. Of course, some were from worse families than Frau’s while others
were divorced or widowed men. There were also some who were just
plain too young.
What Frau was telling her, no matter how he worded it, was simple. He
wanted to share her power and wealth. The problem was, Frau wasn’t
stupid. He knew what a fair deal was, and what he was offering her
certainly wasn’t. It would benefit him much more; he was being too
greedy.
If she had to make a deal with anyone, why not find a fair one? If she
had to get married, why not marry a man much more handsome than
Frau? Poliana liked a good looking man, just like any other woman. She
served the most beautiful man in this world, so her standard became
very high during the last 10 years.
Frau replied, “You are right, but…”
This deal was going to only benefit Frau; he wanted to use Poliana!
Her friends told her often that she should get married when she found
someone great. They didn’t tell her to be used by a man.
The only thing she liked about Frau as her husband was the fact that he
was at her age. The most recent marriage offer she received was from a
boy of 13 years old, and Poliana couldn’t hide her shock. Yes, a man of
her age was definitely something positive.
Hmm… Poliana also realized that the fact that Frau being a doctor was
also a good thing. He could take care of her or anyone she wanted.
And… His soft face and chubby body… Other women might not like this,
but Poliana actually didn’t mind. She was surrounded by so many men
who were muscular and sweaty, so she was sick of them. Poliana found
Frau’s softness refreshing.
‘Hmm… Maybe it’s not so bad…’
On top of that, Frau seemed to be a surprisingly ambitious man. It was
also no secret that Poliana liked Frau as a person. His type was very
rare around her. Poliana didn’t believe that he was a bad man. She
didn’t think Frau had a bad intention against her.
She said to him, “There are plenty of men with similar backgrounds as
you that have proposed to me. Why do you think you are better suited to
me than all these other men?”
“Marquess Winter, I don’t have a good reason to give you…”
Frau looked down at the ground weakly. It wasn’t uncommon for a noble
to marry beneath his or her station. Frau knew that he was not worthy of
her, so he was trying to make up for this by earning her affection. What
he overlooked was the fact that although Poliana was the sharpest
person when it involved battles, she was actually very slow when it came
to this kind of situation. There have been men who were interested in her
in the past, namely Sir Donau and the emperor, but Poliana never
noticed their feelings; she was that slow.
Fortunately for Frau, his plan actually wasn’t a complete failure. He had
been trying to spend as much time with her as possible lately, and this
helped her to see him in a positive light. Of course, she liked him as a
person, not as a man, but it was still an impressive progress for Frau.
There was a clear pattern in her life…
Poliana liked Lucius the First so much that she was forever going to see
him as the perfect emperor and nothing more.
Poliana loved Sir Donau like her own brother that she was going to
always see him as a little brother and nothing more.
The depth of her feelings for these men was great, but she certainly
didn’t feel a sense of romantic love for them.
In a way, Frau actually was in a slightly better situation than the emperor
and Sir Donau. Frau actually had a chance unlike the other two.
Poliana looked at him quietly and said to him, “I thought you were a good
guy.”
“I’m so sorry, Marquess. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“So is this why you were hanging around me so much lately? I know
most people have similar intentions towards me, but you… I thought you
were a good man. I guess I was wrong. This is why I should never trust
anyone. I am so disappointed in you, Dr. Frau.”
To his surprise, Poliana wasn’t truly angry. This was the type of person
Poliana was. She thought highly of Frau’s ambition, and so she decided
to forgive Frau for his rudeness and forwardness. If Lucius the First
knew this, he would’ve fainted.
Poliana continued indifferently, “Well, I guess that’s that. Now that we
are done eating, why don’t we go for a drink? The night is still very
young, and I have nothing else to do.”

Chapter 177: Chapter 177

Chapter 177
Frau jumped in shock.
“P-pardon? Of course, I can’t! I can’t drink with a lady alone!”
This was a refreshing reaction.
“Oh!”
‘No man has ever reacted this way to me before.’
Whenever Poliana asked a man to drink with her, they would usually
ask, “Are you buying, Marquess?” Most men were eager to get free
drinks from her. Frau was the first and the only one who blushed and
stepped back in shock.
‘Hmm…’
Poliana felt a little disappointed. If she returned home now, there would
be no one waiting for her; she would be all alone. With the money and
power awarded by the emperor, Poliana was able to purchase a large
mansion. She filled it with expensive and luxurious furniture, but even
then, the house felt empty because she had no family.
There was no one who greeted her when she returned home from a long
day.
If she returned to the castle, her guards would be disappointed. Who
would want to be around their boss? They would become annoyed that
she didn’t go home. Poliana felt bitter.
‘I need a drink. I’m not going home now.’
Poliana looked at Frau, who was slouching again. His weak shoulder,
slightly bent waist, and a kind delicate face… All these things bothered
her.
She ordered him, “Chin up.”
“Huh?”
“Straighten your waist.”
“…!”
“Straighten up your shoulders and chest too.”
“Gyaa!”
“Stop slouching so much.”
“Gyaaa!”
Poliana pushed on his body to correct his posture by force, making Frau
scream both from shock and pain. It seemed that Frau was very stiff,
which was a shame. He was a doctor who took care of other people’s
health, yet it appeared that he himself was not in good health.
Poliana slapped his back, trying to make him straighten up.
“Gyaa!”
She was trying to be gentle, but she was a strong woman. Frau jumped
and twisted his body in discomfort.
Poliana asked him, “You don’t have anyone waiting for you at home
either, do you?”
Frau rubbed his back and replied, “N-no.”
“Well, then why don’t we be friends? We are the same age and are in
the same situation, right? I am an old maid and you are an old bachelor.”
“T-thank you, Marquess…”
Poliana tapped his shoulders lightly, but it was enough for him to fall.
Frau had a horrible sense of balance, perhaps because he was so
unathletic and chubby. Strangely, Poliana liked the feeling of slapping
Frau’s fleshy body. It felt very different than when she smacked around
his soldiers, who had hard muscled bodies.
Frau tried to run away, but Poliana easily caught him. She dragged him
to a nearby tavern, telling him that since he paid for the dinner, she will
pay for the drinks.
Poliana thought casually, ‘I will get to know him better, and if I like him as
a friend, then I guess I should marry him.’
If the emperor knew her thoughts, there was no doubt that he would faint
from a heart attack.
Poliana was a noble lady, which meant that it was her parents’ job to
arrange her marriage. Her situation was a little different than the most,
however. Poliana had to choose for herself, and she knew that she
should choose objectively. She knew that there should be no feelings or
opinions in terms of picking her spouse.
Poliana thought that it would be easier for her to deal with a desperate
and ambitious bachelor than a younger and handsome man who was
marrying her only because his greedy parents were forcing him to.
Frau was weak. He had absolutely no power to take anything away from
her. He could never steal her wealth, power, or status. Poliana thought
Frau would be a better choice than the younger noble boys who might
be too greedy for their own good.
Besides, Poliana had to admit that Frau was the first man ever who
approached her personally because his logical mind saw her as a
marriageable woman.
A marriage was a business deal. Both parties needed to gain from this
transaction, and although it may not look like Poliana would benefit from
marrying Frau, this was far from the truth.
Secretly, Poliana imagined what her life could be like. She remembered
the families she visited until now.
Although their marriage was arranged, Sir Rabi and Lady Bika were very
much in love with each other. Sir Howe, Sir Donau, Vaxi, and Vanessa…
Their marriages happened so fast and in surprise, but Poliana had a
very good feeling about their life together.
One of her guards who married his dead friend’s wife and adopted her
son… They clearly respected each other and led a warm and cozy life
together.
The young Seeze couple… They clearly respected each other, although
there was no trust between them.
Not all families could have happiness and warmth, but there was one
common element to all of the families that led peaceful lives.
Respect.
It would be ideal if the wife and the husband respected each other, and
Poliana knew she could do this. All she had to do was find a man who
would do the same for her.
A man who would respect her.
Poliana felt excited. She laughed a little, thinking of the possibilities in
her future.
And this was how Poliana and Frau began to date each other without
even knowing themselves.
***
The next day, Poliana told Lady Rebecca about what happened the night
before. To their surprise, Poliana and Lady Rebecca became close
friends who shared each other’s secrets just as they promised. They told
each other everything, including the things they were embarrassed or
ashamed about.
Poliana told Rebecca everything that happened last night because
Poliana believed that Rebecca would never tell anyone about it. The
truth was, Rebecca had more to lose if Poliana talked to other people
because Lady Rebecca sometimes said some things that could put her
in a very dangerous spot. Strangely, Poliana loved it when Rebecca told
her these risky things because it made Poliana feel like she was trusted.
Of course, there were times when Rebecca went too far, but Poliana
didn’t mind.
Lately, Rebecca was stuck in her bedroom because of her condition.
This meant that it was Poliana who brought her some new gossips.
Firstly, Poliana admitted that Rebecca’s guess was right about Frau.
Lady Rebecca smiled proudly and replied, “So, I was right.”
“Yes, Lady Rebecca. Unfortunately, my mind doesn’t work like that. The
possibility that Dr. Frau might be interested in me like that… It never
occurred to me at all.”
“It’s because you closed your mind to the fact that you can be a
desirable woman. I am sure that there are a few men, soldiers or
knights, who are secretly in love with you, Poliana…”
“Oh, that’s very unlikely!”
Poliana laughed because Lady Rebecca was talking nonsense. Rebecca
asked with obvious curiosity, “So, what happened afterward?”
“Oh, he told me he proposed because of my wealth.”
“What?! You should send him to jail!”
Rebecca threw her needlework on the floor and yelled, “You didn’t do
anything when he said something like that?! You should’ve beat him up!
You should’ve punched his mouth!”
Lady Rebecca became so angry that she fainted. Her blood pressure
was already high because of her pregnancy, so this added excitement
was not good for her. The maids came running and kicked Poliana out.
Poliana felt so guilty and when the doctor came running and glared at
her, she didn’t know what to say.
“Marquess Winter, didn’t you know that Lady Rebecca should not be
excited like this? She needs to remain calm at all times.”
“But I… I’m sorry…”
“Lady Rebecca is a very delicate and kind woman. Her condition is even
more fragile because she is pregnant. Marquess, you can’t talk like the
way you usually do, all rough and uncensored. Your words can shock
the lady, causing her to be over-excited. Please, Marquess Winter, you
need to watch your language in front of Lady Rebecca. I beg you.”
‘But she got angry all on her own…’
Poliana felt like she knew Lady Rebecca better than the royal doctors.
The truth was, Rebeca was actually a very daring and brave woman.
She hid her true self very well to survive in this men’s world. Poliana, of
course, could not reveal this truth about her friend, so she remained
quiet.
Lady Rebecca’s maid said to Poliana, “You should not return until Lady
Rebecca feels better, Marquess.”
‘Oh… Lady Rebecca must be really angry at this. I better stay away for a
while.’
It seemed that Rebecca was angrier than what Poliana expected.
Awkwardly, Poliana walked towards her office when the emperor’s
servant stopped her.
She asked, “Is his highness looking for me?”
“Yes, Marquess. His highness would like to have a meal with you.”
“Of course. Please let him know it would be my honor.”
Poliana was not as busy as the emperor, so she could have visited him
at any time. She didn’t want to bother him, so she stayed away from him,
waiting for him to ask for her.
And finally!

Chapter 178: Chapter 178

Chapter 178
When Poliana visited the emperor, Master Chail gestured to her to come
closer before she entered his room. Poliana walked up to him, and Chail
whispered to her ear about what happened earlier.
“His highness almost collapsed this morning.”
That morning was just like any other day. Lucius the First got up early
and exercised before having his breakfast. He then went to work as
usual. Then suddenly, he grabbed the back of his neck and groaned as if
in pain. Something like this never happened before and even the calm
Master Chail thought he was going to have a heart attack.
Poliana’s eyes widened, “Is his highness ill?”
Lady Rebecca fainted because of her high blood pressure recently, and
now the emperor almost collapsed too? This couldn’t be happening.
Poliana thought about bursting into the emperor’s room immediately, but
she took a deep breath to calm herself down. She decided that she
needed to get more information from Master Chail.
Master Chail replied, “It’s not that he’s ill, Marquess Winter. I think his
work is stressing him out. Some of his projects must not be going as well
as he hoped. His Highness must’ve called for you because he wants to
make himself feel better, so please do your best.”
“What about Sir Ainno? Oh, I guess he is very busy, huh? Hmm… this
isn’t good. Alright.”
Poliana nodded confidently and Master Chail nodded in return trustingly.
Usually, in this kind of situation, it was Sir Ainno who was called in.
However, Sir Ainno, who led the First Division, was extremely busy
getting his unit ready for the upcoming journey to Nanaba. His division
was going to be responsible for the overall protection of all the travelers,
and this meant that Sir Ainno had no time to have a leisurely meal with
the emperor. This must’ve been why Lucius the First called Poliana to
spend some time with him.
“…”
Poliana took a deep breath before walking into his room. Most of the
time, even when Lucius the First was extremely upset or tired, he rarely
showed it to anyone. So for him to act this way… This was a very
worrying situation. Poliana’s concern grew by the second.
The servants at the door announced Poliana and opened the door per
Master Chail’s order. When Poliana looked up, she saw that the emperor
looked much thinner than the last time she saw him. Lucius the First
greeted her pleasantly and Poliana replied worriedly, “Your highness!
What happened? How is it that you look so tired?!”
Poliana couldn’t even greet the emperor properly because she was so
worried. Unfortunately, she wasn’t overreacting; Lucius the First indeed
looked very upset. His beautiful green eyes looked so lonely and his
usually straight confident chest was slightly hunched. The emperor, who
always looked like he would lead a million men with his charisma, looked
tired and ordinary, making Poliana’s heart ache terribly. She felt her eyes
watering.
What happened to her emperor since the last time she saw him? She
should’ve and would’ve heard about the emperor’s deterioration, but
Poliana had no idea.
‘Did someone prevent this information from reaching me? Or did his
highness worsen this morning?’
Just what was it that bothered her emperor so much?! Whatever it was,
Poliana was willing to risk her own life to destroy it. Poliana kneeled in
front of the emperor and exclaimed, “Your highness! What is it that
worries you so much! As your knight, I, Poliana Winter, will give up my
life to destroy your enemy!”
It was an excellent and very knightly oath to the emperor. Lucius the
First looked at her affectionately and waved his hand.
“It’s not like that. Let’s just eat.”
Lucius the First asked her to take a seat at the table. As she watched
him, Poliana became even more concerned. Usually, when a knight
gave an oath like this, the emperor responded in the similarly gallant
way. It was a source of amusement for him.
Poliana wondered, ‘Is something really wrong…? W-wait a minute! Is
this about Lady Rebecca fainting? Did he call me here to reprimand
me?’
Poliana was impressed with how fast the emperor received the
information on what happened to Lady Rebeca since it just happened
only a moment ago! At the same time, Poliana couldn’t help but feel
guilty.
She knew that Lady Rebecca did not like Frau, yet she still relayed the
story about what happened last night. It was all her fault that Lady
Rebecca fainted. Poliana admitted that she was indeed guilty.
Poliana was supposed to protect the ladies, but she ended up harming
Lady Rebecca, who was also pregnant with the emperor’s first child.
Poliana felt her guilt stabbing at her heart.
It was best to apologize as quickly as possible. Poliana stood up and
said to the emperor, “Your highness, it is my fault that I caused Lady
Rebecca’s blood pressure to go up.”
“Her blood pressure?”
“Isn’t that why you called for me today?”
“Why would I call for you for something like that?”
Poliana looked at him in confusion. Why wouldn’t he call for her
regarding his wives? Suddenly, Lucius the First burst into laughter. His
whole face shook as he laughed loudly. The emperor replied, “I asked
you to come because I wanted to enjoy a meal with you. It has been
such a long time since we spent some time together.”
So this was a social visit. Hmm… But even so, Poliana was still very
worried. She wanted to help him in any way possible. Poliana asked him
in a serious tone, “Your highness, if there is anything you need, I will do
it. For you, there is nothing I wouldn’t do.”
“I… know that very well. Your loyalty to me always makes me sad and
happy at the same time, Sir Pol.”
The emperor was so sad that he ended up blurting out his true feelings.
Poliana was confused, “Pardon?”
“I was just joking. Why would I be sad when you are so loyal to me?”
He knew that he couldn’t tell her the truth, so Lucius the First pretended
that he was just joking. The emperor felt even sadder in his pathetic
situation. He untied the entire continent, but in front of this woman, he
was so helpless.
‘But she can never know.’
The emperor wanted the continent, so he took it. He also wanted the
woman sitting in front of him, and if he tried, he could have her too.
But Lucius the First would never take her because she was too precious
to him. Because she was so important to him, he had to hide his
feelings. After the Stra’s phantom pregnancy, Lucius the First decided
that he was being disloyal to his wives by having feelings for Poliana.
This was why he tried his best to avoid her.
To his disappointment, Poliana looked perfectly peaceful. It was obvious
she had no idea how he felt about her. Poliana was clearly worried about
him, but there were no romantic feelings on her face. She still did not
see him as a man.
Poliana sometimes worried about Lucius the First’s eyesight, but to the
emperor, it was Poliana’s eyesight that needed to be checked. She was
sitting in front of the most handsome man in the kingdom, so how was it
that she could act so nonchalant and comfortable? He was doing a good
job of hiding his feelings for her, but didn’t they say that love was the
hardest emotion to hide? How was it that Poliana didn’t notice how he
felt?
Even his wives, after spending many nights with him, often said to him
about his good looks. They were always impressed with his beauty.
Even the elderly women sighed with desire when they saw their
emperor.
His love for her was deepening day by day. His desire for her was
increasing; it was distracting him from his work.
Lucius the First gestured for her to begin the meal. The knightess was
not a picky eater. Even in front of the emperor, Poliana ate comfortably
and well. She also ate very fast like she was being chased. This was a
bad habit she developed from spending so many years in the war.
Eating faster than the emperor was considered rude, but Lucius the First
didn’t care. He loved to see her eat, so he just watched happily.
She had the bread baked this morning, some root vegetable and ham
stew. It was a humble meal considering it was for the emperor, but this
was necessary for him because his lifestyle has become sedentary. For
Poliana, however, it was not enough. She thought secretly, ‘I’m going to
have to have another lunch after this.’
Poliana quickly emptied her dishes much faster than the emperor. As
Lucius the First continued to eat, she wondered about what she should
talk about to make the emperor feel better. After a while, she asked him,
“Your highness, have you decided what you would like to hunt at the
National Day hunt?”

Chapter 179: Chapter 179

Chapter 179
The emperor replied, “I was thinking about hunting a deer since you like
deer, right?”
“Hahaha.”
Poliana indeed liked deer meat, and it was actually the Acreian soldiers
who introduced her to it. In the mid-continent and southern regions, the
deer meat was softer while the northern deer meat was tougher and
stringier. It was fun to hunt deer, so it would make an excellent hobby. It
was unfortunate that Poliana’s hunting skill was average at best.
Traps allowed them to have decent catches, but in the Acreian culture,
such techniques were allowed only during winter. The Acreians were the
descendants of amazing hunters, so they firmly believed in hunting with
their arrows. Even the emperor was shamed if he was unsuccessful in
catching prey during a hunt.
In the Acreian culture, people looked down on someone like Poliana who
wasn’t adequate in using a bow. Poliana resigned to accept this
standard because she knew how harsh the Acreian weather was. Her
old home, Aehas, where cranberries grow, had a much milder climate.
The Acreians had to depend on hunting for their survival, so it made
sense that they valued this skill. In other regions, hunting was
considered a hobby, but in Acreia, it was for survival.
It wasn’t just Poliana who had to endure being criticized for her lack of
hunting skills. The same standards were applied to the nobles that joined
the Acreian court from the mid-continent and southern regions. At first,
these nobles, who enjoyed hunting as a pastime, were delighted to hear
that the Acreians greatly valued this skill. But when these newcomers
learned the primitive way the Acreians hunted, they were shocked.
Many Acreian hunters often spent days tracking the animal’s feces and
footprints. Sometimes, they took their hunting dogs but not always.
It was a well-known fact that Poliana was the worst hunter in Lucius the
First’s hunting party. When Poliana looked excited about the deer meat,
the emperor said to her, “Stop smiling and get ready, Pol. You should
really try to catch something this time. Even a rabbit would be okay. You
keep embarrassing yourself at the every hunt we’ve been through.”
“For me, I find it easier to hunt for people, your highness.”
“You are so good at tracking animals, so why is it that you can’t catch
them?”
“I am trying my best.”
In a large hunting party, the tracking was carried out by the hunting dogs
and anyone who had a talent for it. Poliana had an excellent sense of
direction and reading her surroundings, so she was often the one
leading the hunters. But oddly enough, she never caught an animal by
herself so far. What was the point of finding the prey if she couldn’t even
catch it?
The problem was that she was a horrible archer. She was a soldier
whose main weapon was a sword. She had some experience with a
spear, but her training never included archery.
It was much easier for one to learn to use a spear than a bow. A bow
took years of diligent practice and training to learn. Usually, in most
armies, professional archers learned how to use a bow and no other
weapons. It was only in Acreia where most soldiers, and most men in
general, could use a bow fairly well.
Poliana never learned to use a bow as a child. As she got older, she
decided that it was best to improve her swordsmanship rather than try to
learn a whole new art that wasn’t going to be very useful for her in her
daily life. Of course, the annoying thing was how the other men made
fun of her for this.
Poliana said to the emperor, “I find it very hard to hit the target.”
“I am sure you can do it very well. I am certain you will catch something
amazing. After all, you already caught the greatest game in this
kingdom…”
Poliana Winter caught the emperor’s heart without even meaning to.
Lucius the First couldn’t finish his sentence, and Poliana misunderstood
him. She thought that he really wanted her to catch something, so she
decided to practice very hard until the big hunt.
Afterward, they talked about mundane topics. When Poliana asked the
emperor how he was doing, Lucius the First glared at his cup and
replied, “I found out that there are awful jerks who have been dumping
garbage and contaminated water near the wells. I would love to catch
these bastards.”
The emperor talked for 10 minutes straight about these horrible men. It
turned out that the well water became contaminated, causing the people
living around to become sick. Another recent problem was how people
were wasting the woods taken from the Msmel forest just because they
thought there was an unlimited source of it.
Lucius the First grumbled angrily, “They have no idea how important
conserving the forest is! I am thinking about putting a tax on these
woods.”
If the forest belonged to a single nobleman, the people would have to
pay a fee to use the trees. But because the Msmel forest belonged to the
kingdom, the people could use the trees for free. Unfortunately, many
have been abusing this privilege; they were wasting and overusing the
lumbers unnecessarily. When Lucius the First saw the capital city being
filled with a dark cloud of smoke from the people burning so much wood,
he couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t even that cold right now!
Of course, it wasn’t cold according to his Acreian standard, but for the
people of the mid-continent, they found the weather to be very chilly.
The emperor found that he became more and more swamped with work.
He would finish one task, but he would be loaded with ten more things to
do. His life was turning into an endless stream of work.
Lucius the First needed an heir desperately. He needed a son who he
could teach how to rule so when he became older, he could retire. Or
else, the emperor was going to have to work till he dies.
He was so frustrated, but slowly and surely, his expression softened. He
continued to grumble about different things, but his eyes relaxed and
were filled with light. It was because he was looking at Poliana.
After all, he was sitting in front of the woman he loved. Just watching
her… It made him feel happy.
But the truth was… He had to be satisfied with just watching her. Lucius
the First’s expression hardened subtly. He was being tormented by his
anxiety and nervousness. Just like the woods his people were burning
day and night, Lucius the First’s heart was turning into ashes as well.
His thoughts turned dark from time to time. The emperor sometimes felt
like he was slowly losing his mind, and when he received the news last
night, he almost had a heart attack. Lucius the First tapped the table with
his finger. It was his habit whenever he felt unhappy or contemplative.
Poliana watched him quietly.
Last night, Frau Sneke proposed to Poliana Winter. This was the truth.
Lucius the First received the news yesterday and it was confirmed by his
multiple sources. The emperor heard that the idiot, Frau Sneke, told
Poliana he wanted to marry her for her money. What the heck was he
thinking?
When Lucius the First heard the first part of this report, he was overjoyed
because he thought that Frau made a huge mistake. It was the worst
proposal he had ever heard before. It was even worse than when Sir
Donau proposed to her. Sir Donau proposed after spending days in the
underground jail; he was dirty and missing a canine at the time.
Lucius the First was certain that Poliana would’ve refused Frau’s
proposal, but what he heard next was a shocker. It was reported that
after the proposal, Poliana and Frau went to drink together.
Just the two of them!
A single woman and a single man!
Together!
Drinking!
In the middle of the night!
The worst thing was, the spy who reported this event lost Poliana and
Frau after they left the restaurant, so no one knew what happened
afterward! Did they really go for drinks? Did something else happen?
This shocking event almost killed Lucius the First. It was lucky that he
had a healthy heart and a normal blood pressure or else, he would’ve
needed a doctor. He remained in this room for a long time shaking in
shock and disbelief.
A man and a woman drinking at night together… There was only one
thing that could’ve happened afterward. It was so obvious! In the past,
there were some occasions when Lucius the First and Poliana got drunk
and fell asleep in the same room. Although nothing happened at the
time, the emperor wasn’t in love with her until much later.
If something like this happened now… If he and Poliana got drunk
together now… Lucius the First knew they wouldn’t end up sleeping
together innocently. She was the woman he loved, so how would he be
able to fall asleep next to her?
The more he thought about the situation, the angrier he became. Just
what happened between Poliana and Frau Sneke last night?

Chapter 180: Chapter 180

Chapter 180
Lucius the First knew that the right thing to do was to let the woman he
loved go. “If you love someone, you should set her free,” right?
This was especially the case recently. Ever since the incident when Stra
suffered from the phantom pregnancy, the emperor was determined to
forget about Poliana. He was married after all and was about to become
a father too. He had to let Poliana go. He had to give up on his true love.
There was no doubt that this was the logical thing to do.
But even though he knew what the right thing to do was, he just couldn’t
do it. His heart refused to do what his brain told him to do.
At first, he thought that if he didn’t see her as often, he would be able to
forget her. Unfortunately, he was very wrong about this, because he
missed her even more after only a few days. Whenever he heard about
how Poliana and his three wives got along so well, he felt guilty. Just
hearing Poliana’s name made his heart jump.
All he had to do was stop loving her. If he did, he wouldn’t have to feel
so guilty and apologetic, but Lucius the First still could not give up on his
love.
To stop loving someone wasn’t something a person could accomplish by
will. The harder one tried, the more they thought about the one they
loved. The fact that he couldn’t stop loving Poliana just proved to him
that his love was real.
What a frustrating situation!
A piece of leather, if not used, often became unusable in time. Why
couldn’t his love be the same way? Why couldn’t his love for her cool
down over time?
But even though he couldn’t give up on Poliana, Lucius the First would
never force her to become his. There were times when he secretly
imagined possessing her, but he knew he would never do it in real life.
All he wanted was Poliana’s happiness; her happiness was more
important than his own.
Lucius the First felt like he could do anything for her as long as it didn’t
harm his kingdom. If she found a good man, then he would be happy to
see her get married.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
He tapped the table faster and faster until suddenly, he stopped. Lucius
the First reminded himself of who he was. He was the ruler of this
kingdom. He was the master of the knightess sitting in front of him. He
had three wives and one of them was pregnant.
He had to let Poliana go; he had to let her live her life.
But Poliana Winter was his favorite knight, which meant that he should
be very involved in her life. He should know whether or not she was
going to be marrying Frau Sneke.
After rationalizing himself, Lucius the First asked Poliana, “I heard Frau
Sneke proposed to you…”
“Oh, I rejected him.”
Poliana still thought of Frau in a positive way, but this didn’t mean she
was going to marry him. Just as Rebecca said, Poliana knew that she
had the luxury of choosing her own husband. Just because he proposed
to her didn’t mean that she was obligated or desperate enough to marry
him. Accepting his proposal would’ve been a rash decision.
Besides, perhaps someone else like Frau, who was better looking will
propose to her in the near future for the same reason.
Lucius the First, after hearing Poliana’s reply, burst into a peal of
overjoyed laughter.
“Hahahahaha!”
The emperor often had a faint smile on his face, but it was rare for him to
laugh out loud like this. It seemed that he loved her answer for some
reason. He acted like he heard an excellent joke, and this made her feel
uncomfortable.
‘Does he not want me to get married?’
Poliana had been serving the emperor for a very long time. She hasn’t
seen Lucius the First laugh this happily since the time he kicked Sir
Ainno out; this situation was very odd.
Why was the emperor laughing so happily?
She didn’t have to think too much to figure it out. To her, it seemed very
obvious.
‘Is he worried about the awkward position my husband may have in the
court among the other nobles? Is he worried that the other noblemen will
make a fuss about it?’
If that was the case…. Then there was only one thing she could do!
“Your highness, if you wish me to remain unmarried, then I will, of
course, honor your wish.”
“Oh… Noooooo… I-if you find a g-good mannn… Then y-you should get
married…”
Lucius the First somehow regained his peaceful smile and replied. The
emperor looked more beautiful than ever. This blinded her. There was
no way he could be compared to any other man.
Certainly not Frau Sneke.
Poliana could barely keep her eyes open because of his dazzling
beauty.
The emperor explained, “I was just worried because I heard that that
man proposed to you for an inappropriate reason. As you must know, Sir
Pol, one must always be careful of gold diggers.”
It was rare to find a gold digger in the noble system because most
marriages were carefully arranged by the parents after extensive vetting
and research. The concept of gold diggers existed more so among the
commoners and very low-ranking aristocrats.
There were, however, odd times when a gorgeous gold digger
successfully captured a young nobleman’s heart. In these cases, things
didn’t end very well for the men. They would usually end up losing a lot
of their wealth and reputation.
Gold diggers usually approached older bachelors who didn’t have any
parent that could arrange a proper marriage. These older bachelors, who
usually didn’t have much experience with women, were gullible.
Poliana’s situation was unfortunately very similar to this.
Lucius the First would gladly help her get married if she found a good
man. He would even provide her the dowry and wish her all the best.
He would feel devastated if she were to marry a gold digger. This case
was especially ridiculous because Frau Sneke flat out told her of his
intention.
The emperor was determined to remain vigilant for Poliana. She was a
strong woman whose protective instinct could be used against her.
Lucius the First could see her being attracted to a delicate fragile man,
so what if a sneaky man acted weak in front of her to gain her attention?!
There were moments when the emperor considered doing this in hopes
of gaining Poliana’s heart. If he thought there was even the slightest
chance, he would do it over and over again.
What Frau Sneke was doing… It was very obvious to the emperor that
Frau Sneke fooling Poliana.
Poliana said to him, “Your highness, I don’t think Frau Sneke would
make a good gold digger.”
Other than the fact that Poliana found him overly honest, Frau Sneke
was also not very good looking. Beauty was an essential requirement for
a gold digger.
Poliana added, “He can’t be a gold digger because he is ugly.”
Lucius the First’s smile widened. Her answer made him feel relieved and
happy. He asked, “So you find him ugly, Sir Pol?”
“Yes.”
This was the truth. Frau was not handsome, but he was kind-looking,
and this was why Poliana had a good feeling about him. Her first
impression of him was positive as well. But there was no doubt that he
was not a handsome man.
“So what did you do with him last night? Just drinking?”
“We just talked, your highness. I decided to become his friend since we
are of the same age.”
Lucius the First sighed in relief, but what he didn’t know was that he was
very mistaken about this situation. Poliana did value good looks in a
man, but she already had a source of beauty in her life.
Lucius the First.
Poliana felt that having such a beautiful emperor in her life was more
than enough to satisfy her. She didn’t need a beautiful man as her
husband in addition to him. She could see the emperor every day if she
wished, so what would be the point of having a decent looking man at
home? Besides, there could be no man more gorgeous than her
emperor.
Unfortunately, the emperor truly believed that all Poliana wanted was to
become Frau’s friend and nothing more. Poliana already had so many
male friends, so Lucius the First didn’t think much of this situation. But
the problem was, in Poliana’s mind, she designated Frau as a friend who
could potentially become something more.
Even though Poliana knew Frau approached her for her money, she still
found it amazing that there was a man in this world who dreamt of
marrying her, especially a man of her own age! She was ecstatic.
As soon as Frau proposed to her, he was successfully able to grab her
attention.

Chapter 181: Chapter 181

Chapter 181
Poliana felt curious about Frau Sneke; she also couldn’t help but wonder
what it would be like to marry him. What kind of life would she have?
This was the first time ever for her to feel this way, and she liked it.
She didn’t care that Frau wasn’t a particularly dependable man because
she was dependable herself. It was okay that he didn’t have any money
because she had plenty. It was also fine that he didn’t have a significant
rank since hers was high enough.
Frau told her he was fine not having any children. He wanted to marry
her not because he was pressured by his parents. He himself wanted to
marry her for her money and status, and she liked it.
For now, Frau was at the top of the potential husband list for Poliana.
Since there wasn’t anyone else on the list, he was on the top. If Lucius
the First knew about this, he would’ve fainted.
But for now, the emperor had no idea. He smiled kindly and said to
Poliana, “A marriage is a very important deal, so I really hope you end
up marrying someone you really like, Pol. People around you may
pressure you, but please don’t be so rash with your decision. I will
protect you and make sure no one forces you.”
“I know that, your highness.”
“Don’t just marry anyone just because you feel pressured or feel like it’s
too late. Don’t marry an average man, Pol. You need to marry someone
who is handsome and from a good family. Someone with a good body
and has a good personality. It will have to be someone I approve of.”
It sounded like the emperor wanted her to never get married. Poliana
laughed at his nagging.
***
After Poliana left, Lucius the First sighed. He wished he could make his
worries go away. All those sleepless nights…
‘Frau Sneke.’
The man who made the emperor almost faint.
Lucius the First took a deep breath. He had to lose his personal feelings
and think objectively about this situation.
Frau Sneke. He was from a decent family, but he was kicked out of it. He
was a doctor, so he wasn’t even a knight even though he was from a
good noble family. He wasn’t rich and he wasn’t a genius doctor either.
So how dare he propose to Poliana? Even the emperor, with his beauty
and power, couldn’t dare to do it, yet here he was, a below-average
nobleman daring to marry his love.
Frau Sneke.
His crime was so great that he deserved to be punished with death. The
emperor was so furious that he wanted to rip Frau Sneke’s body into
pieces.
‘How dare he covet Pol’s wealth? How dare he insult the woman I love?’
This information was collected and reported to him by the Intelligence
Unit. The unit did not consider it very important, however, so it did not
have much detail.
It was only reported to Lucius the First because Poliana was his favorite
knight. If she was anyone else, this incident wouldn’t have been related
to the emperor, especially because Poliana turned Frau down.
There were only a few things Lucius the First knew about this incident
and he was unhappy about it. He wanted all the details. For example,
how long have Poliana and Frau known each other? How did they first
meet? How often have they been meeting? Was there a chance that
they might get together?
Lucius the First contemplated.
Should he explore this situation further? Or should he leave it alone?
It seemed that Poliana wasn’t interested in Frau, which meant there was
no reason the emperor had to be worried about it. It would be a waste of
time and manpower to explore this incident any further.
However…
Lucius the First clenched his fists hard. The fury he felt… He couldn’t
control it.
Should he get someone to find out more about this incident? Or should
he leave it alone?
The emperor contemplated for a long time. He had never thought so
hard about anything else before. He was the emperor. All he had to do
was order it and it would be done without a question.
But… If he ordered such a thing, it would be the same as him admitting
that he was very interested in Poliana and her affairs. There was no
reason for the emperor to spy on Frau Sneke other than his connection,
not Poliana. What would the Intelligence Unit think if Lucius the First
ordered it to spy on Frau?
He knew no one would question his motive, but this wasn’t how he
wanted his men to work. He wanted his men to think for themselves and
know the reasons behind what they do.
A good ruler needed to follow the same rules as his subjects. Lucius the
First swore he would never become a dictator, although there were days
when he wished he could act like one.
Like the days when he finds out that another man proposed to the
woman he loved.
Like the days when he felt so angry that he couldn’t even tell the woman
he loved the truth.
Like the days when he couldn’t even go out and beat up the guy who
proposed to the woman he loved.
Love was like an illness. It made Lucius the First to become sicker and
weaker.

Chapter 182: Chapter 182

Chapter 182
Normally, there wasn’t much to do for the leader of an entire division.
Except for someone like Sir Ainno, most highest-ranking knights rarely
had to use their swords.
This was especially the case as the knights became older. As they aged
and climbed the political ladder, the knights became more experienced,
but they lost their stamina and speed along the way. Poliana was the
one responsible for the protection of the lady’s quarters, which meant
that in reality, all she had to do was maintain the area by walking around
the place a few times. Most of the actual work was expected to be done
by her guards.
But Poliana refused to sit around. She did everything. She, of course,
assigned duties to her guards, but Poliana also participated actively. She
often patrolled and guarded the area herself, which annoyed her men
greatly. A hard-working boss meant that her men had to work just as
hard or even harder.
Today, instead of going to the lady’s quarters, Poliana walked towards
the training field. When her guards saw their boss, they saluted her in
surprise. They screamed, “Oh, boss! Welcome!”
“What brings you here?”
“We were working very hard, Boss! We weren’t fooling around at all!”
Poliana looked around expertly to check how her guards were training.
Afterward, she waved at them and ordered, “At ease.”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
“I want to practice my archery.”
“Of course! We will set it up immediately, Boss!”
“I don’t need any of you to assist me. I don’t need anyone to pick up the
arrows. I just want to practice by myself, ok? You all know how horrible
my archery skill is, right?”
“Of course! We won’t let anyone come near you to disturb you!”
It wasn’t that she was worried someone might get accidentally hit by her
runaway arrow. She just wanted to be alone so she wouldn’t be as
embarrassed. Her guards understood her intentions, knowing how bad
her archery was, so they left her alone.
Poliana slowly pulled the string and let the arrow go. The arrow flew
halfway before falling to the ground.
‘Dammit.’
Poliana tried again, and this time, the arrow reached near the target. She
sighed deeply and took a slow breath. It was Lucius the First and Sir
Baufallo who taught her how to shoot an arrow. These two men were
excellent hunters and archers.
Her teachers were amazing, but Poliana, who was their student, was
terrible. It was partly because she had minimal experience. She found it
hard even to find the right posture. A good posture was important for any
form of fighting skills. Poliana steadied her feet and calmed down her
breath.
Slowly, she shot her arrow again and this time, it hit the outer of the
target. This was the best one of the day so far, but she was still very far
from hitting the center.
Poliana thought suddenly, ‘Sir Deke must be doing a very good job.’
The Intelligence Unit was the emperor’s secret project. Poliana
recommended Sir Deke to lead the unit and it seemed that he was doing
excellent work.
Because it was not an official division, and because Sir Deke and Lucius
the First chose all the members of it secretly, not even Poliana knew
much about it. She didn’t know who belonged to it, or even how many
men were involved. All she knew was the existence of such a unit.
‘I can’t believe the emperor knew about what happened last night at the
restaurant with Frau.’
It happened in a public place with many eyes around them so it wasn’t
actually a secret, but it was impressive to see how fast the emperor
learned about it. Poliana wasn’t wearing her uniform, but there was a
good chance someone recognized her. After all, she had very distinctive
features. She had large scars on her face and her hair was unusually
short.
Poliana shook her head, ‘Stop! I can’t be so distracted. I need to focus.’
She needed to remain calm and concentrated if she wanted to hit her
target.
Concentration! Concentration!
It wasn’t that she expected to become an expert archer. She knew very
well she would never be able to accomplish such a dream. She only had
one realistic goal, and that was to catch something.
Poliana tried shooting another arrow, and this time, it hit the outer edge
of the target again.
***
After her practice, Poliana changed into her blue uniform and went to
visit Rebecca. Unfortunately, Rebecca was still angry and she refused to
see Poliana. Left with nothing else to do, Poliana decided to go visit Frau
instead. Based on her experience, Poliana guessed that Frau would be
either by Rebecca’s side or at the doctor’s quarter.
Poliana casually walked to the doctor’s quarter and bowed to the healers
she saw there. When she didn’t find Frau, she raised her eyebrows.
‘Hmm… Maybe I got him too drunk last night?’
Doctor Frau kept refusing to drink, but Poliana forced him. She filled his
cup over and over again and pressured him to drink. He was from Acreia
after all, so she expected him to be a strong drinker. Was she wrong
about this?
‘Could it be that he is so hungover that he couldn’t make it to work
today?’
If this was true, Poliana was going to be very disappointed in him.
Poliana didn’t overly enjoy drinking, but because of her position, she
often had to attend events that involved drinking. For this reason,
Poliana would’ve preferred her husband to be a strong drinker.
When Poliana didn’t leave the doctor’s quarters, one of the doctors
asked her, “Marquess, did you want something?”
“Where is Frau Sneke?”
“Five doctors, including Doctor Frau, were sent out to the city per the
emperor’s order. There is a skin disease going around due to the
contaminated well water and his highness wanted this situation to be
contained.”
Poliana was impressed with Lucius the First. It was only a few hours ago
when they were discussing this problem, and already, the emperor
figured out a solution to it and carried it out. What a brilliant idea to send
the royal doctors out to help the people!
Of course, the truth was that Lucius the First just wanted Frau gone from
the castle. He was furious with Frau Sneke for proposing to the woman
he loved, and he wanted to get rid of him. The problem was, Lucius the
First never expected Poliana to go visit Frau. He never expected her to
actively seek the doctor out. Lucius the First still believed that Poliana
was not interested in Frau Sneke.
Unfortunately for the emperor, Poliana was very interested in the doctor.
She wanted to find out more about Frau and get to know him better. This
was why she decided to go visit him in the city.
‘I can also explore the city too.’
She could accomplish a lot of things by going outside the castle walls.
She could examine the water contamination problem herself and also
see Frau at the same time. She also hasn’t been out in the city a lot, so
this was going to be a good opportunity for her to learn more about the
place.

Chapter 183: Chapter 183

Chapter 183
The first thing Poliana did was to return home to change. Her blue guard
uniform was too noticeable, and she didn’t have any spare clothes left in
the castle. Perhaps she could’ve borrowed some clothes from the other
guards, but she didn’t want to wear pants.
It was one thing to wear pants to the restaurant last night since she was
invited. But to go out to the city… She knew people might talk about her.
The only pair of pants she could wear that would stop people from
staring was her uniform, but if she wore her blue guard’s uniform,
Poliana knew a lot of people would recognize her.
She was the only knightess in the kingdom. A woman with short hair
wearing a blue uniform would be like her walking around the city wearing
a nametag with her name in bold letters.
Everyone would know that she was Marquess Winter.
Poliana was actually quite popular; most, if not everyone, knew about
her. Lucius the First’s conquest was now a legend and oftentimes,
Poliana was part of the story. The bards sang the emperor’s praises and
the story of Poliana was also very popular. The older population and the
noblemen didn’t like to hear about her, but the young people, children,
and young girls especially loved her story.
She was also very recognizable, and today, Poliana wanted to remain
anonymous. Therefore, she had to stop by at her home.
When she arrived, Poliana took off her guard’s uniform and brought out
a simple dress. She didn’t have many, but she had a few just in case.
She also put on a handkerchief over her hair.
Her dress wasn’t an expensive one, so it made Poliana look like a
commoner. Normally, a noblewoman would have beautiful skin and hair
so even an ugly dress wouldn’t be able to hide the fact that she was a
high-born lady, but in Poliana’s case, this wasn’t true. Her skin was
rough and scarred, so no one would doubt she was just a commoner.
“Good.”
Poliana looked at herself in front of a mirror. She wanted to put on the
handkerchief the way Donau showed to her before, but she wasn’t very
good at it. She could’ve called in a maid or a female servant, but Poliana
didn’t even think of this idea.
‘I look like I should be working in the field.’
Poliana grinned, remembering Sir Donau’s joke.
She hid two daggers on her waist and wrapped her sword with a large
piece of cloth to carry. When she looked at herself in the mirror again,
she was satisfied with what she saw. She looked like a commoner
holding a large bread. She didn’t look strange or out of place. Poliana
thought that even one of her guards might not recognize her in this outfit.
Her butler, when he saw her, cried. In a trembling voice, he grabbed her
sleeve and begged, “Please, Mistress. Why don’t you just wear your
armor instead? Please…”
“Is it that bad? Do I look that horrible?”
Poliana thought she looked okay, but she cared about how others saw
her too. When she asked, her butler shook her head. As her butler, he
just didn’t want her to be walking around like a commoner without a
piece of proper ID on her to prove who she was. The butler replied, “It’s
not that you look bad… It’s just… You are the ‘Marquess Winter,’ and
you are a very important woman. This means you need to always look
important…”
“It’s okay, I won’t reveal my true identity to anyone, so no one will know I
walked around the city looking like this.”
“But… What if…”
“Is Yapa a dangerous city that prevents women from walking around
alone?”
“No, of course not.”
“So, I should be fine.”
Any city couldn’t avoid having beggars, pickpockets, and thieves. But a
well-secured city could make sure to prevent more serious crimes such
as murders and drug uses. This was the capital city of this entire
continent, and it had the best people working to keep it safe.
Thanks to the Third Division, headed by Sir Wook and Sir Jainno, Yapa
had a very low crime rate. The royal guards roamed the city diligently to
keep it safe.
As Poliana walked towards the well, she was glad to see that no one
approached her and stared at her. However, she couldn’t help noticing
that she bumped into the streetwalkers often. When she wore her blue
uniform, people stepped aside to create a clear path for her, but as a
commoner, people ignored her.
Poliana was so used to walking a clear path that she kept bumping into
other people. Some men glared at her and yelled, “Hey, stupid woman!
Watch where you are going!”
Poliana clenched her fists and muttered, “I wish I could just kill them.
How dare they?!” She gritted her teeth and regretted not listening to her
butler.
‘I should’ve done what he suggested.’
But it was too late. Poliana decided that if she saw these rude men
again, she would beat them up.
***
It wasn’t very hard to find Frau in the city. Poliana asked around and
found the hospital where he worked. When she asked one of the nurses,
she was told that there was a makeshift clinic created behind the
hospital building to quarantine those suffering from the skin disease.
When Poliana arrived, she saw that there was a large tent set for the
patients.
Everyone looked very busy, including the doctors, the patients, and their
families. Poliana looked around and found the person she was searching
for. A weak-looking man was sitting on the ground feebly, and Poliana
knew instantly that it was Frau Sneke.
She walked towards him quietly and slapped his back.
Smack!
“Gyaa!”
Frau jumped in shock and when he saw who slapped him, Frau was
even more shocked.
“Marquess!”

Chapter 184: Chapter 184

Chapter 184
Poliana placed her finger on her lips to hush Frau. She couldn’t help the
other royal doctors recognizing her, but she didn’t want everyone else in
the area to learn that Marquess Winter was here.
She said to Frau, “Don’t be so loud. I don’t want people to make a fuss
about me.”
“What bring you here, Marquess?”
“His highness told me about the skin disease that’s going around the
city. I wanted to have a look and see how bad it is when I heard that you
were assigned here.”
Poliana visited this place out of curiosity, but she was a high-ranking
government worker, which meant that she should at least learn about the
current condition of the hospital. Frau asked his co-workers to cover for
him and began to report to Poliana.
Although the new skin disease that was going around the city was highly
contagious, it was not a severe illness. The symptoms were relatively
mild and were very similar to tick bites. Poliana relaxed after hearing
those details and began to look around.
It seemed that Frau was more comfortable treating the commoners than
the other royal doctors. The rumor about him being caught treating the
commoners must’ve been true after all.
Poliana asked, “So I heard you have experiences in treating the
commoners?”
“Yes, I got caught by my teacher and almost got myself kicked out from
the royal castle…”
Frau’s face became rigid. Poliana then asked, “Then is it also true that
you charged them for your service?”
“Well… At the time, I was considering opening a hospital for the
commoners as a business, not as a charity project.”
“Hmm… That’s an unusual idea. Usually, a nobleman would provide
funds for free clinics for the people instead of trying to make money off of
them.”
“…yes.”
“I’m surprised that you didn’t get kicked out of the royal medical
program.”
“Yes. I was reprimanded severely, so I had to give up my idea. Haha.”
Frau explained honestly about what happened. This incident happened
after Frau was disowned by his family, so Baron Redikal felt sorry for
him. This was the only reason why Baron Redikal didn’t kick Frau out
from the castle.
Frau was interested in the idea of opening a hospital for the commoners
because he knew he didn’t belong to the aristocratic society anymore. At
the time, he thought he should forget about being a nobleman and try
living as a commoner.
He now knew this was clearly a stupid idea. Frau said to Poliana, “It was
really hard trying to live as a commoner.”
Poliana thought secretly, ‘Wow, this guy is super honest.’
Frau said things that most people wouldn’t dare to say out loud. He was
being very honest with her and Poliana liked that. Most women might not
have liked what he said, but at the moment, Poliana thought very highly
of him. Revealing his past mistakes and weaknesses couldn’t have been
hard for a man, but it seemed that Frau didn’t care to show them. He
didn’t pretend to be strong and invincible like most men Poliana knew.
Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly.
If Lady Rebecca allowed her into her quarters for a chat, Poliana
would’ve received some snacks from the lady. Today, Poliana also had a
very light lunch and had a vigorous archery practice. It was no wonder
she was starving.
Frau murmured, “If you are hungry, Marquess, perhaps you should
eat…”
“Don’t you still have more work to do?”
“Pardon? Oh, yes! So if you want to eat with me, you might have to wait
at least 2 more hours…”
“Well, then I will just eat here too.”
Poliana spotted a few children playing around. She waved at them and
they came to her. She was used to ordering people around, so she felt
comfortable directing the children.
The little boy asked, “Why did you call us?”
“Go buy me something to eat and bring it back here.”
“Why should we do that for you?”
“Because I will pay you.”
The children smiled brightly, and Poliana smiled as well. Money was a
wonderful thing, it had the power to make everyone smile.
Power and money were definitely the two best things in the world.
The little boy replied, “I can go by myself.”
“No, take the other children too. Bring enough food to feed all the
doctors over there.”
“Alright.”
Poliana knew the approximate prices of grains, gold, and salt, but she
had no idea about how much cooked meals cost. She ended up giving
too much money, and the children brought back a huge amount of food.
The royal doctors, who have been unhappy about having to treat the
commoners, smiled brightly. Poliana wanted to remain anonymous, so
Frau told them that one of the patients was so thankful that he bought
them this meal to show his appreciation.
The doctors began to eat. Poliana sat far away from them and ate as
well with Frau, who was sitting next to her awkwardly. After a long
silence, Poliana said to him, “So, about your marriage proposal…”
“Pardon!?”
Frau almost threw up from shock. He looked like he was about to kneel
to beg her forgiveness, so Poliana continued quickly, “I will consider it
carefully.”
Frau gaped, showing off the food still inside his mouth. Poliana pushed
his chin up to close his mouth for him and added, “So try your best; I like
a man who tries hard.”
“M-m-m-m-m-m—”
“Yes, that’s right. I am Acreia’s Marques Poliana Winter.”
Frau continued to stammer. He looked so weak and hesitant, that
Poliana felt a little disappointed, but this wasn’t a big deal. She didn’t
know when she will make her decision, but she had plenty of time to
think about it.
In front of the hospital building, the spinster and an old bachelor sat on
the ground and ate their meals. The woman looked like a farm worker
while the man looked like he was afraid of her. The air was thick with
smoke, making everyone’s eyes water. The food was horrible, and the
sound the patients’ groans were disturbing.
This situation wasn’t romantic at all, but Poliana found it funny. She was
actually enjoying the moment. Filling her empty stomach with horrible
food, Poliana laughed quietly.

Chapter 185: Chapter 185

Chapter 185
Lucius the First thought that by removing Frau Sneke from the castle, he
could essentially separate him from Poliana. The emperor, however,
made a mistake of not considering the possibility that Poliana might seek
Frau out.
From that day when Poliana visited Frau at the public hospital, Poliana
visited him often after work. They didn’t do anything special together;
Frau just worked hard and Poliana watched him do his job. After he
completed his shift, they would go out to eat or drink together. They
didn’t see each other every day because Poliana, being a popular
Marquess, was very busy. She was invited to different places frequently,
so she couldn’t spend time with Frau every evening, however, they met
each other often enough.
Poliana began to smile and laugh more often. She felt happier nowadays
and she found Frau adorable. He worked so hard and she liked this side
of him. Sometimes, when she was about to sit on the ground, Frau
would place his clean handkerchief on it for her. Sometimes, when she
was about to walk up the stairs, he would offer her his hand. Frau clearly
saw her as a woman and therefore treated her as one.
Poliana liked this a lot.
At this rate, it wasn’t going to be long before Poliana walked up to the
emperor and announced that she was going to get married. If such a
thing happened, there was no doubt that Lucius the First would faint
from shock.
Luckily for the emperor, such a thing didn’t happen. Were the gods
looking out for him? Lucius the First had always been very lucky after all.
He was able to unite the entire continent in 10 years and during this
time, he didn’t lose anyone close to him. He was also born as the sole
heir to his kingdom.
He was indeed a very lucky guy, and his luck helped him again because
the time to leave for Nanaba came quickly. Poliana had to accompany
the emperor to provide protection for Lady Tory and Lady Stra. Per the
emperor’s order, Frau was forced to remain in Yapa.
***
Cekel went out to talk to her brother, who was about to leave for Nanaba
with the emperor. She wanted to find out what her brother learned about
Frau, but Sir Deke hasn’t come to her in a very long time. She knew her
brother was busy, but this was not acceptable. When he needed her,
she was there for him to provide as much information as possible but
now that she asked him for a favor, he was nowhere to be seen.
Sir Deke hasn’t been home in a while either, so it was time for her to go
out and find him at his work. She tried to avoid going to the main castle
as much as possible, but this couldn’t wait any longer.
Just then, she saw Sir Ainno walking towards her.
‘Dammit.’
Sir Ainno had his usual scowl on his face, making her feel
uncomfortable.
“…”
“…”
Neither of them slowed down as they stared at each other. To Cekel’s
relief, he walked by her just as she walked past him. Cekel sighed
deeply and thought in relief, ‘I guess he finally gave up.’
Normally, he would have approached her and said something strange.
He would have tried to get her attention, especially because there wasn’t
anyone around them, but it seems that Sir Ainno had finally changed his
mind; Cekel was thrilled.
She put her hand on her chest to calm herself down. She shook her
head, reminding herself that they weren’t meant to be. Even if they were,
she didn’t want it.
***
When Cekel found Sir Deke, the first thing he did was to apologize to
her. He told her that he was so busy that although he found out about
Frau, he didn’t get the time to visit her.
At first, when Cekel asked him to find out about Frau Sneke, Sir Deke
wondered, ‘Is she interested in this man?’
When Cekel’s three brothers heard her decision to never marry, they all
felt a little guilty about it. If even one of them remained home and didn’t
go to the 10-year-long war, Cekel’s fiancé would’ve never broken their
engagement. And even if he did, Cekel would have been able to find
another man to marry if one of the brothers was home.
Because she was the only child remaining at home, Cekel had to take
care of their parents alone in her brothers’ absence. And now that their
situation was improving, Cekel was too old to marry unless she married
a divorced man or a widower.
Cekel didn’t want her parents and her brothers to go around and beg
around to find her a man. This was why she decided to remain a
spinster. Cekel also announced that since she found herself a decent
job, her family wouldn’t have to support her for the rest of her life.
Sir Deke felt ashamed that he and his brothers had let their sister down.
It was their fault that Cekel was never able to get married. So when she
asked about a nobleman, Sir Deke was excited. He immediately began
to do his research on Frau and he was happy to confirm that Frau Sneke
was a single nobleman. The fact that he was disowned by his family
wasn’t great, but it wasn’t the worst thing.
But it wasn’t long before Sir Deke began to find out more about Frau.
Just as Cekel and their parents heard a long time ago, Frau did have a
problem with a woman. It was just once, and there haven’t been any
other rumors since then, but the incident was bad enough that Frau’s
family kicked him out.
Apparently, Frau Sneke was in a relationship with a servant at his own
home and this angered his father greatly. If Frau was just using the
woman, it would’ve been considered acceptable, but Frau wanted to
marry her. In the end, his father disowned him.
Cekel listened unhappily as Sir Deke added, “But other than that, he is
clean. The incident also ended cleanly.”
It was a huge incident in the Sneke family, but after this event, Frau
never had problems with any other woman. He remained single and he
currently lived in Yapa. He regularly contacted his friends and
acquaintances who still lived in Nanaba.
Cekel asked, “Cleanly? What do you mean?”
“That female servant ended up dying. Since then, he hasn’t been in a
relationship with anyone. If he begged forgiveness, his family probably
would’ve accepted him back, but he never did… probably because of his
pride.”
The truth was, Cekel’s parents already knew about what happened to
Frau. They just didn’t tell their daughter the details because it was an
unsavory story unfit for a young lady.
Cekel thanked her brother, “I see, thank you for finding out about it.”
“Oh, and you heard that Frau proposed to Sir Poliana, right?”
“Yeah, I did. She told me herself. She refused him, so it’s all good.”
Cekel told Sir Deke the details of the proposal, which shocked him.
Based on what Sir Deke learned about Frau, he never expected Doctor
Sneke to be the kind of a guy who would be willing to marry a woman for
money. Sir Deke murmured, “I am surprised to hear that… I didn’t think
Frau was that kind of a man… Hmm, but I guess Marquess Winter is
indeed very rich, so…”

Chapter 186: Chapter 186

Chapter 186
Sir Deke looked at Cekel, hoping to find out more about what happened
to Poliana and Frau, but Cekel remained quiet. He was the head of the
Intelligence Unit and Cekel hoped Sir Deke learned to find his own
information whenever possible so he could become better at his job.
What bothered Cekel right now was whether or not she should tell
Poliana about what she heard today. Poliana was a noblewoman so
Cekel was certain that Marquess did not involve personal feelings when
it comes to her marriage. Cekel guessed that Poliana liked Frau’s
honesty. The fact that he straight out told her why he wanted to marry
her seemed to have impressed Poliana. When Lady Rebecca heard
about this proposal, she became so angry that she refused to see her.
What happened to Frau and the servant happened over 10 years ago,
so it felt odd to bring it up to Poliana. If the servant was still alive and
Frau was still visiting her, it would’ve been a problem, but according to
Sir Deke, the woman in question was dead.
Even if Frau was still in love with that woman, this wasn’t a problem. It
couldn’t even be considered cheating. The fact was, even if a man did
cheat on his wife with another woman, this usually wasn’t enough for a
woman to ask for a divorce.
Sir Deke offered to Cekel, “If you want, I can find out more about Frau.”
Sir Deke did his research in Yapa only. He suspected that those living in
Nanaba would know more about Frau. He could send a message to his
contact in Nanaba to request help if necessary. Cekel shook her head.
Sir Deke thought in relief, ‘I guess she is going to give up on him. Good.
I’m glad. It would be better for her to become a second wife to someone
more reliable than marrying someone like Frau Sneke…’
Sir Deke grinned as he pictured Frau. To him, someone like Frau wasn’t
a proper man. Doctor Frau was too fragile.
Cekel said her goodbye to her brother and began to return to the lady’s
quarters. She thought hopefully, ‘I’m sure it’s all fine.’
She walked slowly as she assessed the situation. If she thought Poliana
was deeply in love with Frau, Cekel would’ve stopped her, but this
wasn’t the case. Poliana only wanted Frau as her legal husband and
nothing more.
The problem, however, was the Cekel had no idea what was really going
on. Poliana and Frau were meeting each other often for dates, and
because Cekel didn’t know about this, she didn’t think much of the
situation.
Cekel sighed deeply, thinking that perhaps it would have been better if
Sir Ainno and Poliana got married to each other. It would be a union of
two powerful people, which meant some nobles may object, but no one
could deny that their statuses were equally matched. Besides, both
Poliana and Sir Ainno were famous for worshiping the emperor; perhaps
they would make a great couple. Cekel could imagine them waking up
every morning and bowing to the giant portrait of Lucius the First.
Cekel sighed again, knowing that she was being silly. She knew
something like this would never happen in real life. Both Poliana and Sir
Ainno were powerful and intelligent people, so Cekel decided that there
was no need for a mere maid like herself to be worried about them. They
would make the right decisions for themselves; she had to believe this.
There was nothing she could or should do at this point.
She needed to focus on her own life now that all of her brothers returned
safely from the war. She was no longer the head of the family. She didn’t
have to work so hard to survive anymore; she just had to live her life.
***
Sir Ainno reported to the emperor of his protection plan details for the
journey to Nanaba. Since Sir Ainno had been doing an excellent job so
far, Lucius the First didn’t object to anything; he gave him his approval
without another word. After the official business talk was over, Sir Ainno
said to the emperor, “I am planning to get married, your highness.”
Sir Ainno looked overly calm as if this wasn’t a big deal. Lucius the First
asked in surprise, “With who?” The emperor was already aware of what
was going on between Sir Ainno and Lady Cekel. Sir Ainno was
pursuing this woman without any success. Apparently, Lady Cekel was
doing her best to avoid Sir Ainno.
So what was happening here? Sir Ainno was getting married? This didn’t
make sense at all, but the emperor knew his friend very well. He knew
that Sir Ainno wouldn’t bring up something like this unless he meant it.
Sir Ainno replied, “It’s Lady Cekel Ingreter.”
“But as far as I know, nothing has been happening between you and
Lady Ingreter. Also, the Ingreter family is well beneath the Seki family,
and most of all, didn’t you tell me that you wanted me to find you an
appropriate wife? Am I not remembering our conversation correctly?”
Lucius the First feigned his ignorance. He didn’t want Sir Ainno to know
that he knew anything. The emperor enjoyed watching his friend suffer,
just as Sir Ainno secretly liked the emperor squirm. This was how they
could remain best friends all these years.
Suddenly, Sir Ainno replied coldly, “You already know everything, so
why are you pretending to not know? I know that you know, your
highness; you should stop this.”
Lucius the First grinned and Sir Ainno clenched his fists, wanting to
punch him. Sir Ainno added, “Didn’t you think I never noticed how Sir
Poliana laughed hilariously whenever she sees me? And every time she
does, I know you are doing your best not to burst into laughter too.”
A similar thing happened when Lucius the First revealed to Sir Ainno that
he was in love with Poliana. For a long time, Sir Ainno used to burst into
laughter whenever he saw Poliana.
Lucius the First wanted to play this game a while longer, so he asked
innocently, “What are you talking about, Inno? Does Marquess Winter
laughing have anything to do with this? How? I don’t understand what
you are trying to say.”
“I know Sir Poliana told you about me and Lady Cekel. I’ll bet you were
the first one she told, weren’t you? Everyone knows that you and
Marquess Winter love to gossip together.”
Lucius the First shook his head with an arrogant expression. He waved
his finger and replied, “You are wrong, Inno. It was me who told Sir Pol.”
Sir Ainno thought in annoyance, ‘Why does he look so smug about this?’
When he continued to look irritated, Lucius the First finally decided to
congratulate his friend.
“I had no idea you were able to gain Lady Cekel’s affection already. I
know how much you love her, so I am glad it worked out.
Congratulations, Inno. But I am curious as to how you were able to
capture her heart. Can you tell me?”
Lucius the First was in a similar situation and he wanted to know the
secret behind capturing a woman’s heart. He knew he might not be able
to use the same tactic on Poliana, but the emperor still wanted to know.
Sir Ainno shook his head in surprise. He replied, “What are you talking
about? Nothing happened, Lady Cekel still doesn’t like me.”
“What?”

Chapter 187: Chapter 187

Chapter 187
Sir Ainno explained to the emperor, “She won’t budge; this is harder than
I expected. It’s harder than when we had to figure out how to cross the
Koemong River. I haven’t had any luck getting her affection.”
“But you just told me that you were getting married.”
“That’s right, I am getting married.”
Sir Ainno walked up to Lucius the First’s desk and placed his hands on
it. He leaned towards the emperor and said, “I am not a great selfless
man like you, your highness. I am willing to use whatever I have,
including my power and influence, to make things happen for me.”
Lucius the First, the emperor who united the entire continent, couldn’t
even have the woman he loved. The emperor became sadder every day
as his one-sided love grew uncontrollably. Sir Ainno didn’t want this kind
of life. He didn’t want to give up on the woman he loved.
Recently, he forced Sir Beke to invite him for dinner, hoping to get a
glimpse of Lady Cekel. Lady Cekel wasn’t present at home,
unfortunately, but when Sir Ainno saw how the Viscount Ingreter and his
wife reacted to him, Sir Ainno realized the truth. Cekel’s parents were so
honored to have Sir Ainno for dinner, and Sir Ainno decided that he had
been wrong. He has been thinking like the way Lucius the First did, and
this was unnecessary.
The emperor, his closest friend, loved a woman so much that he hid his
feelings and prayed for her happiness. At first, Sir Ainno thought he
should do the same that he should get Lady Cekel’s love before formally
making a marriage offer to her parents.
But after the dinner, Sir Ainno learned that this way of love wasn’t for
him. Such a selfless love was how Lucius the First loved, not him. The
ruthless conqueror was a coward when it came to love and there was no
reason why Sir Ainno should follow his suit.
In front of the emperor, the best knight of Acreia Sir Ainno announced,
“Your highness, I will make sure to marry the woman I love.”
“Even though she doesn’t love you?”
“Since when did we ever involve feelings in marriages?”
“Inno… Don’t be like that. If you truly love her, you should be kind to her.
Be thoughtful about her feelings and needs; that is what a real man
would do.”
“Your highness, I am not a great man like you so I can’t be that altruistic.
I just can’t.”
Sir Ainno was a man of action, not words. It was a mistake to try to
mimic Lucius the First. It made sense for the emperor to wait for the
woman he loves to love him back, but for Sir Ainno, this didn’t make
sense. If you hate someone, you should punch that person. If you love
someone, you should kiss that person.
Sir Ainno had no idea that love could be this powerful. It made the
emperor show tears, and now, it was burning him alive.
Lucius the First felt upset for his friend. He knew how hard it was to love
a woman who didn’t love him back. The emperor, however, also knew
how dangerous it could be for a powerful man to fall in love.
If Lucius the First didn’t consider Poliana’s love, he could’ve easily
married her. He could’ve made a plausible excuse to convince her. What
if he just told her that their marriage was necessary to undermine the
other powerful unruly nobles? It would be a ridiculous reason, but Lucius
the First knew Poliana would do it if he asked. If he ordered her, Poliana
would marry him, and because he knew this very well, Lucius the First
could never ask her to do it.
The emperor said to his friend, “Inno, you can’t do that.”
The emperor wanted Sir Ainno to do the right thing, but the great knight
begged him, “Lucius, please let me marry her. I love her.”
It was rare for Sir Ainno to call the emperor by his first name. This
showed that Sir Ainno was serious about marrying Lady Cekel. The
emperor replied, “Don’t you think forcing your love on her is a strange
way to show her how you feel?”
“But she won’t accept my love no matter what I do! What else am I
supposed to do?”
Unfortunately, Sir Ainno had no talent when it came to love. He was in
his thirties, yet he has never dated anyone before. Lady Cekel was his
first love. Sir Ainno had everything; he was from a powerful family and
was the best fighter in the kingdom. In addition, he was the closest friend
of the emperor, which made him the most eligible bachelor in the
continent.
Of course, as a person, Sir Ainno was a horrible man. He had a bad
temper and he treated those beneath him disrespectfully. He was
extremely impatient in most things except when he wanted to prank the
emperor.
Overall, Sir Ainno was a mean bastard. The emperor offered, “Inno, do
you want me to teach you how to court a woman?”
“Your highness, I’m sorry to tell you but the ladies like you because of
your looks.”
Sir Ainno knew Lucius the First very well. He knew that the emperor
never had to make an effort to court a woman. After all, he was the
emperor who was also the most gorgeous man in the world. Besides,
why would Sir Ainno take the emperor’s advice when Lucius the First
also was failing miserably at getting Poliana’s affection?
Sir Ainno said to the emperor, “If I can’t have Lady Cekel’s love, I would
like to at least have her as my legal wife! So please allow me this favor! I
beg of you!”
“Inno, like you suspected, I already knew how you felt about Lady Cekel.
I have been thinking that if you can make her fall in love with you, I
would allow you to marry her, but… This isn’t the way to do it. I can’t
allow you to do it.”
Sir Ainno pouted and the emperor realized that he pissed his friend off.
Lucius the First began to sweat a little. His friend was a mean bastard,
and he became even worse when he got pissed off. The emperor
wondered nervously, ‘Is he going to hit me? Will he flip the desk? What if
he throws a lizard at me? He wouldn’t dare… Would he?’
Lucius the First knew Sir Ainno very well, which was why he was
becoming nervous. But to the emperor’s surprise, Sir Ainno didn’t do
anything. Sir Ainno also knew the emperor well, so he knew that making
a fuss now wouldn’t be enough to change Lucius the First’s mind.
‘If I continue to insist, Lucius isn’t going to give me permission to marry
her.’
A nobleman could not marry without the emperor’s permission. To marry
Cekel, Sir Ainno had to convince Lucius the First somehow. Sir Ainno
thought quickly before replying, “Alright, your highness. If you insist, I will
obey your order.”
“Inno… Are you ill? What are you trying to do now?”
“But if I don’t marry her, my heart will break, just as yours did. So I hope
you understand if I complain about my unrequited love, just as you did
often. I apologize in advance.”
Lucius the First tensed as he asked, “L-like me?”
“Yes, your highness.”
Lucius the First remembered how he used to drag on and on about how
he couldn’t have Poliana. The emperor knew how annoying he had been
to his friend.
Without hesitation, Lucius the First smiled and said to his friend, “Of
course, there is no place for feelings and love in an aristocratic marriage!
What was I thinking? Inno, if you get permission from Viscount Ingreter, I
will let you marry Lady Cekel.”
Sir Ainno bowed exaggeratedly.
“Thank you so much, your highness.”
“But after you get married, you better not come to me whenever you
have problems with your wife, okay?”
“Oh, I’m sure you will still listen to me and give me advice.”
Sir Ainno’s parents and brothers were still in Nanaba. Sir Ainno decided
to tell his parents about his plan to marry Lady Cekel. He wasn’t going to
ask them for permission; he was going to just announce it to them.
Lucius the First watched Sir Ainno enviously and with a sense of worry.

Chapter 188: Chapter 188

Chapter 188
The royal group left Yapa and headed towards Nanaba. The women,
children, and elderly traveled in carriages while the rest rode horses or
walked. Poliana was the only woman on a horse. Just in case, she wore
a layer of chain armor underneath her uniform. She also made sure to
carry her sword and her bow and arrows. In addition, Poliana carried her
helmet as well.
A helmet had always been her must-have item.
The group moved slowly. It couldn’t be helped because it included the
elderly and the children. Some knights, who were impatient, grumbled
about the speed of their travel. When Poliana heard them, she smacked
their heads and said to them, “Don’t be such idiots! These people aren’t
soldiers like we are!”
“But Marquess! Remember when we were returning to Nanaba after the
war? We moved so fast and we were even paving the road as we went!”
Poliana screamed at them, “Oh! Are you telling me you want to pave the
road again as we go?”
“No! Not at all, Marquess! We misspoke!”
“Because if you want, I can certainly send you to where they need new
roads. There are plenty of places in the kingdom where the construction
workers are working day and night to pave fresh new roads, so all you
have to is let me know. I can send you there!”
“No, Marquess! We didn’t mean that! We misspoke!”
The soldiers apologized immediately.
Lady Tory and Lady Stra were healthy young women, so they didn’t tire
easily as they traveled. Unfortunately, however, some of the maids
quickly began to show signs of fatigue and dehydration. Poliana was
glad that they planned an ample amount of time for this trip. This way,
they could make sure all of the travelers remained healthy. No one had
to be left behind.
If this was the army and they were going to war, anyone who couldn’t
keep up would’ve been left behind. These soldiers were ordered to catch
up later, and if they didn’t, they were considered as deserters.
Poliana remembered when she was a young skinny girl trying to keep up
with the other Aehasian soldiers. She had to work so hard just to survive.
She remembered how heavy her armor was and how hot the days were.
She was sweating heavily underneath her armor and her helmet. One of
the Aehas knights seemed like he was going to offer her a ride, but he
didn’t.
But that skinny girl was now a proper knight riding her own horse. Her
horse was an expensive breed, much better than any of the Aehas
knights used to ride. Some time ago, Lucius the First gifted Poliana her
own custom-made armor. It was made of the best quality metal and gold.
Her new armor was both comfortable and beautiful. The only problem
with it was the fact that it fit her perfectly.
‘I can’t gain any weight or else, it won’t fit.’
Poliana remembered the other knights who ended up gaining a beer
belly. In this case, they had to alter their existing armor. It wasn’t
uncommon to see the middle-aged knights wearing armors with the belly
part being shinier than the rest of the armor.
“Hahaha.”
It was such a funny sight that it always made Poliana laugh. She was
now wearing her helmet, so Poliana didn’t have to hide her smile. As
long as she kept relatively quiet, no one could tell what she was thinking
or feeling.
Lucius the First, who has been chatting with Sir Ainno at the front of the
group, slowly approached Poliana. Poliana stopped laughing
immediately and asked, “Did you need something, your highness?”
“Why don’t you take your helmet off? It makes me feel hot and
uncomfortable just looking at it.”
“It’s not uncomfortable at all, your highness. You should wear yours as
well.”
Lucius the First had many different helmets; some were practical while
the others were for show. Poliana wished the emperor would wear his
helmet for protection. Although the road should be safe to travel, it was
always good to be overly cautious.
Lucius the First shook his head, “I don’t want to. It would be so
uncomfortable.”
“Then why don’t you ride in a carriage?”
“That would be even more uncomfortable. By the way, now that I am
riding with you, this reminds me of the day when we returned to Nanaba
in victory.”
Poliana remembered that day very well. She smiled just thinking about it.
It was such a wonderful day with the flowers and colorful confetti dancing
around them. At the time, Poliana was tensed because she was worried
about a surprise attack, but she also enjoyed that day immensely.
Poliana knew she would remember that day forever. Perhaps she could
tell this story to people when she became an old woman.
Poliana replied, “You gave me a flower that day, your highness.”
“Oh, you remembered that?”
Lucius the First looked at her expectantly as Poliana answered him, “I
did carry it around for a while, but I ended up throwing it away because it
wilted. I certainly remembered getting it from you, your highness. It made
me feel much more relaxed when you gave it to me. You always have a
way to make me feel better, your highness. I am always so thankful to
you.”
Poliana bowed respectfully and the hope in Lucius the First’s eyes
disappeared. He knew he shouldn’t have been so hopeful.
But he wasn’t too disappointed. It wasn’t a bad thing to have a little bit of
hope from time to time.
***
Because it was such a leisurely journey, the knights, who were from
Acreia, had plenty of time to disappear into the woods and hunt. They
were usually successful in catching small games. They looked so smug
as they returned from their hunts.
Lucius the First also felt impatient and bored. He wanted to go out
hunting as well, which made his guards nervous. Poliana asked for help
from Lady Tory and Lady Stra, but they told her they couldn’t help her. If
even Poliana couldn’t stop the emperor, would they be able to do it?
Lady Stra and Tory were both as excited as the emperor. Their lives
have been boring for a very long time, but finally, they had more
excitement now. Both ladies were thrilled about this journey.
Most women traveled just once in their lives; it was when they journeyed
to meet their husbands, and there, they lived the rest of their lives.
The ladies loved to read exciting adventure novels. This was only a
simple carriage ride to Nanaba, but Lady Stra and Lady Tory were still
very eager to enjoy it. Just looking outside the window of the carriage
was exhilarating for them.
If it was going to be a long journey, they would’ve tired towards the end,
but thankfully, the distance between Yapa and Nanaba wasn’t very
great. The road between the two cities was also well paved, which made
the carriage ride very smooth.
Soon enough, they arrived at the Nanaba castle. Because this wasn’t a
victory march, they didn’t parade around the city, and instead, they went
straight to the castle gate.

Chapter 189: Chapter 189

Chapter 189
“Welcome, your highness, we have been expecting you.”
Duke Luzo and his wife waited at the castle gate and when they spotted
the emperor, they bowed deeply. At the highest point of the castle, a
large flag was hung to announce the arrival of the emperor. It was quite
a sight as the north wind blew around it, making the magnificent flag
dance. Unlike the castles in the mid-continent and the southern regions,
Nanaba castle was coarser, making it look sturdier and oddly beautiful.
“You may rise, Duke Luzo.”
Lucius the First and Duke Luzo stood side by side. With a wig and diet,
Duke Luzo regained his handsome look. Even by the emperor’s side,
Duke Luzo still looked gorgeous. The ladies, seeing the two most
beautiful men in the kingdom, exclaimed in delight.
The emperor announced hurriedly, “Let’s go inside.”
When he entered his room, Lucius the First quickly took off his clothes
and asked for a bath to be prepared. He didn’t even wait for the servants
to help him; he washed himself rapidly and walked towards his beloved
cousin’s quarters.
As the emperor entered Duke Luzo’s room with his golden hair still wet,
the maids blushed. Even Duke Luzo was surprised to see his cousin,
who came in unannounced. As soon as Lucius the First spotted his
cousin, he ordered firmly, “Where is my nephew? I would like to see my
adorable nephew now.”
It has been a year since Duke Luzo and his wife had their baby. During
the last year, Lucius the First was dying to see his first and only nephew,
but it wasn’t possible. He couldn’t leave the capital unattended during
that time, and his nephew was too young to travel to see him. The only
thing Lucius the First had was the portrait of his nephew Duke Luzo sent
him and it wasn’t enough to satisfy the emperor.
If Lady Rebecca wasn’t pregnant with his child, the emperor might have
run away to see his nephew secretly. Duke Luzo complained at the
emperor, who insistently demanded to see his nephew, “Your highness!
Calm down!”
“You don’t understand, this is my first nephew! You were my only cousin
and now, you have a baby! Can you imagine how I have been feeling the
past year about not being able to see my very first nephew?!”
“But you are going to be a father yourself very soon.”
“That’s the only reason why I didn’t come here as soon as I heard you
had a baby!”
When the emperor left to rule in the new capital, he left Duke Luzo in
charge of the north. Lucius the First promised his cousin to free him
when he got married, but clearly, the emperor lied. Duke Luzo was upset
that he got stuck again in the Nanaba castle with the burden of running
the north again. He should’ve known better than to trust his sneaky
emperor.
And now, Lucius the First was demanding to see his son.
The wet nurse brought the baby wrapped in a thick blanket. The emperor
grinned widely as he held the little bundle.
“Hahaha, so adorable.”
“Your highness, please calm down.”
Duke Luzo whispered to the emperor, but Lucius the First ignored him.
He couldn’t help laughing joyously as he exclaimed, “How could I calm
down? How could I stop smiling? Look at this adorable baby! So cute!
So handsome! So heavy! He is so amazing!”
Duke Luzo’s baby boy, Park Luzo, wasn’t quite a year old yet. He was
taking a nap when the emperor grabbed him. The baby woke up and
looked up at Lucius the First with an odd expression, making the
emperor laugh in delight.
Because Lucius the First didn’t have an heir yet, technically, Park Luzo
was second in line to the throne at this point. Even when the emperor
had a male heir, Park Luzo will still remain the heir to the Dukedom,
which made him a very important baby. At the moment, one could say
that Park Luzo was in fact the highest-ranking baby in the kingdom.
When Duke Luzo saw how awkwardly Lucius the First held the baby, he
became uncomfortable. Duke Luzo asked, “Your highness, please hand
me back my baby please.”
“Can he support his head by now? Yes, he can! How adorable? So cute!
Haha! Very cute! Park! I am your uncle!”
“Your highness! You are scaring the baby!”
Duke Luzo trembled as he watched the emperor dote on his baby.
Lucius the First seemed to instantly fall in love with his nephew, so how
obsessed is he going to be when his own child is born? Duke Luzo
couldn’t even imagine.
The emperor clearly knew nothing about babies. Park Luzo was almost a
year old, which meant that he could not only support his head, he could
crawl and even stand. Yet Lucius the First was asking about if the baby
could support his own head. The emperor looked clumsy holding the
baby, and Duke Luzo couldn’t just watch it anymore. He quickly grabbed
his son back, and Lucius the First looked at him in disappointment. The
heavy weight of the baby felt so warm and wonderful.
Lucius the First didn’t have any siblings. Duke Luzo was an only child as
well. They both lost their mothers at a very young age, so they had
lonely childhoods. They grew up together along with Sir Ainno, and to
the emperor, Duke Luzo was like his own brother. Lucius the First loved
Duke Luzo dearly, so to see Duke Luzo’s baby was an incredible feeling.
The emperor said to him, “When Rebecca bears me a son, they can play
together; your son will make a great playmate for my son.”
“Your highness, you can’t do that. If you do, I will leave this castle and
return to my own home.”
What the emperor was suggesting was that Duke Luzo should send his
son to Yapa to become the playmate for the emperor’s child. Duke Luzo
couldn’t understand why the emperor would suggest such a thing. He
could see sending his second child perhaps but definitely not his firstborn. Duke
Luzo would never give up his heir to the emperor.
When his cousin looked upset, Lucius the First promised not to take
Park Luzo away. Still feeling wishful, the emperor said to him, “But don’t
you think it would be great for your son and my son to grow up together
as we did?”
“Your highness, what you need to do is to have many children of your
own. That would be the best way to go about it.”
Duke Luzo imagined what it would be like for his son to grow up in the
emperor’s household, and he trembled in fear. His case of baldness
never ran in his family, so why did Duke Luzo lose so much hair? It was
all because of the emperor and how he forced Duke Luzo to work so
hard. The stress and overwork were what caused Duke Luzo to need a
wig. If his son had to work for the emperor… Duke Luzo’s eyes watered
just imagining his own son becoming bald too. He definitely couldn’t let
this happen.
Duke Luzo smiled proudly and kissed Park’s forehead.

Chapter 190: Chapter 190

Chapter 190
Duke Luzo’s son was carried out by his wet nurse while Lucius the First
watched them in disappointment. He said to Duke Luzo, “The baby looks
just like you when you were little; he is a very handsome boy.”
“Oh, I think it was you who was the beautiful one when we were young. If
your baby resembles you or Lady Rebecca, I am sure you will have a
gorgeous child, your highness.”
“I don’t care if it’s a girl or a boy as long as the baby is healthy. I would
be happy with that.”
Lady Rebecca showed the signs of potential miscarriage, so Lucius the
First was constantly worried for her and the baby. All he wanted to be
was for them to be healthy. He truly didn’t care if he had a son or a
daughter. He didn’t even care if the baby was missing a finger or a toe
as long as it was healthy.
Duke Luzo sent the servants away because it was now time to work. He
knew it was going to be a long day. The emperor would’ve loved nothing
more than to rest and play with his nephew during his stay in Nanaba,
but as the ruler of this kingdom, he wasn’t allowed such a luxury. He had
plenty of work to do. Lucius the First felt sad at the fact that even though
he was the most powerful man in the kingdom, he couldn’t even rest
when he wanted to. The only thing that made him feel better was
working even harder so that when he was old, he could retire in comfort.
Lucius the First asked his cousin, “So what happened?”
“The elders are extremely upset.”
Duchess Luzo was slighted during a feast inside the Nanaba castle. This
news angered the emperor greatly. He didn’t know the details because
Duke Luzo did his best to stop the rumors, but Lucius the First was still
furious when he heard about it. Now that he was in Nanaba, the emperor
insisted on hearing all about it.
Lucius the First replied, “Those old men… Just because I was lenient on
them, they think they are above me; they think they can do whatever
they want.”
The Acreian elders were angry about many things and they continued to
argue about the issue of both Duke Luzo and the emperor’s heir. The
elders constantly complained about Duke Luzo’s foreign wife, who used
to be a princess of one of the colonies. They also grumbled about the
fact that the emperor did not make Lady Tory his empress.
This situation was becoming too ridiculous. They were old men who
were going to die soon, so why were they trying hard to cause so many
problems?
Lucius the First muttered, “It’s going to be very tricky if they pushed
nationalism…”
“They are definitely pushing the idea already.”
The elders believed that the Acreians were the best people on the
continent. They thought the Acreians were superior to all the others and
therefore, all the other people needed to be ruled by Acreia.
What a dangerous and stupid concept.
Lucius the First couldn’t believe how absurd the elders were being. Even
the emperor didn’t believe such an idea, so how could these old
bastards believe it?
‘Maybe I should’ve forced them all to move to the new capital. I shouldn’t
have been so lenient.’
Lucius the First didn’t force them because he felt sorry for them. This
was why the emperor made it mandatory only for the young government
workers to move. The elders were old and annoying, so the emperor
thought it would be better for them to be out of his sight.
These old nobles… They were so short-sighted. The only thing they
have seen was Acreia and nothing more. They didn’t see what Lucius
the First saw.
The endless stretch of lands… The Gora River in the south… How
magnificent the ocean was at the end of the continent…
The elders had no idea and they didn’t want to know. They knew what
they knew, and they insisted that others should follow them and their
rules. These men didn’t want any changes; they were such narrowminded bastards.
Lucius the First hated this. He was young and he wanted to see and
learn new things as much as possible. He tried to listen to everyone and
accept their suggestions as well as the new ideas that came along with
them.
The elders complained that Lucius the First was being unfair. They
claimed that he was the emperor of Acreia first, and yet he didn’t try to
favor the Acreians over all the others.
But this wasn’t the truth. The emperor was only trying to be fair. His
Acreia was no longer the small kingdom in the north. His new Acreia was
now the entire continent. His new world included all four seasons with
different forests, rivers, and oceans.
***
Nanaba was Lady Tory’s hometown. Her relatives, who didn’t move to
Yapa, were delighted to hear that she was visiting here. Lady Stra, who
was from the mid-continent, was acquainted with Duke Luzo’s wife, who
was also from the same area. This meant that Lady Tory was to spend
most of her time with her relatives while Lady Stra planned to spend time
with Duchess Luzo.
Rather than trying to choose who she should follow and guard, she
decided to spend her time visiting her own acquaintances. But before
she could have her free time, Poliana had to make sure the Nanaba
castle was secure. She looked around the area quickly but didn’t spend
too much time on this task since Sir Ainno was the one responsible for
this job. She didn’t want to step on his toes.
Poliana asked Sir Ainno, “Aren’t you going to go visit your parents?”
“Later.”
Sir Ainno looked around the castle and the guards with an indifferent
expression. Poliana knew exactly what he was thinking.
‘He is most likely thinking that the soldiers here look weak and stupid.’
Sir Ainno asked, “Do you have any plans yourself, Marquess Winter?”
“I’m going to visit the Bika family.”
“I see, please say hello to them for me.”
“Of course.”
“Oh.”
“What is it?”
“If you get the time, please visit the Emperor’s Room. His highness will
be busy for a while and I won’t have any free time either.”
It wasn’t a difficult request, but Poliana felt disappointed in herself for not
even thinking of this task. This was the difference between Sir Ainno and
herself; it made sense since Sir Ainno grew up here and was the
emperor’s closest friend.
‘I guess this is the difference between him and me.’

Chapter 191: Chapter 191

Chapter 191
Sir and Lady Bika seniors welcomed Poliana with open arms. They
thanked her profusely for the luxurious gifts she bought for them. They
were grateful that Poliana visited them at all when she wasn’t even
related to them. The couple kept thanking her, making her feel
uncomfortable.
For Poliana, it made perfect sense to visit the parents of her former
superior. Sir Rabi helped her a lot almost as much as Sir Baufallo, during
the war. He also allowed her to stay in his home in Nanaba when she
had nowhere else to go.
On top of that, Sir Donau was Poliana’s adopted brother, and since he
married Sir Rabi’s daughter, Poliana felt that she and the Bika family
were practically a family. Poliana felt that it was her duty to visit Sir
Rabi’s parents while she was in Nanaba.
“Aren’t you lonely here? Without your son and your grandchildren?”
Poliana asked.
“We’re alright, we have plenty of relatives nearby who visit us often. We
aren’t short of guests.”
“I should’ve visited you before. After all, I live closer to you than Sir Rabi.
I apologize for my rudeness.”
“Not at all; you have a very important job, so I understand you can’t
leave your place easily.”
Suddenly, Lady Bika asked Poliana, “So have you given up getting
married completely?”
Poliana thought in resignation, ‘Here we go again.’ She knew she was
going to be nagged to no end. Poliana knew all she had to do was keep
nodding, but just thinking about it made her feel annoyed.
Thankfully, Sir Bika stopped his wife, “Stop your nagging; if things work
out, and Sir Poliana never gets married, our grandson might become the
next Marquess Winter.”
All Poliana could do was laugh.
“Hahaha…”
Technically, what Sir Bika said was true. If Sir Donau’s or Sir Howe’s
child looks promising, Poliana was perfectly willing to assign him as her
heir. Lady Bika shook her head in disagreement, “She could still get
married and take our grandson as her heir. Since Marquess is barren,
she will never bear her own child anyway.”
“Don’t be so naïve! What if her husband sires a child outside of their
marriage? It will get so tricky!”
“So Marquess will just have to find a man who won’t cheat on her!”
“Are you kidding? Do you really believe there is such a man? All men are
the same!”
Poliana uncomfortably watched the elderly couple fighting before looking
down at the floor. This topic was something Poliana was very familiar
with. In Acreia, men were favored over women in every way. For
example, a woman could not inherit anything, which meant that any
couple without a male heir needed to adopt a boy. A bastard son of the
husband outside the marriage could inherit the title and the wealth while
the legitimate daughter could not; it was truly an unfair situation.
To stop the couple’s fight, Poliana interrupted them, “Even if I get
married and my husband brings in a bastard, I won’t accept him as my
heir unless he is worthy. My rank is my own; it belongs to me, which
means I will be the one deciding what to do with it.”
Poliana looked at the couple and added, “My greatest treasure is the last
name I received from his highness. I care more about my name than my
rank and my wealth. The one who will inherit this name Winter… I won’t
make that decision lightly.”
Poliana felt proud just thinking about her name. She was successful in
expressing her feelings, but she failed in stopping the couple’s fight.
Lady Bika yelled at her husband, “All men are like that?! So does that
mean you have many bastards out there too?! Is that what you are
saying?”
“No, I never did such a thing!”
Sir Bika yelled back; he was contradicting himself, but he didn’t care.
Poliana looked down on the floor again awkwardly. If the fight was
happening between the two strangers, she would’ve watched with
interest, but this case involved her. The fight was happening between
the two parents of her former superior, so Poliana didn’t know how to
react.
In the end, Lady Bika won the argument. She triumphantly left the
reception area and Sir Bika looked at Poliana uneasily. Poliana clenched
her fists and said to him gallantly, “I won’t tell anyone, my lips are
sealed, Sir.”
“…”
“I really mean it.”
“My wife used to be so quiet… she never used to scream like that
before…”
“When you get older, you lose your hearing and ends up raising your
voice a lot. It’s a natural thing.”
“…”
Sir Bika’s dog came to him to make him feel better, and when Poliana
learned that this dog was the great-grandson of the old dog that
surprised her before, Poliana was shocked once again. Apparently, Sir
Rabi did not take all of his dogs. He left a few to protect the house and
his parents.
Sir Bika smiled and patted his dog affectionately. Every time he touched
the dog, the dog’s eyes narrowed slightly as if it was smiling.
Sir Bika offered, “Would you like to raise a dog, Marquess Winter?”
Acreia used to be called the kingdom of hunters. There was an old joke
that said an Acreian hunter never lends his hunting dog even to his best
friend. In Acreia, the hunting dogs were bred with utmost care. The dogs’
bloodlines were considered extremely important. So, to offer someone a
puppy from his own hunting dog litter was considered quite a gesture. It
was the greatest way to offer friendship.
Poliana rarely refused gifts, but not when it was something alive. There
have been many times when people offered her their puppies, including
the emperor. She refused them every time, and this was no exception.
She refused respectfully and Sir Bika gave her a nod.
***
It was an early evening when Poliana arrived at the Emperor’s Room.
‘It looks bigger than I remember… Am I not seeing it right?’
She actually was. The room was expanded and now included many
more portraits of previous royal members. It used to be a single room,
but now, the Emperor’s Room consisted of many small rooms connected
together.
The room represented the history of the Acreian royal family. Because
Poliana was not originally from Acreia, she didn’t know the history very
well. She did study briefly, but it wasn’t enough for her to recognize the
portraits. All she knew about was her current emperor and his parents,
the former emperor, and the empress.
‘She was such a beauty.’
Poliana stared at the former empress with admiration.
‘I am a woman and I am already falling in love with her.’
The former empress was the female version of Lucius the First. She was
certainly much more feminine, and she had a very fragile quality to her.
Her ring finger was the size of Poliana’s pinky.
There were two rings displayed on the table underneath the portraits.
The rings obviously belonged to the former emperor and the empress.
Poliana wasn’t interested in the empress’s ring. Her eyes were
mesmerized by the former emperor’s ring. It was huge even for a man’s
ring. This was because it was made to be worn on top of his gauntlet.
The first time Poliana saw this, she planned on making something similar
for herself as well. She forgot about it until now, but she thought to
herself, ‘If I get married, I should make my wedding ring like that.’
Poliana was trying it on her finger when suddenly, she felt someone
entering the room. When she turned around, she found Lucius the First
standing behind her.

Chapter 192: Chapter 192

Chapter 192
Lucius the First greeted Poliana happily, “Did you come here because
you thought I might not have the time to do it myself? What a thoughtful
person you are. You’re the best, Sir Pol.”
‘Oh, I feel guilty… It was actually Sir Ainno who asked me to do this…’
Poliana put on a bright smile and didn’t say a word. Lucius the First
continued, “I see that you are admiring my parents’ rings. I was actually
going to use my mother’s ring to propose when I get married, but…”
Lucius the First walked up to Poliana quickly and looked at her sadly,
hoping she somehow guessed how he felt. Poliana nodded, but for a
different reason. She mistakenly assumed that the emperor was upset
because he was no longer single.
Lucius the First played with one of the rings on his pal and murmured,
“So, the thing is, Sir Pol… This ring…” They were alone, but the emperor
still whispered, wanting Poliana to be the only one hearing his words.
Just then!
“Oh, your highness!”
“What? His highness is here? Oh, there he is!”
Lady Stra and Lady Tory suddenly appeared from one of the joined
rooms. Lucius the First quickly hid his mother’s ring in his pocket and
stepped away from Poliana. He greeted his wives, “Hello, there. What
brings you, ladies, here?”
“Marquess Winter requested us to join her.”
“That’s right. Lady Tory also offered to give us a tour of this place and
explain the history behind it, so we were enjoying our time here.”
Lucius the First nodded, “Oh… That’s… How kind of all of you. And
thank you so much, Sir Pol, for asking my wives to visit here. What a
kind person you are.”
Poliana shook her head, “Not at all, your highness. It’s my pleasure.”
The emperor turned towards his wives and thanked them too, “Thank
you for visiting my ancestor’s place.”
Lucius the First was about to give his mother’s ring to Poliana, but the
sudden appearance of his wives ruined the moment. He played with the
ring in his pocket awkwardly. The ring was so small that it would’ve only
fit Poliana’s pinky, but the emperor still wanted her to have it.
***
After completing much of his works, Lucius the First began to focus on
hunting. It was customary to create the National Day’s feast with what
was caught during the hunts, so the men felt pressured. Those who
weren’t successful were often ridiculed for months, so the men were all
determined to do their best.
Poliana grabbed her forehead and muttered, “Dammit!” She was getting
a headache from her current situation. Sir Ainno and his guards from the
First Division, who were supposed to be guarding the emperor, all
disappeared into the woods to hunt. She said angrily, “They abandoned
their positions and just left! How could they?!”
Sir Mahogal replied calmly, “Sir Pol, don’t worry about it. It’s going to be
okay.”
“Sir Mahogal… I am sorry you have been burdened with this job.”
Poliana was the head of the Second Division, while Sir Mahogal was
second in rank in the First Division. This made Poliana higher ranked
than Sir Mahogal, but she still treated him with great respect. It was
because he used to be higher ranked than her for a long time during the
war, and Poliana also liked him very much. He helped her a lot in the
past, so she had great admiration for him.
Sir Mahogal smiled and replied, “Well, I’m off now. Thank you and good
luck.”
“Pardon? Sir Mahogal? What are you talking about? Sir Mahogal?
Where are you going?!”
Sir Mahogal, who was an Acreian through and through, ran into the
forest to catch up to the other men. Poliana raised her fist angrily after
him, but it was no use.
Everyone from the First Division, who were originally from Acreia, were
all gone. The only ones left were the Second Division and the Duke’s
personal guards. Those from the Second Division stayed because they
feared what Poliana might do to them if they abandoned their posts.
Poliana yelled angrily, “They promised they would take turns hunting!”
One of her guards explained, “Sir Pol, it can’t be helped. Everyone would
want to be the first one to go because the animals will hide quickly. It’s
always more advantageous to hunt at the start.”
Another guard added, “That’s right, boss, we will keep this place safe, so
you should go and join them. I’m sure you will catch something today!
You have been practicing your archery very hard.”
She certainly couldn’t just leave like the others! If she did, the guards left
here would have no guidance. Poliana couldn’t believe how Sir Ainno,
Sir Mahogal, and many of the First Division guards could just leave their
posts like this because they wanted to hunt!
Poliana grumbled, “It’s all because of Sir Ainno! He is the boss, which
means he should’ve been a good example! I don’t blame his men for
leaving since they were just following his move!”
“It is actually a little strange, Sir Pol. It is very unlike Sir Ainno to leave
like this…”
Poliana’s guards looked confused. It was true that Sir Ainno loved to
hunt, but he wouldn’t abandon his duty like this. If he was desperate to
hunt, he would’ve gone alongside the emperor so he could hunt and
protect Lucius the First at the same time.
But today, Sir Ainno went in the opposite direction of where the emperor
planned to go. On top of that, he stopped anyone from going in the same
direction as him, declaring that he wanted to hunt alone.
In the end, those who were left were Poliana, the two wives of the
emperor, and a few guards. Poliana felt troubled at the current situation.
Lucius the First, as the emperor, should’ve been more cautious, but he
loved to hunt as well. He rode out excitedly and no one could stop him.
Poliana considered following him to guard him, but she stayed behind
because of the ladies.
When Lady Stra asked to join the hunt, everyone was surprised to hear
her request. The way the Acreians hunted was very different from how it
was done in her kingdom, and it seemed that Lady Stra was unaware of
this. Because she couldn’t be the only lady at the hunt, Lady Tory
offered to accompany her.
Lady Stra, now looking confused and surprised as most men left,
murmured, “Maybe we shouldn’t have come at all…”

Chapter 193: Chapter 193

Chapter 193
Lady Tory smiled and said to Lady Stra, “If the men don’t return by
sunset, we can just return to the castle ourselves.”
“Yes, you’re right. I’m so sorry I made you come, Lady Tory. This is
going to be such a long boring time, and it’s all my fault.”
“Don’t worry about it. I actually wanted to see what a hunting party looks
like anyway. I could never join the men because a woman alone can’t
accompany them.”
Lady Tory knew the Acreian men well, but she never expected them to
leave them behind like this. The ladies brought only one maid each
because they were warned that too many people would scare the
animals away. Lady Stra sighed in frustration and Lady Tory held her
hands.
Lady Stra asked, “So, what should we do now?”
“We need to wait.”
“So this is what Acreian men do, huh?”
In Acreia, the women stayed home and kept it warm while the men went
out to hunt. The women waited up until the men returned.
The maids kept the fire going as the ladies waited. Lady Stra regretted
asking to tag along. They were all alone in an empty lot with nothing to
do. Lady Stra felt frustrated. She murmured, “If I knew this was going to
happen, I would’ve just stayed in the castle and chatted with the
duchess. And because of me, you are here too, Lady Tory… I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, Lady Stra. I really mean it when I say that I wanted to come
and see what a hunting party is like. They rarely take women with them
to things like this.”
Lady Stra suddenly felt dizzy. She walked to her carriage to rest and
Lady Tory sat by her side to take care of her and let the maids rest. It
was only light, so Lady Stra felt much better after lying down a little bit in
the carriage.
The two wives of the emperor chatted among themselves. Lady Tory
asked, “What do you think his highness will catch on his hunt?” Lady
Stra thought of the animal that suited Lucius the First the most and
answered, “Don’t you think he will catch a wolf? He is such a good
hunter, so I am sure he can do it.”
“A wolf? Well, wolf meat doesn’t taste that good, so… I hope he catches
a wild hog since it’s for the National Day feast.”
The two ladies thought differently because they grew up in different
regions. Lady Stra, who was from the mid-continent region, favored farm
animals while Lady Tory, being from the north, preferred wild animals. In
the mid-continent, people got their meat from raising animals while in the
north, meat came from the hunt.
Lady Tory grumbled lightly, “Now that I think about it, we never got any
wedding gifts from the emperor, did we? I am a little disappointed in his
highness.”
“But I thought we all exchanged wedding gifts.”
“In Acreia, a man sends an animal hide to the woman when he
proposes. It has to be an animal the man catches himself. The white
bear hide is considered the best gift. I understand that the emperor is too
busy to go out and hunt himself, and that is why he sent the hides of the
animals his men caught, but still… that is not how it is done in Acreia.”
“Oh, so that is why his highness was so eager for this hunt. I had no
idea.”
On their first night together, Lady Stra woke up to find Lucius the First
quietly measuring her body with his hand. She heard him murmuring,
“How many animals will I need to catch…?” Stra didn’t know what he
was doing at the time, but now, she understood. Lucius the First was
trying to figure out how many animals he had to hunt to get enough
hides for all of his wives. Until now, he hasn’t had the time to hunt, so
this was his chance.
After visiting Nanaba, Lady Stra finally understood the extent of the
Acreians’ obsessions for hunting and animal hides. It made sense
because the Acreian weather was so cold. Just a regular cotton coat
was not even close to being enough to survive the winter here.
Lady Stra and Lady Tory were laughing and chatting when the first
successful hunter returned. Everyone expected it to be Sir Ainno who
catches something first, but shockingly, it was Lucius the First. He
caught a giant deer. An arrow was stuck in his neck; it was still alive and
breathing heavily. Every time it took a breath, the dogs barked wildly.
Tory clapped excitedly and Stra did the same. The servants took the
deer down from the horse and took it away to be cleaned and gutted.
Poliana was the one who was the happiest to see the deer. She said to
the emperor, “That’s the best tasting kind of deer.”
“I know you like it and that is why I caught it for you, Sir Pol. You should
take it and eat it all by yourself. Don’t give it to anyone, ok?”
“Hahaha, your sense of humor is still so awful, your highness. It hasn’t
improved during the last 10 years.”
The ladies watched enviously as Poliana and the emperor joked with
each other comfortably. Lady Stra felt curious so she left her carriage to
have a look at the deer. The servants and the dogs moved aside so she
could examine it. Stra carefully touched the deer and found that its hair
was rough and smelly. Suddenly, Poliana came up to her from behind
and said to her, “Lady Stra, you might get a tick from the animal if you
touch it.”
“Oh, no!”
Stra immediately stepped back. When she was a princess in her
kingdom, she used to raise small deer and rabbits in her garden. The
northern deer, however, was much bigger and tougher looking. It looked
more like a wild hog. Its antlers were so large and sharp that they looked
like a weapon.
Poliana continued, “Your bones would break if it kicks you. Its antler can
also puncture you and kill you, so please be careful.”
“Alright.”
After having one more look, Lady Stra nodded. Before she left, she
leaned forward to touch the tip of the deer’s antler. It felt rough like a tree
bark. The deer was dying slowly, and finally, its eyes rolled back, only
showing the whites. The deer continued to breathe harshly, its breath
smelling awful.
Stra began to feel nauseous, so she finally stood up to leave. Just then,
the deer twisted its body and its legs moved to kick Stra.
To Lady Stra, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She could
see the deer hooves coming at her face, and although it seemed to be
happening very slowly, she couldn’t move away. Suddenly, she felt a
shadow over herself; it was Poliana who put herself between the lady
and the deer.
The next thing Lady Stra felt was pain and shock as her head and her
back fell to the ground. She couldn’t think clearly, and her ears were
ringing. She couldn’t ear briefly, but within a few seconds, she heard
people screaming, “Gyaa! Lady Stra!”

Chapter 194: Chapter 194

Chapter 194
“Lady Stra!”
“Marquess Winter!”
Everyone screamed, but the most desperate voice came from the
emperor, who roared, “Poliana!”
Lady Stra’s hands shook as she touched Poliana’s body, which was
covering her own. Poliana wasn’t moving at all as she laid on top of Stra.
Poliana was very slim, but to Lady Stra, she felt like a large rock
crushing her. Stra couldn’t even scream because she was out of breath.
Suddenly, Poliana woke up and Stra began to cry in relief. Poliana asked
her, “Are you ok, Lady Stra?”
“I’m fine. It’s you I am worried about, Marquess! Are you alright? Oh my
god!”
Poliana patted Stra’s cheek gently and stood up. She wanted to get up
quickly but she immediately realized that something was wrong with her
body. Based on how she couldn’t stand up straight, Poliana knew what
the problem was. The other guards, when they saw how she moved,
knew as well.
The ladies and the emperor yelled, “Get the doctor!”
“Marquess Winter is hurt! Get the doctor immediately!”
Poliana muttered, “Why is everyone making such a big fuss…”
The servants quickly took away the dead deer and people swarmed over
her. Someone helped Lady Stra to stand up and when one of the maids
offered their hand to Poliana, Poliana refused. She remained sitting on
the ground and checked out her upper body.
“Ah. Ah.”
She could speak and breathe fine, which meant her lungs were fine. She
slowly stood up, and although it was painful, she could still do it, which
meant her legs were fine too.
So this meant…
“My ribs are broken.”
Poliana diagnosed herself indifferently and those around her fussed over
her. When they tried to help, Poliana stopped them and added, “I’m fine.
All of my joints feel ok and my organs are fine too.”
Her guards replied calmly, “Oh, is that so? Good. Can you walk then,
Boss?”
Tory looked at the scene. Poliana diagnosing herself and her guards
nodding in agreement that her injury was only mild… This was
ridiculous.
The emperor announced that the hunt was over. He ordered his servant
to blow the horn to let the knights and the guards know they must return
immediately. Poliana tried to stop Lucius the First, telling him there was
no need to stop the entire hunting party just because of her, but the
emperor was adamant.
Poliana thought to herself, ‘I was lucky just now.’
It wasn’t uncommon for a victim of such a kick to die or become
paralyzed. Her broken ribs could’ve punctured her lungs, or her spine
might have been damaged.
Soon, the doctor arrived and came up with the same diagnosis as
Poliana’s. He stated that her ribs were indeed broken, but they were still
in place. All she had to do was to limit her movement as much as
possible until they healed. When the doctor announced that this wasn’t a
life-threatening injury, Stra was so relieved that she began to sob into
her handkerchief. She said to Poliana, “I am so sorry, Marquess. It’s all
my fault. I insisted on touching the deer even though you warned me…”
“Don’t worry about it, Lady Stra. It is my duty to protect you and Lady
Tory. I am just glad that I got the chance to prevent you from getting
hurt.”
To Poliana, this wasn’t a big deal. In fact, she blamed herself for not
being quicker. Normally, she would’ve been able to roll away with Lady
Stra in her arms away from the deer, but this time, she lost her
consciousness when the deer kicked her.
‘I’ve become too lazy and relaxed.’
It was partly because she was getting older, but it was also because she
had become too comfortable. She wasn’t desperate to survive anymore
because she now had everything. Money, power, and even the
emperor’s favor… She was no longer as alert and vigilant as before.
Lady Stra offered her carriage to Poliana. After Poliana got into it, Stra
tried to follow her into the carriage but the emperor stopped her.
“But your highness, I can take care of Marquess Winter…”
“No need. I will take care of Sir Pol myself.”
Before Lady Stra could protest, Lucius the First entered the carriage first.
When Lady Stra tried to follow him, Sir Ainno stopped her.
“His highness probably has something he wants to discuss with Sir
Poliana, Lady Stra.”
“But someone needs to take care of her wound…”
“You can do that when we return to the castle.”
“Is his highness planning to reprimand Marquess Winter? That can’t be!”
“…”
Sir Ainno feigned his ignorance. It was possible that the emperor was
going to be upset with Poliana, but he was certain it wasn’t for the
reason Lady Stra was thinking.
Lady Stra began to cry again and Sir Ainno helped her get into another
carriage.
***
Poliana was looking up at the carriage ceiling when someone came in.
She assumed it would be Lady Stra, but when she saw that it was the
emperor, she tried to get up. Lucius the First waved his hand to stop her
and Poliana laid down again comfortably. She was one of the few who
had the special privilege of being allowed to lay down in the emperor’s
presence. Even if she didn’t, she had a good excuse because she was
injured.
Poliana sighed deeply, which caused her immense pain, and said to the
emperor, “I have gotten too complacent, your highness. I have gotten too
used to peace. Did you see how slow my reflex was back there? When I
am all healed, I am going to have to do some serious training to improve
myself.”
Poliana had been focusing on training for this hunt that she has been
lazy about all of her other drills. She spent any free time she had with
Frau, and now, she regretted it. Instead of going to different restaurants
with him, she should’ve been riding her horses and doing sit-ups.
And of all days, she chose not to wear her metal chain armor underneath
her uniform. If she did, her ribs wouldn’t have broken. She would’ve only
suffered from some bruises.
Poliana continued, “As soon as I got kicked, I couldn’t breathe at all and I
blacked out. I can’t believe I did that. I am so embarrassed. I have
become too lazy.”
Poliana gave the emperor a guilty smile. When the carriage began to
move, she winked in pain and Lucius the First supported her body with
both of his hands to keep her still. The emperor’s face was rigid. When
he saw her collapse to the ground after getting kicked by the deer, it took
everything in him not to run after her and scream. He knew he couldn’t
show his true feelings to her because it would only make Poliana feel
uncomfortable.
In a calm voice, he said to Poliana, “Don’t ever do that again.”
“Pardon, your highness?”
“Don’t ever do that again, no matter what. Don’t ever throw yourself to
save another person, even if it’s me or my wives. You cannot sacrifice
yourself, Poliana. You are my knight, which means your life belongs to
me, right?”

Chapter 195: Chapter 195

Chapter 195
Lucius the First’s eyes teared up as he looked at Poliana. When the
tears began to roll down on his cheeks, Poliana waved her hands in
shock before moaning in pain. Her own eyes began to well up at her
emperor’s thoughtfulness. He had to be the kindest ruler in history.
Lucius the First begged her, “Please… Please… Don’t ever do
something like that again. Don’t make me lose you like that. You are the
one I l…”
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. Poliana almost fell to the floor but the
emperor held onto her tightly. The door opened without a warning and
Sir Ainno announced loudly, “Your highness, there have been urgent
news from Yapa. Duke Luzo was the one who received it on your behalf,
and he brought it here for you.”
For Duke Luzo to bring the message himself so hurriedly meant that the
letter must’ve included very serious news. Lucius the First’s face
crumpled with concern. He took the message from Sir Ainno’s hand and
when he read it, Lucius the First’s face turned even darker. Poliana
asked nervously, “Your highness, what is the matter? Did something
happen in Yapa?”
“You needn’t worry, Sir Pol, just rest.”
“But your highness… What happened? Why are you so angry? If I can
help you fix the problem, I will. Please let me know.”
“Sir Pol, I…”
Lucius the First gritted his teeth. He wanted to say the words. He wanted
to tell her that he loved her, but he knew that he probably would never
get the chance. The emperor just looked at Poliana sadly and continued,
“The best thing you can do for me is to live.”
Lucius the First got out of the carriage and closed the door behind him.
Poliana could hear the noises outside, so Poliana slowly got herself up
and left the carriage as well. Sir Ainno was gathering some of his guards
while the emperor was ordering Duke Luzo. Lucius the First said to his
cousin, “You will have to take care of the National Day celebration for
me, Duke Luzo. I am sure you will do a good job of it.”
“Of course, your highness. You can trust me.”
Poliana called out, “Your highness!” The emperor turned to her and gave
her orders as well.
“Marquess Winter, you will remain in Nanaba until your injury heals
completely. You will still be responsible for the protection of the ladies
just as you have been in Yapa. If you return to the capital before your
injury heals, I will take that as disobeying my direct order. You will be
punished.”
The emperor took Sir Ainno and some of the guards and left quickly on
his horse. They disappeared within seconds and the silence that they left
behind felt eerie.
Poliana had a bad feeling about this.
‘What is happening?’
She was so frustrated that she wanted to swear, but she was in the
presence of the Duke, so Poliana refrained herself. She ordered a
nearby servant, “Grab me my horse immediately!”
“Are you going to disobey his highness’s order?”
Duke Luzo, who has been watching quietly, called out to her, “Marquess
Winter.”
His eyes looked calm as he said to her, “Let’s just get to the Nanaba
castle first.”
Poliana’s thoughts raced as she tried to read the duke’s expression. The
kingdom was at peace, and there was nothing she could think of that
could disturb it at the moment. An urgent message from Yapa… It could
only be one thing. She asked Duke Luzo, “Is Lady Rebecca in danger?”
There were only a few possible reasons why Lucius the First would
leave in such a hurry. Either the southern regions began a rebellion, or
his pregnant wife wasn’t doing well. Duke Luzo didn’t answer
immediately, but his silence was enough. Poliana tried to get onto her
horse to go after the emperor, but the other knights grabbed and
stopped her. Poliana was feeling too weak so she had no choice but to
stay. Duke Luzo said to her, “Marquess, are you really going to disobey
the emperor’s direct order? His highness will arrive at Yapa shortly, so
you needn’t worry about anything. There is no need for you to go there.”
Lady Tory and Lady Stra, who got off their carriage, were trembling
anxiously. They could tell something was wrong. No one so far
confirmed that something had happened to Lady Rebecca, but everyone
could tell that things weren’t okay.
Lady Stra, who was still shocked by what just happened, couldn’t take
the stress anymore. She began to sob again, and Lady Tory hugged her
tightly. It wasn’t that Tory was calm, but she knew how to control her
emotions better.
Poliana watched the two ladies for a short while before giving up trying
to get on her horse. She desperately wanted to follow her emperor, but
she knew that she would only be a burden to him at this point with her
injury. Besides, she had a job to do here; she was still responsible for
the safety of these two ladies.
Lady Tory asked the duke, “Duke Luzo, what happened?” Duke Luzo
tried to remain silent, but the stares from Lady Tory, Lady Stra, and
Poliana, were so intense that he had no choice but to answer her.
“Apparently, Lady Rebecca lost her consciousness. The letter said it
happened a few times since the emperor left Yapa, but this time, she
hasn’t woken up for the last two days. The doctors didn’t say that she
was in a critical condition, and since his highness will be with her very
soon, I am sure everything will be okay. With her husband by her side, I
am sure Lady Rebecca will feel much better.”
Stra’s cry became louder while Poliana’s frown deepened. Lady Tory
took a deep breath and bit her lips before replying, “I am sure you are
right, Duke Luzo. In addition, Duchess Nani is with her daughter, so I am
sure everything will be okay.”
“That’s right, Lady Tory, you are so wise. So, Lady Stra and Marquess
Winter, you don’t need to worry.”
Indeed, there was a very good chance that Lady Rebecca was going to
be okay. Lady Rebecca was fragile but not seriously ill. Lady Tory kept
murmuring, “Everything is going to be alright.” Poliana remained quiet
but tried to think positively as well. Both Vaxi and Vanessa had their
babies safely. The majority of her guards’ wives also had their babies
without too many incidents. Duchess Luzo also had a healthy boy less
than a year ago.
Many women delivered their babies safely, so it had to be the case for
Lady Rebecca as well. Lady Rebecca had to be alright; she just had to
be.

Chapter 196: Chapter 196

Chapter 196
The National Day feast continued according to its original plan. The meat
for the banquet, however, came from the livestock rather than from the
hunt. It was believed that hunting and killing animals in the forest was
considered bad luck when there was someone who fell ill recently. This
proved that the Acreian men insisted on hunting before the National Day
for their own enjoyment, rather than tradition.
The Acreian nobles gathered around Lady Tory while Duchess and Lady
Stra sat down side by side from afar. No one came to talk to them and
Lady Stra smiled bitterly. This was the same in Yapa whenever there
was a feast; people flocked over Lady Tory, who was from Acreia but
never around her. However, Lady Stra never felt lonely or scared
because Lady Rebecca was always by her side while Poliana always
kept watchful eyes over everyone from the corner.
Lady Stra said to the duchess, “This is supposed to be a party, but all we
are allowed to do is just sit. Banquets in the north are so boring.” Unlike
in the mid and southern regions, where both women and men were
encouraged to mingle, the women were strongly suggested to remain
seated in the north while the men were free to roam. Lady Stra shook
her head, feeling like she was being suffocated.
The Acreian nobles sitting next to Lady Tory chatted, “Look over there,
the duchess is looking at us.”
“Who cares? Haha, all we need is Lady Tory here. She is the only true
lady in this room, right? Look at how quiet and lady-like she is, especially
compared to those southern women.”
“I know! Did you see them walking around the banquet just a moment
ago? I was so shocked!”
“Exactly, when they came to me and began to talk to me, I almost
dropped my glass.”
“Lady Stra tried to make an excuse, telling me that the women are free
to mingle in any parties in the mid-continent. Can you believe that? Does
she not know that this is Acreia and not the mid-continent?”
Lady Tory put on a kind smile on her face and the Acreian nobles around
her exclaimed and complimented her.
“Look at Lady Tory! She is a real lady!”
The men continued to talk loudly, ignoring the others who were frowning
at them. The Acreian nobles continued loudly, “If things work out as we
hoped, it’s going to solve so many of our problems.”
“Absolutely. And the best thing is, we didn’t have to get our own hands
dirty. What luck!”
“Yes! Heaven must’ve heard our wish and decided to grant it. It must
know how much we love our kingdom.”
Lady Tory’s perfect smile wavered a little, but thankfully, no one noticed
it. She knew what she must do, so with a firm determination, she
emptied her head and put on an even prettier smile.
These Acreian nobles didn’t expect much from her. To them, Lady Tory
wasn’t much different than the maids and servants surrounding them.
The only difference was that she could put on a perfect smile on her face
unlike the other women, and that was the only reason why they made
her the emperor’s wife.
‘Just don’t think about it. Empty your mind, Tory, just smile. That’s all you
have to do.’
Lady Tory knew exactly what these men thought of all women.
‘Women have no useful thoughts.’
‘Women have no determination.’
‘Good women need to have obedience and the willingness to work.’
‘The most important part of a woman was her uterus.’
‘A woman’s purpose in life is to reproduce.’
‘Everything else, logic, intelligence, strength, and common sense, all
belonged to men.’
The nobles continued to chat among themselves, “The emperor is
keeping tight control over the iron mine in Acreia, which is making it very
hard for us to make our weapons.”
“Well, just use the metals from the other colonies then.”
“But the best comes from Acreia. All the others are of lesser quality…”
“In addition, if we suddenly start buying the iron from other places, the
emperor is going to suspect that we are up to something. Why not just
go through the black market…”
The men talked about their dangers and treasonous plan as they
glanced around them, making sure the other people in the banquet didn’t
hear them. However, they didn’t seem to even notice that Tory was
sitting right among them.
All Lady Tory could do was smile warmly. There was nothing she could
do. The situation couldn’t be helped.
This was how she was raised, so that was that.
***
Unfortunately, there was no treatment or medication for broken ribs. The
only thing Poliana could do was to wait patiently until they healed.
She prayed desperately, ‘Come on, just heal already!’
Poliana had never felt so helpless before. She wanted to go Yapa, but
she couldn’t until her injury healed. Thinking to speed up the process,
Poliana ate as much as possible. Unfortunately, the result was Poliana
gaining weight rather than her bones healing faster.
“Why won’t the bones heal quickly? What more should I do? Am I not
working hard enough?”
A royal doctor from the Nanaba castle asked in confusion, “Marquess
Winter, what do you mean ‘work hard?’ Are you working hard to make
your injury heal faster? That doesn’t make sense at all.”
“Yes, it does! My ribs aren’t healing fast because I am not doing my best!
I need to try harder!”
The doctor shook his head. He was the personal doctor of Duke Luzo,
which meant that he mostly worked on treating hair loss. It has been a
while since he was given the opportunity to see a real patient with a real
injury, but it turned out that his patient, Marquess Winter, was a strange
and stubborn woman.
What was she talking about? Trying her best to make her injury heal
faster? Was she insane?
“…”
Poliana was so desperate that her head spun. Her despair made her
annoyed and moody, and she felt like her entire body ached. Her ribs
and waist were injured, but her stomach and hip felt painful too. Was
there a large bruise on her body? Feeling annoyed, Poliana lifted her
blanket to check and to her shock, she saw that her bed was covered in
blood.
The blood that was coming from her groin.
The redness slowly but surely spread around her, soaking the bed

Chapter 197: Chapter 197

Chapter 197
Poliana was bleeding quite a bit, but what bothered her most was the
fact that she was feeling dizzy and annoyed at the same time. An
immense frustration and anger overwhelmed her, so Poliana kicked her
bed hard. Her toes hurt, which angered her even more.
The doctors ran into the room and gasped when they saw the blood.
They examined her and listened to her symptoms, which were
abdominal and muscle pain, and in the end, the doctors called for the
gynecologist for help.
After a long discussion among the doctors, the diagnosis was made.
Poliana was having her period.
The gynecologist explained, “After the war, your body probably began to
relax, Marquess Winter. It was on its way back to a normal healthy state
and when this sudden injury caused you extreme stress, it must’ve
triggered your monthly bleeding again.”
Poliana muttered, “So my period stopped because of stress and it began
again because of stress again? How ironic.”
It has been many years since she had her menstruation, and Poliana
wasn’t happy about its return. Was it because of her period, or was her
moodiness a coincidence? Either way, Poliana felt awful and angry.
Frustrated, Poliana acted like an injured wild animal. She became very
wary of everyone, even the maids who were taking care of her.
Everyone knew that she was very concerned for Lady Rebecca, so
people were very understanding of Poliana’s rudeness. Her period
certainly didn’t help her mood either.
The maids chatted among themselves.
“I have never seen Marquess Winter acting like that. She has always
been tough on the other knights and the guards, but always kind to us.
She must be in a lot of pain.”
“Exactly, and with what happened to Lady Rebecca… Marquess Winter
is very close to her, right?”
“And this is her first period in five years, right? Can you imagine how
awful her body must feel?”
The maids remembered the days when they were young and didn’t have
to suffer from their periods every month. They used to feel so much freer
at the time; they missed their childhood. As soon as they had their first
menstruation, they were no longer treated like a child. They were
considered women who could bear a child. Being treated as an adult
was fun and exciting, but the women still sometimes missed their
younger days when they had less to worry about.
In her bed, Poliana laid down as she chewed on a piece of jerky. She
knew she was being rude and annoying to everyone ever since her
period began, and she hated it. What bothered her the most was the fact
that even though she knew she was being a jerk, she couldn’t stop.
Poliana promised herself that she would never abuse her power, but
now, all she felt was her entire body aching and her mood worsening by
the minute. Poliana couldn’t think straight at all.
The doctors and the maids treated Poliana with kindness. The doctors
were nice to her since she was their patient and the maids were kind to
her because they believed that Poliana was suffering from five years
worth of period all at once.
“Argh…”
Poliana punched her bed angrily. Every time she did, her ribs hurt along
with her stomach and her hip. Pain killers didn’t help at all. The only
thing the doctors could suggest to her was to be patient. She hasn’t had
a period in five years, so it was normal for her to feel uncomfortable. The
maids put a warm cloth on her stomach, but it didn’t help.
In the past, Poliana has been stabbed by swords and spears. She was
shot by many arrows and she was punched several times as well. Her
nose broke before and she experienced plenty of large cuts. There were
times when she had to hold her sword with her palm scraped and
bleeding. She even had to roll on the dirty ground naked.
All her life, Poliana had lived with various injuries. She had enough scars
to prove it. She was used to sharp intense pain, but this dull constant
throbbing was the worst thing she has ever experienced; it felt
unbearable to her.
She felt so annoyed because she couldn’t control her annoyance. This
symptom lasted until the last day of her period. The only people Poliana
could muster to treat with politeness were Lady Stra, Lady Tory, Duke
Luzo, and Duchess Luzo.
In the end, the National Day feast was carried on without the emperor or
Poliana.
***
Lady Tory decided that it would be best not to spread the news of Lady
Rebecca’s condition. This meant that Lady Tory and Lady Stra had to
continue smiling throughout the feast as if nothing was wrong back
home. This wasn’t very hard to do for the ladies because they were
raised to be this way. They were taught to put a kind smile, even when
someone was dying in front of them. They grew up in different kingdoms,
but the two ladies were educated in similar ways.
Finally, the feast and all of the National Day celebrations ended. Most of
the people from out of the town left Nanaba. The only guests left were
Lady Tory, Lady Stra, and Poliana, who had to remain in the Nanaba
castle as the emperor ordered.
Poliana’s period ended as well, and as soon as she felt better, she went
around to apologize to everyone for her rudeness. She felt so guilty
about her behavior.
Lady Stra and Lady Tory, who were younger than Poliana, acted very
responsibly during the entire celebration period while Poliana, who was
supposed to be working as well, acted like an absolute jerk.
Remembering how she behaved made Poliana feel frustrated as well.
‘Why did I act like that? Why? Did I lose my mind for a few days or
something?’
She flushed from the shame of it. The doctors assured her that it was
okay and that she should remain in her bed. They informed her, “There
is a good chance you will continue to have your monthly bleeding
regularly from now on, Marquess Winter.”
This meant that she might have her period even during her work shifts.
Lady Tory brought up the subject of the color of Poliana’s uniform. It was
a bright blue because it looked elegant and it was also one of the
cheapest dyes. The problem was that if any blood got on this color, it
would become very noticeable. Lady Tory suggested that perhaps
Poliana should get a red uniform but knowing what color blood turned
into when it dried, Poliana couldn’t agree. Lady Tory was very smart, yet
there were times like this when it was obvious that she was a proper lady
who had never seen dried blood before.
Poliana thought to herself, ‘Black would be better to cover the blood.’
What was really important here, however, wasn’t the color Lady Tory
suggested. It was the fact that Lady Tory thought of Poliana. The lady’s
thoughtfulness made Poliana feel even guiltier. She said to Lady Tory, “I
apologize again, Lady Tory, for my rudeness during the last few days. As
soon as I return to Yapa, I will resign from my post.”

Chapter 198: Chapter 198

Chapter 198
Both Lady Stra and Lady Tory replied to Poliana, “Don’t say that,
Marquess Winter, we know how hard you work to keep us safe. We feel
safe because of you.”
Lady Stra added as she put her hand on Poliana’s, “And just a few days
ago, you saved me, remember? Without you, I might be dead by now.”
Their kindness made Poliana feel even worse. She almost felt suicidal
from shame. Whenever she felt angry or frustrated, she used to kick and
punch the furniture or the trees, and now, Poliana felt like she was the
one who should be punished.
Even though she was a patient, not many people visited her. Was it
because people now knew how awful she has been behaving lately?
Other than Lady Bika visiting her a few times, no one else came to see
her.
Poliana needed to get out of this emotional spiral. She clenched her
teeth and tried to think of a way to fix the problem. She knew hitting
herself was a stupid idea. The best thing she should do at the moment
was to get better as quickly as possible.
Ribs were fragile bones that broke easily. Fortunately, there weren’t
many long term side effects upon breaking it, but broken ribs take a very
long time to heal. Her doctors told her she needed to stay in her bed for
the next two months, but Poliana left in only a month.
Her torso was still badly bruised and painful, but it was endurable. It
wasn’t like the pain from her period; the pain from the broken ribs was
sharper, which helped her become more alert. It almost made her feel
like she was back on the battlefield; it reminded her that she was a
knight and she will always be one.
As soon as she was able to leave her bed, Poliana went to visit Lady
Tory and Stra. She needed to ask them for a favor.
If she returned to Yapa with the two ladies, it would take about the same
amount of time as when they traveled to Nanaba. The emperor ordered
her to take care of Lady Tory and Lady Stra, but Poliana was desperate
to get back home as quickly as possible.
She was becoming more and more worried as time passed because
there haven’t been any messages from Nanaba. If Lady Rebecca was
fine, they would’ve sent words by now. No news didn’t always mean
good news, and Poliana thought anxiously, ‘Even if they are busy, they
could’ve still sent a letter… Something must’ve happened.’
Lucius the First was a very thoughtful person. He cared about those
around us, especially his wives, so if Lady Rebecca was better, he
would’ve sent a message so those in Nanaba wouldn’t worry.
Poliana needed to get back to the capital immediately but leaving Lady
Stra and Lady Tory would mean that she was disobeying the emperor’s
order. She said to the ladies, “I will leave all of my men here. I can go
alone, so you needn’t worry about your safety.”
“Don’t be silly, Marquess Winter, you need to realize that you are just as
important as us. To be honest, I am certain his highness worries more
about you than his own wives. It is easy to find new wives and bear more
children, but it is very hard to find a loyal knight.”
It hurt her pride to say it, but Lady Tory knew it was the truth. Besides, it
was more important to stop Poliana from leaving alone than trying to
protect her own feelings.
It would be impossible for Lucius the First to replace Poliana, a truly loyal
and talented knight. The one and only knightess who helped him
conquer the world.
In addition, Poliana was the symbol of what the new Acreia represented.
She showed how a foreigner could become successful.
Compared to Poliana, Lady Tory knew she was useless. She was going
to be the easiest to replace among all the emperor’s wives. It was
saddening to admit it, but Lady Tory wasn’t afraid to accept it.
Even though Lady Tory begged her, Poliana refused to take her advice.
Poliana knew her emperor might become furious at her for disobeying
him, but it couldn’t be helped. If necessary, she was willing to give up her
position. She was ready to give up her blue uniform with the golden strip.
When it was obvious that Poliana wasn’t going to give in, Lady Tory
suggested a compromise.
“Then please take at least one knight with you. Someone who can
protect you if necessary on the road. We will take the rest of the guards
and follow you at our own pace.”
“But Lady Tory, the royal guards exist to protect the royal members. I
cannot take one of them for my own protection. It would be considered
treason.”
“That can’t be. They are the royal guards, which means they have the
duty to protect their leader, which is you. Besides, I have asked Duke
Luzo to lend us his knights to make up for those who will go with you.”
Poliana was surprised to hear this. It sounded like Lady Tory already had
a conversation with the duke about this. Lady Stra, who has been
listening quietly, held Poliana’s hands gently and smiled. Lady Tory
continued, “We knew you would insist on going alone, Marquess Winter,
so we already asked the duke for help. I understand how you must feel
since you are so close to Lady Rebecca. Five of the royal guards have
already volunteered to escort you back to Nanaba.”
“Thank you so much. Both of you.”
Lady Tory replied, “It is our pleasure. We both know that if it was one of
us and not Lady Rebecca, you would’ve done the same for us too.”
Lady Stra said as well, “We are so thankful for you, Marquess Winter, for
always being honest with us.”
What Poliana had with Lady Rebecca was a friendship. What she had
with Lady Tory and Lady Stra was more like loyalty, but it was true that
Poliana treated all of them with utmost sincerity. The ladies believed that
no other knight could’ve done the job of protecting them better than Sir
Poliana.
Poliana’s eyes welled up from the two ladies’ kindness. It was true that
the wife and the husband often grow to resemble each other. Both
Lucius the First and all of his wives were all such kind people.

Chapter 199: Chapter 199

Chapter 199
The emperor did not take all of the Yapa royal guards when he left.
Those that were left behind all belonged to the Second Division. All the
guards from the First Division left with the emperor a few days ago.
The Second Division guards that were left in Nanaba were given the
order to protect the emperor’s wives. Poliana asked them, “So you have
been in Nanaba still all this time?”
“Yes, of course, Boss! How could we leave when you are still here?”
“Well, I thought you were all gone since none of you came to visit me
when I was bedridden.”
“…”
“Not visiting your sick boss… What a wonderful world we live in, right?
Don’t you agree?”
“We are so sorry, Sir Poliana. We deserve death.”
When her men trembled in fear, Poliana grinned and replied, “Just
kidding.”
“Boss! Don’t ever do that again! Your sense of humor is beginning to
resemble that of the emperor and it’s not funny!”
“That’s right, Boss! Please!”
“Oh, telling your boss that her jokes aren’t funny… What a wonderful
world we live in, right?”
“Boss!”
Sir Ainno had no sense of humor. Sir Mahogal’s elegant humor delighted
the people around him. Poliana’s jokes were sarcastic but still enjoyable.
Poliana nodded and they headed towards Yapa immediately. They did
not stop much as they rode hard to the capital. The men worried about
Poliana, whose wound still hasn’t healed, but Poliana continued in
determination.
As they rode their horses, they passed by a messenger who seemed to
be headed towards Nanaba.
“Sir Poliana! That was the messenger. He was heading towards
Nanaba!”
“I saw him too.”
“Should we go and stop him?”
“No, just let him continue. I don’t want us to slow down.”
Poliana didn’t stop the messenger on purpose because hearing the
message wasn’t going to be enough. She needed to see what happened
in person. The fact that a messenger was sent all of a sudden meant
that something changed in Yapa.
Unfortunately, Poliana knew whatever happened couldn’t be good. Her
men didn’t say anything, but it seemed that all the guards felt the same
way. They began to slow down a little. Was it because they had a bad
feeling about this?
By the time they could see the Yapa castle, the group looked terrible.
They were dirty, tired, dehydrated, and starving. On their way here, they
threw away their food and water supplies because the weight was
slowing down their horses.
Even the horses looked awful with their mouths covered in foams. Some
of the horses even tried to bite the riders in frustration.
Suddenly, some of the men gasped in shock. It seemed that they saw
something that Poliana missed. She asked anxiously, “What is it? Tell
me now!”
“Sir Poliana. Over there, on the Yapa castle… It’s the half-masted flag!”
“…!”
Poliana gasped as she spotted it herself. Some of the guards began to
tear up. Poliana gritted her teeth, trying not to show any tears. The
devastation she felt was too great to bear. It felt like there was a hole in
her heart.
Poliana said in a shaky voice, “It’s a sad affair indeed, but we expected
it, right?”
“Yes, Boss.”
“We are all knights and therefore, we cannot show any tears. Let’s
continue. If we are lucky, we might be able to attend the funeral!”
Her choice of words was wrong, but it was too late to take it back.
Besides, it didn’t matter anyway.
When the group reached the castle gate, they were stopped by the
gatekeepers, who belonged to the Third Division.
Poliana did not dismount. She announced loudly, “I am Poliana Winter,
the head of the Second Division! These are my men!”
“The Second Division? You are the leader of the Second Division?”
The gatekeepers immediately saluted her. Poliana asked, “The funeral?
When is it?”
“It ended two days ago. We sent a messenger just now. Did you not see
him on your way here?”
“We saw him, but we didn’t stop him.”
Based on her calculation, the emperor purposely sent the messenger
after the funeral. Poliana looked visibly upset at the realization. She
knew that Lucius the First probably believed he did the right thing.
Poliana was so devastated that she couldn’t even be upset about the
emperor’s decision.
Poliana asked, “What about the baby?”
As soon as she asked the question, Poliana realized that it was possible
it was the child that passed away. But for some reason, as soon as she
saw the half-masted flag, Poliana somehow knew that the flag was for
Lady Rebecca. It was very possible that both the mother and the baby
died, but Poliana believed that the baby had to have survived. It was a
strange thing, but she was right.
“It’s a princess.”
Just as Poliana believed, the baby was alive. The guards standing
behind her, however, moaned in disappointment and sadness. One of
them muttered quietly, “A daughter?”
Everyone standing around her was clearly disheartened by the birth of a
princess. They were all thinking that Lady Rebecca died for nothing. It
wasn’t even a son, which meant that her death now had less meaning.
This was exactly why Lady Rebecca wanted a baby boy. For herself, she
didn’t care if the baby was a boy or a girl, but for the child, she knew it
would have a better life if it was a son.
A princess would have a decline in her status as she became older while
a prince could only go up in his position.
The mother of this baby wanted it to be a son. The father of this baby
didn’t care as long as both the mother and the baby were healthy.
In the end, no one got what they wanted. No one truly felt happy about
the birth of the child. Everyone sighed in sadness and disappointment.
Watching them from afar, Poliana’s eyes teared up.

Chapter 200: Chapter 200

Chapter 200
When Sir Wook heard about Poliana’s arrival, he came to visit her.
Poliana dismissed the guards, who were still with her. Sir Wook offered
her, “You need to rest, Sir Poliana. Is your injury okay? You should
return home and go to the castle tomorrow.”
“I’m fine, Sir Wook, I want to hear what happened.”
“Sir Pol… You should really return home for now and rest. I will order my
guards to take you home.”
“I’m not that tired. In fact, my horse is in much worse shape than I am.
Can I borrow one of your horses?”
“Alright, go wash up first and I will have a horse ready for you.”
Poliana nodded and went to the washroom that was used by the royal
guards. She got herself clean and borrowed herself a set of uniforms. By
the time she was done, the sun was already set and the sky was dark.
Most shops were closed by now. Sir Wook was gone and Sir Jainno was
waiting for her outside.
Sir Jainno announced, “The castle entrance has closed. You can go
there tomorrow morning when it reopens.”
“Hmm… Is that why he got me to wash up first? So it would be too late
for me to enter the castle?”
Sir Jainno shrugged and replied, “How would I know what Sir Wook was
thinking?”
Sir Jainno offered her to have dinner with her and Poliana didn’t refuse.
She ate a big meal while Sir Jainno explained to her what had happened
in Yapa during her absence.
Lady Rebecca’s health deteriorated slowly after the emperor left the
castle to visit Nanaba. Her blood pressure went up drastically and it
refused to come down to normal. Her abdomen became filled with fluid,
which meant she couldn’t eat well. Lady Rebecca ended up losing her
consciousness. Duchess Nani arrived soon after and tried her best to
take care of her daughter, but it was no use. Lady Rebecca did regain
her consciousness a few times, but when the last coma lasted for two
days, the doctors decided to send the message to the emperor in
Nanaba. There was a good chance for the mother, the baby, or both of
them were going to die, and they needed the husband to be present.
When Lucius the First arrived, the doctors informed him that it was going
to be impossible to save both the mother and the baby. The emperor
was furious and devastated. He ordered the doctors to save both of
them, and it was then that the doctors delivered him the will Lady
Rebecca wrote while she was still conscious.
After reading it, Lucius the First chose to save the baby.
The minimum a baby could be born relatively healthy was at the eightmonth mark.
When the emperor arrived, Lady Rebecca was seven
months pregnant. Somehow, Lady Rebecca kept herself alive for
another month so she could deliver her daughter safely. The lady
passed away immediately after birth.
Lucius the First, distraught, planned her funeral himself. But even after
the funeral, he could not bring himself to see his baby daughter.
His daughter cost him his wife’s life.
He never held her once, which worried the baby’s nurse and Duchess
Nani.
After the funeral, the emperor continued to do his work but most of the
time, he kept it to himself. After Sir Jainno finished telling her what
happened, Poliana stood up. Sir Jainno shook his head and stopped her.
“Just go to sleep and go in the morning.”
“Step aside, Sir Jainno.”
“Listen to me. You look awful and you are even losing your voice. Just
rest tonight and go tomorrow.”
“I’m fine.”
“This is a bad idea.”
Sir Jainno insisted but he could not stop Poliana. She began to walk
towards the inner castle and thankfully, a horse was already prepared for
her. It seemed that Sir Wook knew she could not be stopped.
The patrols were guarding the gate, questioning anyone approaching
them. Most people wouldn’t have been allowed to enter, but the leader of
the Second Division was one of the few exceptions. The guards still
weren’t allowed to open the main entrance, but they allowed her to enter
through the side door. One of the guards asked, “Are you going to see
the princess?”
“No, I am going to see his highness.”
Poliana did not go to the princess. It was not a good idea for a newborn
baby to have too many visitors and besides, Poliana was here to see the
emperor.
She knew how sensitive and caring Lucius the First was. Poliana could
imagine how ravaged he must be. It had to be worse for him than
Poliana. After all, she lost her friend, but Lucius the First lost his wife.
The emperor’s marriage was certainly not that of an average person. He
married three women all at once, and he married them for a political
reason. Although it wasn’t a love match, Lucius the First always tried to
do his best for his wives.
The emperor tried to become the best ruler he could be. He tried to be
the best husband he could be. There was no doubt that he was fond of
all of his wives.
In the past, Lucius the First told Poliana that he liked all of his wives for
different reasons. He liked Tory because she was intelligent, while he
liked Stra because she was kind. He liked Rebecca because she was
greedy.
Poliana felt the same way; she also liked Rebecca because she was
greedy.
***
As she walked, Poliana got closer and closer to the emperor’s residence.
All the servants she saw looked upset and anxious, most likely because
they were worried about their emperor.
Master Chail, who was guarding the door to the emperor’s room, spotted
Poliana.
“Marquess Winter? You are here. So does that mean Lady Tory and
Lady Stra are here as well?”
“No. I came here alone. They will follow later.”
It seemed that Master Chail did not receive the message of Poliana’s
arrival. When he saw her, Master Chail looked relieved. Poliana asked,
“Where is his highness?”
“He’s inside.”
When Poliana tried to walk in, Master Chail stopped her.
“Marquess Winter, he ordered me to stop anyone from entering tonight.”
He shook his head at her, but he continued to stare at Poliana
expectantly. Marquess Poliana Winter was one of the emperor’s closest
people, which meant that she was given a lot of special privileges, and
one of them was to be able to visit the emperor even when he did not
want any visitors.
It was, however, unwise to abuse her power, so Poliana asked, “Did the
emperor also order Sir Ainno not to enter?”
“No, Sir Ainno is allowed to see his highness.”
Poliana felt that if Sir Ainno was given an exception, she most likely
would receive the same right. When Poliana refused to change her mind,
Master Chail grabbed her again. He had served the emperor for a long
time, so Master Chail was excellent at reading Lucius the First. Usually,
Chail would’ve been thrilled to have Poliana drink with the emperor and
make him feel better, but for some unknown reason, Master Chail had a
feeling that it was a bad idea today; and in most cases, he was right
about these things.
So, Master Chail asked Poliana again to return in the morning.
Chapter 201: Chapter 201

Chapter 201
Even Sir Wook nor Sir Jainno could stop Poliana, which meant that there
was no way Master Chail could convince her.
Poliana then announced, “I must insist on seeing his highness
immediately, Master Chail.”
“Marquess Winter, I realize it must be very hard for you, but his highness
is having an even harder time. I think it’s best to leave him alone for
now.”
“That is exactly why I must see him.”
Without knocking or announcing herself, Poliana walked into the
reception area, then into his private room. Master Chail and the other
servants didn’t follow her. His room was dark, and all the curtains were
closed, making the room look like a cave. It perfectly represented how
the emperor must be feeling.
Once Poliana became used to the darkness, she could see the
emperor’s shape slumped on the chair. He was leaning against a table
without making much movement. He asked quietly without looking up, “Is
that you, Inno?”
It seemed that Lucius the First thought it was Sir Ainno who walked in,
not Poliana. The table and the floor were littered with bottles of wine and
hard liquor. Did he drink all of them or did he drink with Sir Inno? Either
way, it seemed the emperor was drunk. Poliana hesitated to approach
him.
It wouldn’t be a good idea for anyone else to see the emperor in such a
state, so Poliana first closed the door behind her before lighting the
nearby wall lamp. Still without looking up, Lucius the First said in a
pained voice, “Inno… Inno… I really have no luck with women, do I?”
The emperor continued to mutter about his life. Lucius the First’s mother
was a fragile beauty. She used to be even weaker than Lady Rebecca,
and everyone believed that she would die young.
What Lucius the First remembered of his mother was different than most
people. Some would remember their mother as a loving and warm being
while others probably thought of harsh punishments when they had to
describe their childhood. For Lucius the First, the word “mother” brought
back the images of dry coughs, blood, and indifferent gazes. Even then,
the emperor loved his mother. He was an only child, and his mother
used to promise him that she would get him a younger brother, but
Lucius the First’s mother was unable to keep her promise to him.
The first girl Lucius the First slept with was a mean girl, but he liked the
fact that she was confident of herself. This girl did not doubt she would
become the next empress, and Lucius the First thought very highly of
her confidence.
But in the end, Lucius the First’s father, the former emperor, was against
his son marrying such a bold girl, so he kicked her out of the castle. The
girl ended up marrying into a good family, but she died of an illness at a
very young age.
By the time Lucius the First arrived at the Yapa castle, Lady Rebecca
was unconscious. She was no longer the pretty girl with her entire body
grossly swollen. Her small blood vessels were ruptured, making her look
horrendous. As soon as he saw her, Lucius the First knew that she was
not going to make it.
The will she left for the emperor was filled with the legality of the
situation, proving that she was indeed a royal princess who was well
aware of her duties; this made the emperor even sadder.
His own mother died at a very young age. His first girl ended up
marrying another man and dying young too. The woman he loved right
now was the one person he could not have. His own wife ended up
dying while giving birth.
Lucius the First thought to himself, ‘I am so lucky in many things, but not
in women, I guess.’
He was given the gift of a daughter in exchange for his wife’s life, but the
emperor was terrified that this baby might leave him too. He could not
even bear to look at the tiny being without trembling.
A baby born at eight months… There was a good chance she might not
make it. She might die at any moment and prove that Lucius the First
was indeed very unlucky. Just thinking about this possibility made the
emperor feel unbearable.
His mother, his first girl, his wife, and now his daughter… There would
be no one left in his life. The emperor waved his hands in pain as he
muttered desperately, “More drinks! Inno! Get me more wine right now!”
“You need to stop, your highness.”
The one person Lucius the First wanted to see the most was Poliana.
The one person Lucius the First wanted to avoid the most right now was
also the same person.
Slowly, the emperor looked up to find Poliana looking tired.
His mother, his first woman, his wife, and his daughter… Would there be
any woman left in his life?
Yes, and he knew the answer to this question. There was only one
woman that mattered the most in his life.
The woman he loved.
The emperor whispered, “Am I dreaming? Or am I hallucinating from too
much wine? If this is a dream, it has to be a nightmare. If it is a
hallucination, it is a terrible one.”
“Your highness, I believe you drank too much.”
Poliana had never seen Lucius the First looking this disheveled and
helpless. Just as Poliana was in terrible pain, it was clear that the
emperor was suffering as well. Unable to help herself, Poliana hugged
him tightly. The emperor, although shocked at first, felt ecstatic as he felt
her warmth envelope him.
Poliana Winter.
The woman he loved.
Feeling overwhelmed, Lucius the First exclaimed, “Pol… I…!”
The heat from her body proved that this was no dream. Poliana, the
woman he desired, was here. She was with him and she was hugging
him. Even though he was intoxicated, his brain worked calculatingly with
cold clarity. If he took her now, his dream would come true. Poliana was
also in pain from losing her friend Lady Rebecca. If Lucius the First
professed his love for her and took her to bed, Poliana would not resist
him. He could even blame his actions on alcohol and the sadness from
losing his wife. Afterward, he could insist on marrying her, which would
mean he could keep her by his side as his forever.
This was the chance he has been waiting for a very long time, and it was
finally here.

Chapter 202: Chapter 202

Chapter 202
This was indeed a chance, but Lucius the First knew better; it would’ve
been wrong for him to use his wife’s death to trick the woman he loved.
His wife’s funeral was only two days ago, so how could he even consider
such a thing?
The emperor hated himself.
Lucius the First pushed Poliana away. He poured whatever was left over
in the bottle into his mouth. The clear liquor rolled down his cheeks
instead of his tears. He said to Poliana harshly, “Get out, I don’t want to
see you right now.”
Poliana’s face crumpled at the emperor’s rejection. Seeing Poliana hurt
made Lucius the First’s heartache too, but he couldn’t help it. The
emperor needed some time for himself.
Lucius the First might have been the emperor of the greatest kingdom,
but he wasn’t perfect. He couldn’t always remain calm and collected.
Because he was the emperor, he couldn’t even show his true feelings to
others. He wasn’t even allowed to cry in front of anyone. The sadness
and desperation he felt for himself as well as his daughter, who would
grow up without her mother, were immense, but he couldn’t even
express these feelings freely all because he was the emperor.
Then, Poliana came to him. He was barely hanging onto his sanity, but
when he saw her, he couldn’t do it anymore.
Lucius the First was a greedy man. This was why he dreamt of uniting
the entire continent. The emperor was also a loving man. This was why
he did not confess his love to Poliana.
If she remained in this room any longer, Lucius the First knew he would
end up telling her how he felt. He would end up forcing her to become
his. The emperor did not have the patience to remain sane in front of
her.
So he screamed at her, “Get out, Winter!”
Lucius the First loved Acreia. He loved everything about it, even its
harsh cold weather. All Acreians loved the winter, even though they
suffered from it greatly. The bitter season represented them; it was the
symbol of the true Acreians. They were proud to be the ones who were
able to survive such a harsh weather generation after generation. They
believed they were better than the rest of the continent. The harsher the
winter was, the stronger the Acreians became.
Poliana Winter, whose name was given to her by Lucius the First, was
the emperor’s winter. She was his love as well as his motivation; she
was the only one who could move him.
Lucius the First loved Poliana Winter, and because he loved her, he felt
the greatest desperation and conflict. However, Poliana Winter was also
his greatest pride.
The emperor begged her. He begged her to leave him. Perhaps to her, it
sounded like an order, but it didn’t matter. This was the best he could do
at the moment.
“I just can’t do this right now. I need to be alone. I do not want you to see
me like this, so please, leave.”
Poliana’s jaws tightened. Lucius the First wanted to punch himself for
upsetting her. He knew she was missing a molar, which meant it wasn’t
a good idea to clench like this. He wished he could caress her face so
she would unclench it, but he knew that if he touched her, the emperor
would not be able to stop himself.
He didn’t wait this long and went through such a hardship just to use her
body on a night like this. If he took her now, Lucius the First knew she
would never become truly happy again.
Meanwhile, Poliana became angry at herself for not realizing what the
emperor needed. She also felt embarrassed that she overestimated her
importance to the emperor.
Poliana turned around to grab the door. As soon as she left, she slapped
herself.
‘Snap out of it!’
Lucius the First just lost his wife, and Poliana lost her friend. In truth,
without the emperor, Poliana would’ve never met Rebecca at all. It was
obvious that the emperor was the one who was sadder, yet Poliana was
stupid enough to think they could make each other feel better.
Since when did she begin to question the emperor’s order? Since when
did she believe that she knew better than her sovereign?
Against the emperor’s order, Poliana left his two wives in Nanaba and
rode back to Yapa. He ordered her to protect his wives, but she
disobeyed him. Master Chail told her that the emperor did not want
anyone in his room tonight, but she thought she knew better, and she
entered against his order.
Since when did she become so arrogant? She never wanted to become
such an egotistical person, but it seemed that it was too late.
When Master Chail saw Poliana leave the emperor’s room looking pale,
he was shocked. He asked, “Marquess, are you alright?”
“I made a huge mistake. I disrespected the emperor, and I need to go
and think about what I did.”
Sir Ainno was standing next to Master Chail with a bottle of wine in his
hand. He was waiting outside because Master Chail told him that
Poliana was inside with the emperor.
Poliana couldn’t be any more embarrassed. Since when did she think
she was at the same level as Sir Ainno?
Sir Ainno looked at Poliana, who still looked very pale, and sighed
deeply. He handed the bottle to Master Chail and put his hand on
Poliana’s shoulder.
“Marquess, may I talk to you in private?”
“Don’t you have to go inside to see his highness right now?”
“It’s fine. What his highness needs right now isn’t wine; he needs some
time to think.”
This situation was greatly upsetting. He understood how horrible it was
that Lady Rebecca passed away, but what distressed him, even more,
was the fact that because of this royal death, his marriage plan was
delayed for at least a year. He didn’t even get the chance to talk to his
parents about his plan.
On top of that, the emperor was making a muck of his relationship with
the love of his life. Poliana looked devastated, annoying him to no end.
He was having problems with his own love life, yet here he was, having
to fix his emperor’s love life.
He turned towards Poliana and asked, “What happened? What’s wrong?

Chapter 203: Chapter 203

Chapter 203
Poliana opened her mouth to answer, but Sir Ainno did not wait for her.
There were so many things he needed to fix, and he needed to keep this
as short as possible. Sir Ainno said to her, “Did his highness get mad at
you? Did he yell at you? If so, don’t get upset. He’s just drunk, that’s all.
Or did his highness take you to his bed? If he did, it’s because he was
drunk, so don’t think too much about it. If you are upset, then just marry
him.”
Poliana lowered her face. It was becoming harder to control her tears.
She whispered, “I… It’s all my fault. If I didn’t find you that day when we
were doing the cleansing ritual… Things would’ve been okay. I found
you and that is why I ruined everything. That must be why Lady
Rebecca…”
A normal kind person would’ve tried to console Poliana, but Sir Ainno
was definitely not a nice person. He was an impatient bastard, so without
thinking, he punched her in the stomach for being stupid. He regretted it
immediately after, but it was too late. Poliana kneeled on the ground with
a gasp.
Sir Ainno knew punching her wasn’t the smart thing to do at the moment,
but he didn’t feel sorry. What Poliana was saying was ridiculous, and it
clearly showed on his face. Poliana saw his expression and nodded,
knowing that he was right. What she said was stupid indeed. As soon as
she got up, however, she tried to kick his shin. Sir Ainno evaded her
attack easily and raised his fist again. Poliana immediately apologized to
him, “I’m sorry. I misspoke.”
“Alright. As long as you know you are being stupid, it’s okay, I guess.
Now, whatever his highness might have done or said tonight to you, just
forget about it.”
Poliana’s face darkened again at the mention of the emperor, making Sir
Ainno feel even more annoyed.
‘Why do I have to waste my time consoling this woman?’
Poliana was the woman his friend loved, but it was unlikely that things
would work out between them. Sir Ainno’s eyebrows cringed angrily
before he took a deep breath to calm down. He thought logically, ‘I
guess even if they don’t become a couple, I should at least try my best to
make sure their relationship doesn’t worsen.’
Sir Ainno said to her, “His highness probably didn’t want to show you his
weakness.”
“No, it’s not that. I am the one who made a mistake. I was being
arrogant; I overestimated my importance.”
“I am telling you that that’s not it! Just how many times do I have to
explain? Until now, you have only seen the best sides of his highness!
The emperor just didn’t want to ruin your perception of him.”
No man would ever want the woman he loved to see him cry like a baby
after his wife died. As a matter of fact, it would be the same situation for
a woman too. A woman would never want the man she loved to see her
crying after her husband dies.
To Sir Ainno, Lucius the First was a good friend and his emperor who
needed to be protected. To Poliana, Lucius the First was the greatest
emperor and the ruler she served.
It was likely that the emperor probably didn’t want anyone to see him like
this tonight.
Sir Ainno said to Poliana, “You and his highness are both too emotional.”
Sir Ainno was indeed a jerk. Just because this wasn’t his problem, he
talked like this wasn’t a big deal. Poliana felt bitter, knowing Sir Ainno
had everything. Both of his parents were still alive; he also had a
younger brother who had a healthy wife and children. On top of that, the
woman he loved was still very much alive and healthy.
Poliana became annoyed at Sir Ainno. She stopped crying, but she
continued to sniffle. What Sir Ainno said was rude and hurtful, but
unfortunately, it was the truth. The problem was, Lucius the First’s
rejection hurt Poliana deeply.
She was fine when she was spurned by her parents and her colleagues.
She didn’t even get angry at the time. But being rejected by the
emperor… It felt too devastating. This couldn’t be helped because it was
Lucius the First who made her into the Poliana Winter she was today.
The emperor made her existence as the knightess of Acreia possible.
Without him, Poliana would’ve died nameless somewhere in one of the
countless battlefields she had faced.
Lucius the First was everything to Poliana. To her, he could do no
wrong. What made Poliana angry at the moment was the fact that she
crossed the line. This was her fault; she ruined everything.
Sir Ainno, realizing that he wasn’t going to be able to fix this, muttered, “I
will see you tomorrow.”
He walked away quickly.
Poliana, without a word, returned to where she left her horse. Just like
she entered the castle, she left by the side door available only for the
people of importance.
‘Should I go home and drink?’
She hated to be alone. She craved to feel drunk, but she also didn’t want
to drink.
‘I don’t want to drink alone though…’
She tried to think of another place to go other than her own empty home.
If Sir Howe and Sir Donau were here, she would’ve gone to them, but
unfortunately, they weren’t in Yapa anymore. Lady Rebecca was no
longer alive, so she couldn’t visit her either. She knew most of her
closest guards must be on duty, so she couldn’t go bother them either.
The other guards who were off duty were most likely at home with their
families, and she certainly could not disturb them in the middle of the
night.
Poliana thought she developed a good social circle around her, but the
truth was, she had no one. There was no one she could visit this night to
drink with her. She didn’t cry even when Lucius the First rejected her, but
now, she was afraid her tears would roll down uncontrollably.
‘Dammit! I refuse to cry!’
Poliana rubbed her face vigorously and wished sadly, ‘I should’ve
accepted the puppy when I had the chance.’
She regretted her decision. She was so lonely. Poliana wished she had
someone, or even a dog, to keep her company this night.

Chapter 204: Chapter 204

Chapter 204
After Poliana left for Yapa, Lady Tory was still in Nanaba getting ready to
leave when she was visited by a guest. She already received a message
concerning the death of Lady Rebecca, so Lady Tory didn’t feel like
greeting a guest, however, it was a visitor she could not refuse, so she
put on her usual smile. She was raised this way and she was very good
at playing her role.
“Great grandfather.”
It was Sir Bentier’s grandfather and the most powerful elder of Acreia,
Marquis Seeze.
He visited Lady Tory with the same smile as hers. All the maids became
rigid and left immediately.
Marquis Seeze asked Lady Tory, “Oh, so you are returning to Yapa?”
“Yes, I should’ve returned a long time ago.”
“Yes, I agree. You are the mistress of that castle, so you should not be
absent for too long there. Besides, there has also been very good news
recently, so I think it’s the perfect time for you to return.”
The only news that arrived from Yapa was the death of Lady Rebecca.
Marquis Seeze was calling this good news, and Tory’s smile faltered a
little. Marquis Seeze, unaware of the change in her demeanor, continued
with a pleased laugh, “I was never worried about that southern girl
because she has always been so weak. Even if she had a son, I knew
he was going to be weak just like his mother, but she ended up having a
daughter instead. What a wonderful week it has been.”
Marquis Seeze patted her shoulder gently and continued, “Bentier has
been acting strangely lately, but I know he is a serious and smart young
man, so I am not too worried about him. I am sure he will do the right
thing. I also have great trust in you, my child. You are very intelligent too,
so I am certain you will do me proud. You know what I am saying, right?”
“Yes, Sir.” Lady Tory bowed obediently, making Marquis Seeze smile
proudly.
He slowly unraveled the gift he brought for her. It was a bottle of ice wine
from his own winery in the northern region. “Everything we do is for his
highness, Tory. You know that, right?”
“Yes, Great grandfather.”
Lady Tory received the bottle with trembling hands as Marquis Seeze
continued, “I will tell the maids to take good care of you, alright?”
“Thank you, Sir. I am so grateful for all your help. I don’t know how I will
ever thank you for taking such good care of me.”
“Of course, I should be taking good care of you! You are the woman who
is going to bear the future emperor after all! You are the woman who will
become the next empress!”
Lady Tory smiled shyly. Marquis Seeze said a few more words before
leaving. After he was gone, the maids returned and took the bottle of ice
wine away. Lady Tory was certain that he probably had a word with the
maids.
Tory smiled at the women as if nothing happened.
***
Lady Stra finally woke up after crying herself to sleep. When she heard
the news of Lady Rebecca’s death, she couldn’t stop crying.
Still feeling confused and sleepy, all Lady Stra could think about now
was how to help Lady Tory. She needed to get up and help get ready to
leave Nanaba, but her maids stopped her. The maids told Stra that Lady
Tory ordered them to make sure Stra rests well.
‘She is such a kind person.’
To Stra, both Lady Rebecca and Lady Tory were wonderful women.
Thinking about Lady Rebecca made Stra begin to cry again. Lady
Rebecca, a good person, was dead now. How could this happen? And
what about the baby? The newborn would never get to know her own
mother.
It was a tragedy, but Lady Stra knew she couldn’t just sit around and
drown in sadness. It was very possible that the southern colonies would
insist on the emperor taking in another wife from their own region. They
might even insist on Lucius the First marrying Lady Rebecca’s sister,
claiming that she would take the best care of the newborn princess.
Until now, Lady Stra has been remaining quiet and docile because she
was the youngest and the least powerful, but she needed to be stronger
now. Her maids told her to rest and they will take care of everything, but
Stra needed to work.
‘I can’t just sit still anymore.’
Lady Stra wiped away her tears and stood up to go help Tory. When
Lady Tory saw her, she told Stra that it was not necessary for her to
help, but Lady Tory still smiled kindly as if she was pleased.
***
A small group was formed to take care of the new princess. The royal
doctors were kept busy because they were ordered to take special care
of the princess as well as Poliana, who suffered from a recent injury.
Normally, they would’ve liked to spend much time treating Poliana, who
was a very influential figure, but the doctors were becoming too tired.
So they said the Frau Sneke, “You know the marquess well, so you
should be the one taking care of her.”
“That’s right. You should go, Doctor Sneke.”
Frau was half forced to visit Poliana. Just like the other doctors, Frau has
been working hard during the past few months. He even lost a little
weight, making him look less chubby. Unwilling to look tired in front of his
patient, he straightened up before going to visit Poliana.
He knew how close Poliana was to Lady Rebecca, which meant that
Poliana must be very upset.
‘I wonder if she will cry… Or maybe she is drunk?’
Frau has never seen Poliana cry before, but her friend just died. It
would’ve made sense for Poliana to cry. This was what Frau thought, but
he was shocked to see Poliana’s perfectly dry face. Poliana didn’t smell
of alcohol either. She looked perfectly fine, making Frau feel
uncomfortable.
‘No wonder people call her the cold witch.’
Frau almost felt a little fearful of her, but Poliana seemed oblivious. She
stared as Frau changed the bandages on her torso. His hands felt warm
to her cold skin. The desperate loneliness she felt seemed to become
soothed by his touch. A dog would’ve had a higher temperature, but
Poliana decided that this man will have to do.
She said to Frau bluntly, “Let’s get married.”
“Pardon?”
Frau gasped in shock, but Poliana didn’t care. She liked his
awkwardness and honesty. She now had regular periods, which meant
she could get pregnant now too. If she married him, they could have
children and she could have her heir.
Even if she was too old to have a baby, it was still ok. Frau told her
before that he didn’t care if they didn’t have any children. Poliana
couldn’t endure her loneliness anymore, and that was why she proposed
to him
Frau, the gold digger, might just get what he wanted.

Chapter 205: Story 17. Snake Hunting – Chapter 205

Story 17. Snake Hunting

Chapter 205
Lucius the First, who was upset and quiet, mostly remained in his office
while Marquess Winter stayed home as a form of self-punishment. Sir
Ainno, the head of the First Division, roamed around looking annoyed.
This wasn’t a surprise since he always had a sour look on his face, but it
was a little different now. He looked especially unhappy and he
frequently lashed out at his guards.
It made sense for Lucius the First and Poliana to be sad since they were
both close to Lady Rebecca, who passed away recently, but why was Sir
Ainno so angry? A strange rumor began that stated Sir Ainno was in love
with Lady Rebecca, the emperor’s wife. Sir Ainno adamantly and firmly
denied this, of course.
The First Division’s guards chatted curiously.
“So, why is he so annoyed?”
“It’s because he is an old lonely bachelor.”
“Oh?”
“I heard that Sir Ainno was planning to bring up the subject of his
marriage when he visited Yapa.”
“But with the recent royal death, the nobles won’t be able to get married
this year…”
“Exactly, Sir Ainno cannot get married for a whole year, and that must be
why he looks so angry at the world.”
The guards had no idea if this was true, but they didn’t care; gossiping
was always fun no matter what.
Was it because Sir Ainno chose his men based only on their skills and
not their backgrounds and personalities? The First Division was
notorious for including strange and rude knights. The group consisted of
men from different backgrounds including high-ranking nobles like Sir
Mahogal and poor commoners.
There was no doubt that these men trained hard, but there were no strict
rules in this division. Initially, the men, especially the commoners, were
ecstatic to be selected by Sir Ainno. They dreamt of gaining honor and
wealth as the knights of the First Division.
However, it didn’t take long before these men became tired of the harsh
judgment from the world. When they did well, people took it as granted,
and if the men didn’t do well, the others blamed it on their poor
backgrounds. It should’ve been Sir Ainno’s job to take care of these
men, but he was not a good boss. All Sir Ainno cared about was his
men’s skills. If it wasn’t for Sir Mahogal, who was a much kinder and
understanding leader, the First Division might have turned out even
worse.
The guards continued to gossip, “So who is this lady our boss fell in love
with?”
“Who knows? All I can tell you is that she is one unlucky woman.”
This mystery woman was sure to face an unfortunate fate, but the
guards hoped that Sir Ainno would get married as soon as possible.
Perhaps then, he would be less mean and hysteric. The guards’ faces
turned dark, however, as they realized that it would be at least a year
before Sir Ainno could get married.
But was Sir Ainno really acting this way because he wasn’t allowed to
get married for a year? The guards couldn’t tell. Some believed it to be
the truth, while others shook their heads.
The truth was in the middle as usual. It was true that Sir Ainno was
angry at being stopped from getting married, but he was also frustrated
because he didn’t know how to console his friend who lost his wife. Sir
Ainno had no idea what he needed to do to make his friend feel better.
‘I thought I just needed to drink with him a few times, but…’
Sir Ainno spent most of his life by Lucius the First’s side. The emperor
didn’t look this depressed when his own father, the former emperor,
passed away. Sir Ainno remembered Lucius the First feeling determined
to continue his father’s legacy and make this kingdom better and
stronger.
‘Did lose his will to go on?’
The death of Lady Rebecca left the emperor with the problem of the
marriage contract with the southern region and a fragile newborn
daughter who may not survive for long. Lucius the First still refused to
see his daughter; all he focused on was his work.
The emperor has always been a workaholic, but it felt different now. In
the past, Lucius the First made sure to take breaks and keep up with his
hobbies, such as riding, sword fighting, and hunting, but now, it seemed
that the emperor forgot how to enjoy his life.
All Lucius the First did was work. He appeared to be ready to dedicate
his life to his work and nothing else. The emperor still put on a smile on
his face, but it no longer looked leisurely and confident. Lucius the First’s
smile now looked dangerously fragile. To others, it might have looked
perfect, but Sir Ainno knew better. Sir Ainno was extremely unhappy with
the current situation.
It was bad enough to see Lucius the First acting this way, but on top of
this, Poliana was acting even worse. She refused to come to the castle;
she was staying at her home as a form of self-punishment for disturbing
the emperor.
‘Idiots… They are all idiots.’
The emperor and the head of a major military division… These were
people who were supposed to lead this kingdom, yet they were both
acting like children. Sir Ainno sighed and shook his head. As the only
sane and capable person here, Sir Ainno knew it was his job to fix the
situation.
“…”
Sir Ainno sighed again and began to make a plan to bring the emperor
out of his depression. It was especially crucial that the emperor changed
how he treated his daughter.
***
Lady Tory and Lady Stra returned to the Yapa castle, which was now
filled with tension and uncertainty. The emperor was immersed in his
work while Marquess Winter remained home. The ladies had no idea
why Sir Ainno was acting all annoyed. The newborn princess was still in
a critical condition, still unable to breathe well, so someone needed to be
by her side at all times to make sure she was ok.
Duchess Nani was currently given the duty of taking care of the princess;
she was her maternal grandmother, so it made sense. Everyone thought
it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the duchess to permanently live in Yapa and
take care of her granddaughter.
This was what Lady Tory thought as well until she met Duchess Nani in
person.
“Gosh… I cannot believe my daughter gave birth to a girl. How
disappointing.”
There was no sadness in Duchess Nani’s demeanor. It was clear that
she felt disappointed in her dead daughter for not bearing a son. Lady
Stra argued, “Duchess Nani, aren’t you even sad that your daughter
died?”
“Of course, I am, but thankfully, I have many other children. I have two
more daughters and even more sons. If Rebecca resembled me, she
would’ve been able to bear many sons, but… why did she have to birth a
daughter?”
Everyone was thinking this, but no one was willing to voice it. Lady Stra
and Lady Tory knew that this wasn’t such a shocking thought, but they
were still very angry that Lady Rebecca’s own mother would feel this
way.
Originally, Lady Tory planned on asking Duchess Nani to remain in Yapa
permanently to take care of the princess, but Lady Tory changed her
mind. She ordered, “Duchess Nani, please leave this castle as soon as
possible.”

Chapter 206: Chapter 206

Chapter 206
Duchess Nani asked in confusion, “Pardon?”
Lady Tory explained coldly, “We, Lady Stra and I, will raise the princess.
We cannot have you take care of her, so please leave.”
“But Lady Tory, I am the princess’s grandmother and the mother of late
Lady Rebecca! How dare you tell me to leave?”
“Even if you didn’t care for your daughter, you could’ve said something
nice about her just now, but you didn’t, Duchess Nani, and that is why
we cannot have you raise the princess. I cannot imagine what the
princess will learn if you were the one raising her.”
Lady Stra agreed, “That’s right, we are the princess’s mothers now, so
we will raise her. Please leave, Duchess Nani.”
Duchess Nani was shocked. She stammered, “I… I don’t understand
what you are saying…”
“Leave.”
Duchess Nani was no match for the two wives of the emperor. She left
the reception area and Lady Tory sighed. She told the duchess to leave,
but Lady Tory wasn’t sure if Duchess Nani would obey her order. After
all, only the emperor’s order would force the duchess to leave the castle.
One fortunate thing was the fact that Lady Tory and Lady Stra were
indeed the princess’s mothers. Even if the duchess stayed in Yapa, Lady
Tory and Lady Stra could stop her from raising the princess.
Lady Tory thought with concern, ‘What will I do if his highness allows the
duchess to stay? And what should I do about his highness who isn’t
even willing to see his own daughter…’
Tory regretted making such a rash decision. There was no need for her
to get involved like this. She had no idea how things were going to work
out, and to stand out like this was not a good idea.
Her plan has always been to remain invisible, so what she did today was
a mistake. What happened today… She knew everyone in the castle
would find out very soon and she couldn’t even imagine how people
would interpret this event. There was no doubt that her enemies would
use it against her.
This was why Tory had to remain calm and collected at all times. She
could never afford to be impulsive or rash. She needed to make all of her
decisions carefully.
Until now, Lady Tory was able to remain calm. As the mistress of the
castle and as the lead wife of all the emperor’s wives, Lady Tory has
been acting dutifully and diplomatically. It was a bad idea to do anything
that might cause a conflict between the emperor and the people of the
colonies.
‘I wonder if I will be alright…’
Tory’s hands trembled and when Lady Stra held them, Tory flinched in
shock. Logically, Tory knew what she did was the right thing to do, but
she couldn’t help sweating because of it.
Lady Stra squeezed Tory’s hands and whispered, “Let’s raise our
princess as the best lady of this kingdom.” The way Lady Stra said her
words sounded more like an oath to herself rather than a suggestion.
Normally, Stra’s words would’ve consoled Tory, but today, they weighed
heavily on Tory’s mind. The nicer Lady Stra acted towards Tory, the
worse Tory felt.
The maids were staring at the ladies. It was their job to focus on their
ladies, but Tory hated their eyes on her. As soon as she was chosen by
Marquis Seeze, Tory knew she would have to live the rest of her life
watched by others.
***
What happened between Lady Tory and Duchess Nani quickly reached
the emperor. Duchess Nani became furious and demanded justice.
Lucius the First did not see the duchess in person. He was satisfied with
hearing the report from the servant. Normally, he would’ve shown more
respect towards his mother-in-law, but currently, he was not in the mood.
He announced, “A child needs to be raised by the mother, of course. Let
my wives do what they wish.”
“But your highness… Duchess Nani is the princess’s maternal
grandmother… Are you sure about making her leave…”
It made sense that the mother should have the strongest say in a child’s
welfare, but in this case, the maternal grandmother was a blood relative
to the princess while the emperor’s wives were not. Perhaps the
princess would prefer her own grandmother than her stepmothers…
But Lucius the First made it clear that he sided with his wives.
“No, Lady Tory is right. I have been concerned about Duchess Nani for a
while now, so this is the right thing to do.”
Lucius the First remembered the day when his daughter was born. It was
a hectic and awful day, and as soon as Lady Rebecca gave birth to a
princess, Duchess Nani walked up to the emperor and apologized to
him. She said, “I am so sorry that my unworthy daughter gave you a
daughter, your highness.”
The emperor felt uncomfortable at the time. His wife, Rebecca, gave up
her life for this child, yet her mother was apologizing on her behalf. The
emperor was upset but what shocked him, even more, was his newborn
daughter.
The princess was tiny and fragile. A healthy baby would’ve cried out, but
the princess couldn’t even do that. She was barely breathing, and it was
obvious that she may not survive the night. Lucius the First became
fearful. He was afraid that his daughter might not survive, just like his
wife.
He ignored his daughter because of his fear, and it was his mother-inlaw, Duchess
Nani, who has been taking care of the baby until now. He
felt guilty about kicking the duchess out now, but he was certain that it
was the right decision to side with his wives now. How could he let
someone like Duchess Nani raise his daughter?
Lucius the First asked Sir Ainno, “Is… Is the princess ok?”
“Your highness, you should go see her for yourself.”
All the servants around them looked relieved to see the emperor
worrying about the princess. They all knew Lucius the First was a kind
man, so they never doubted that he would care for his own daughter
when he felt better.
But still afraid to see the princess, Lucius the First asked again, “Is she
better?”
“Your highness, you really need to go see her and find out. How could I
go see the princess when you, her father, haven’t?”
“I can understand Chail refusing to answer me, but you too, Inno?”
“Your highness, as your protector, you know I haven’t left your side. So
how could I have visited the princess?”
“I see… So, I am the problem.”
After hesitating for a long time, Lucius the First finally decided to visit the
princess. Sir Ainno was pleased as things seemed to be working out just
fine without him doing much work.

Chapter 207: Chapter 207

Chapter 207
The princess, who couldn’t even breathe well when she was born, now
looked better. When Lucius the First visited his daughter, the maids and
the wet nurse sighed in relief.
The emperor, now seeing that his daughter was doing better, decided to
finally name her. When she opened her eyes, she looked a little crosseyed. There,
the emperor announced, “I will call her Luminae.”
Everyone sighed in relief. They have been worried that the emperor has
been refusing to visit the princess, but now, it seemed that he was ready
to face his daughter. Lucius the First played with the princess’s tiny
fingers, studying her carefully. Just like her mother, Lady Rebecca,
Princess Luminae had black hair and black eyes. She had pale skin like
her father, but she was also covered in fine hair. When the emperor
showed concern about the fuzz, the wet nurse reassured him that they
will fall out later.
“Her highness will become a great beauty, your highness.”
“Your highness, it makes sense since her parents are such beauties
themselves.”
“She is becoming so much stronger too, your highness.”
Lucius the First gave a small smile and replied, “Yes, I can see that she
resembles me; I can also see Rebecca in her too.”
“Yes, your highness. Princess Luminae resembles both of you.”
“Rebecca was a greedy woman. I am also a very ambitious man, so I
think our daughter will become a greedy girl.”
“We did notice that the princess is always hungry for food.”
“Good, good. She needs to eat a lot since she was born two months
earlier than she should’ve; she needs to eat as much as possible.”
The wet nurse informed the emperor that the princess was constantly
hungry, keeping her busy. Lucius the First was relieved to learn that his
daughter was eating well. Perhaps it was Princess Luminae’s greed that
kept her alive.
The emperor murmured to her, “You need to grow up selfish. You need
to take what you want for yourself. You need to live long, and you cannot
die before me.”
Lucius the First hugged her, almost too tightly. He lost his mother, his
first girl, and his wife too early. The emperor didn’t think he could endure
losing his daughter too.
Duchess Nani was furious when she was forced to leave Yapa. The
southern regions protested aggressively at how she was treated, but
Lucius the First ignored them. He claimed that this was a family
business.
Lady Tory was relieved to see Duchess Nani gone. After a long day, she
was finally able to relax when she was alone in her bed. Tory couldn’t
relax even when she was with her own maids. From early in the morning
till late in the night, Lady Tory could not relax at all.
No one asked or ordered her, but Lady Tory became the unofficial
mistress of the castle. Lady Stra, trying to help, took it upon herself to
raise the princess. Some of Lady Rebecca’s maids left with Duchess
Nani back home. Whoever remained helped Lady Stra take care of the
princess.
Anyone who came from the mid-continent clearly supported Lady Stra.
Those from Acreia, on the other hand, were clearly on Lady Tory’s side.
Most of Tory’s maids were young ladies she grew up with in Acreia.
They were her relatives or family friends. During the last few years,
some of them left when they got married, but they were quickly replaced
by other equally qualified ladies from Acreia.
The ladies served Lady Tory faithfully. Tory felt thankful to them, and she
worked very hard to repay them. Just like the elders wanted, Lady Tory
tried to live as a perfect lady. She was able to take control over the
lady’s quarters in the Yapa castle just as the elders desired. Lady Tory
was kind to everyone including the other wives of the emperor. She
always had a smile on her face and acted in a perfect manner.
This was her job. This was what everyone expected of her. She was the
perfect wife of the emperor, the future empress; the lady that represents
Acreia.
Lady Tory needed to do what was necessary so she wouldn’t disappoint
Marquis Seeze, who handpicked her himself for this role.
This morning, one of Tory’s maids said in passing that Lady Stra missed
her period. It was her time for her monthly bleeding, but nothing
happened so far, which was worrying many of her maids. After her
phantom pregnancy, it wasn’t uncommon for Stra to skip her period, so
there had to be a reason why her maid mentioned this. This was no
accident.
Tory took out the bottle of ice wine from the cabinet. It was the one
Marquis Seeze gave to her before she left Nanaba. There was a huge
shortage in farmlands in Acreia, which meant most available lands were
used for grains and vegetables. Fruits were considered a luxury, and this
was why Marquis Seeze was the only one in Acreia who had a winery.
The grapes grown on his land were of a different variety than the ones
grown in the mid-continent and the southern regions. His wine was
considered a very important export item in Acreia. Marquis Seeze’s wine
was considered a luxury item.
Tory shook the bottle lightly and watched the liquid dance inside. There
had to be more than just wine in this bottle. She wasn’t naïve enough to
believe that the bottle Marquis Seeze gave her only contained simple
wine.
‘Should I just drop it and break it?’
If she made it look like an accident and destroyed it, another bottle would
be sent to her shortly. If she broke it again, there would be another
bottle. If she continued to break it, soon, it won’t be bottles of wine that
would arrive but another lady who would replace Tory herself.
Even if she knew this was wrong and she wanted to stop, it was not
possible. She couldn’t go against the will of the elders. She couldn’t even
try to hide her intention because her own maids reported her every move
to Marquis Seeze. The only reason Tory became the emperor’s wife was
thanks to her family. The only reason why Tory was able to take control
of the Yapa castle was due to the help from her maids, who were only
following an order from her family. Just as her married maids were easily
replaced by other ladies, Tory knew she could be replaced just as easily.
‘Rebecca, Stra…’
Tory thought of Lady Rebecca who died and Lady Stra, who was still
alive. Lady Tory wasn’t sure if it was a good thing that she came to be
close to these ladies. They were very kind to her, and it seemed that
they genuinely liked her. Tory wasn’t sure if they really meant to be her
friend, because, at the end of the day, they were destined to compete
against each other.
“For my family. For Acreia. For his highness.”
Stra was kind and genuine. Rebecca, the oldest of them, used to be
sickly but was very dependable. Tory could never be truly genuine like
these ladies. Tory’s smile was fake, unlike theirs. Their husband, the
emperor, often praised her for being smart. It was a surprise because
the only compliment Tory ever heard was that she was obedient and
docile.
Lady Tory wasn’t sure if what she needed to do was really for the
emperor and for Acreia. The problem was, she could never report her
situation because she was in the middle of it. She was in the same boat
as her family. If her family was destroyed, so would she.
The emperor tried his best to be fair to all of his wives, but Tory knew
that of all the ladies, he kept his distance from her the most; it was
obvious.
Tory didn’t know anything about politics. All people wanted from her was
her obedience, so she had no choice but to follow their orders.
‘But I know the truth…’
She knew, but she had to feign ignorance. Her family told her whatever
they asked her to do was for her own good. Tory knew this was a lie,
but…
A proper lady was never supposed to doubt her family’s intentions.
“For me.”
Tory lied to herself out loud. She closed her eyes and buried her face on
her pillow. There was nothing she could do to change the situation. Just
like all the other ladies, Tory was raised to become obedient.

Chapter 208: Chapter 208

Chapter 208
Just as Poliana promised, she remained at home as a form of selfpunishment. She
didn’t, however, return her uniform with the gold stripe.
Instead, she didn’t go to work; she remained home for a month.
Poliana was very strict about her punishment. First of all, she didn’t
leave her home at all during this time. Even at her own home, she only
stayed in her bedroom and the library. She refused to see any guests
and she also did not receive or send any letters. Any gifts she received,
if she returned them immediately if she ever received one.
Poliana got up in the morning as the sun rose and she went to bed at
sunset. She ate meat only at lunch and she did not indulge herself with
white bread at all during this month. She only drank alcohol at night; she
drank only water during the rest of the day.
She spent her time reading books about royal etiquettes and organizing
the information she gathered during her lifetime about maps and how to
interpret them. Poliana always wanted to write and publish a book about
map interpretation.
The day after Poliana decided to punish herself, Lucius the First sent her
a message that there was no need for her to do so. However, this was
useless because Poliana refused to see the messenger at all.
And finally, after a month, Poliana Winter returned to the castle looking
calmer and determined. Sir Ainno Seki had been leading the Second
Division in her absence, so when the guards saw their boss return, their
eyes teared up in happiness.
“Boss! We missed you so much!”
“Marquess Winter, please don’t ever leave us again!”
“And if you must leave again, please leave us with the leader of the Third
Division, not the First Division.”
Poliana asked, “Anything new since I left?”
“We spared half of Lady Rebecca’s personal guards to the new
princess.”
Poliana nodded in agreement. It would’ve been a waste to use too many
guards to protect a newborn baby. While she listened to the rest of the
report, Poliana frowned in concern.
‘There are too many people here.’
While Poliana was away, the lady’s quarters became filled with
strangers. Too many people were allowed to enter and leave as they
pleased. It was because, during Poliana’s absence, people such as
Duchess Nani and her entourage, more doctors, apothecaries, wet
nurses, newly hired maids, and merchants were called in. After the
duchess left and the two wives of the emperor returned, things settled
down a little, but there were still many more people freely entering the
lady’s quarters than when Poliana was in charge. If someone walked in
with a bad intention, there would’ve been no way to stop them.
On top of this, there has been an increase of noblemen visiting Lady
Tory and Lady Stra to greet them on their safe return. It was almost
impossible to stop these people. What worried Poliana the most,
however, was the fact that the noble ladies seemed to be trying to create
conflicts between Lady Tory and Lady Stra.
‘Is it because there are now only two of them instead of three?’
The careful peace the three wives of the emperor created was now over.
After Lady Rebecca passed away giving birth to her daughter, there was
a clear uncertainty in the castle’s power structure. Three was a good
number for stability. The best thing would’ve been for the emperor to
take in another wife, but no one dared to suggest such a thing to Lucius
the First. It was partly because everyone knew how upset the emperor
was, but also, the royal members themselves could not marry for a year
after the death of one of them.
At this point, it seemed that whichever lady that becomes pregnant first
would be able to gain the ultimate power.
Poliana regretted leaving. ‘Dammit. Maybe I shouldn’t have left for this
long.’
She was feeling much better after a month to herself, but now that she
saw what was going on in the castle, she began to feel uncertain. Too
many things seemed to happen while she was gone. Was something
very bad going to happen from all these changes?
Poliana shook her head. ‘No, there is no need to regret my decision. It
had to be done.’
It wasn’t that she spent the last month fooling around and having fun.
She worked to renew her energy and her goal. She needed this
desperately so there was no reason why she needed to feel guilty about
it.
‘If something goes wrong, it will be their fault.’
She looked around her guards slowly. The men, however, didn’t notice
her look. They only continued to complain about how hard their lives
have been under Sir Ainno’s lead.
Poliana trusted and believed in her men. She didn’t doubt that they
worked hard despite her absence. What worried her, however, was their
relatives. Most of the noblemen and ladies that entered the castle were
one way or another related to the guards. They were either their
relatives, friends, or close acquaintances, which meant the men wouldn’t
be as vigilant.
For example, there was Cekel. Because her brothers were guards
working in the main castle, she could often enter different areas easily
without anyone thinking twice about it. Cekel could go anywhere she
wanted in the castle freely without looking suspicious.
‘I can’t trust Sir Ainno in preventing this kind of problem.’
Sir Ainno was excellent at taking care of problems, but his weakness
was preventing potential problems in the first place. In some ways,
Poliana envied him for it.
‘Ok, I need to stop thinking about this.’
There was no point in Poliana envying Sir Ainno; she could never
become him. They were two very different people, and she needed to
constantly remind herself of this fact.
Besides, at this point, there was a more important thing she needed to
do. It was time for her to beg for the emperor’s forgiveness.

Chapter 209: Chapter 209

Chapter 209
Poliana said to Lady Tory and Lady Stra, “It is my duty to protect and
serve you, yet I left you in Nanaba and did not even come to you when
you returned to Yapa; what I did was unacceptable and I could ask
nothing more than your forgiveness.”
Poliana was absent for two months in these ladies’ lives and she felt
horrible about it. Lady Stra and Lady Tory, however, told her that there
was nothing to apologize about. They tried to stop her, but Poliana
kneeled on the floor and continued, “I may be serving you per the
emperor’s order, but I take it my honor to work as your protector. You
are my ladies, which means I am guilty of not doing my job. From now
on, I will do my best to serve you even better.”
“Please, Marquess, there is no need for this. You don’t have to apologize
or feel guilty.”
“That’s right, Marquess Winter. You don’t have to be so nice to us….
You are going to make us cry…”
Stra took out her handkerchief and wiped away her tears. The loyalty
and determination Poliana showed them felt almost burdensome. The
ladies wondered how Lucius the First dealt with so many people
pledging this kind of devotion to him.
“Please stand up, Marquess. To us, you are the best knight we could
ever hope for.”
“That’s right, Sir Pol, please stand up; It’s time for you to go greet the
princess now.”
“Her highness? The princess?”
Poliana’s eyes shined with excitement. Princess Luminae was born
premature, so even though she was over 2 months old, she was still very
much a newborn. Poliana was told that the princess had a rough few
weeks but was finally in a stable condition. There was a strict rule on
limiting the number of people that could visit the princess for her health.
Poliana asked, “Are you sure I am allowed to see her highness?”
“Of course.”
“You were her mother’s friend, so you have all the right to visit the
princess.”
Poliana immediately changed her clothes for a cleaner one and washed
her hands. She also covered her nose and mouth with a clean
handkerchief before following Lady Tory and Lady Stra.
Lady Stra was the one who spent the most time with Princess Luminae.
Lady Tory was too busy taking care of other things. It was commonly
believed that a newborn should have minimal contact with strangers.
After naming his daughter, the emperor wanted to see her frequently, but
the wet nurses, the maids, and the doctors asked him to wait a while
longer until she was older. Lady Stra and Lady Tory, however, were free
to see the princess as often as they wished because they were her
mothers. No one would ever dare to stop a mother from seeing her own
child.
Princess Luminae, who was laying on her bed, tried to flail around. She
was tightly wrapped in a blanket, and it seemed that she was unhappy
about it, given by the frown that she wore on her face.
Poliana was the first and only noble who was allowed to see the princess
so far. She stared at the baby with obvious joy. She laughed, which
sounded a little creepy, but the wet nurse and the ladies watched her
with a warm smile.
‘Well, this proves Marquess Winter is indeed a woman. Look at how
much she likes a baby.’
Some people in the room were thinking this way, but this wasn’t really
the truth. Poliana was happy to see the princess, not because she liked
children, but because the princess was a child of her close
acquaintance. Poliana did like children, but she always felt awkward
around them. She never had a chance to interact with children, which
meant that she didn’t know much about them. All she knew was that
babies are very fragile, and they could die easily.
Poliana laughed again creepily. She has always dreamt of Lucius the
First having beautiful princesses, and it finally happened. There was a
tragedy to get this baby to this world, but this didn’t mean that the birth of
the princess could not be celebrated.
It has always been Poliana’s wish to see a princess that resembled her
beautiful father. Her dream finally came true.
Poliana asked excitedly, “So, she is breathing well!”
“Of course.”
“To be honest, this is my first time seeing a baby this close.”
“Would you like to hold her, Marquess Winter?”
“Can I?”
“As long as you can support her head well, you can. Here you go.”
Lady Stra gestured to the wet nurse, who brought Princess Luminae to
Poliana. Poliana’s hands shook as she received the baby. As soon as
she held her, Poliana exclaimed, “Oh, she’s so warm!”
“Yes, babies have a higher temperature than us adults.”
Poliana laughed again happily, and this time, the princess began to cry.
Looking awkward and not knowing what to do, Poliana looked around to
ask for help.
‘Help!’
The wet nurse immediately took the baby away from Poliana. When
Poliana relaxed but looked awkward, Lady Tory consoled her, “You don’t
have to feel embarrassed about not knowing how to hold a baby,
Marquess Winter. Most royals and nobles don’t raise their babies
anyway. They have the maids and wet nurses for that.”
Lady Stra added to make Poliana feel better, “Princes Luminae cries
even when I hold her, Marquess Winter.”
The wet nurse quietly took the baby to the next room so the ladies and
the knightess could talk in private. Lady Stra stated that she needed to
get used to hearing the baby cry, so she followed the wet nurse to the
next room, leaving Poliana and Tory alone.
Poliana thought to herself, ‘The baby was so warm.’
Lady Tory asked hesitantly, “Umm… Marquess…”
“Yes, Lady Tory.”
“If I ask you about something… Even if it’s about things I shouldn’t be
asking…”
Poliana raised her fist gallantly and replied, “Lady Tory. You are the wife
of the emperor, which means you deserve to know anything you wish to
know in this world. Did someone tell you that you shouldn’t be asking
questions? Just tell me who it was, and I will go beat that person up for
you.”
Lady Tory began to look more relaxed. She asked Poliana to move to a
corner away from the door to make sure no one eavesdropped. Lady
Tory didn’t want anyone knowing about this conversation.
She asked Poliana, “Even if it’s about the military?”
“Of course. If you want to learn about something, I will tell you as far as I
know. Oh, but of course, I cannot tell you any national secrets”
“What about the topic of law?”
“I don’t know much about it, but I will answer you as best as I can.”
So, Lady Tory began to ask some basic questions. She felt silly for
feeling nervous about asking Poliana these questions.
‘I guess there was no need for me to be anxious about it.’
Slowly, Tory began to mention Marquis Seeze. Poliana answered as
best as she could, but she realized that she couldn’t help but give a
calculated answer. Poliana felt guilty and apologetic. In the past, Poliana
asked Sir Bentier to trust Lady Tory, yet here she was, not fully trusting
the lady herself.
Chapter 210: Chapter 210

Chapter 210
‘Of all people, I should’ve trusted her…’
Even Lucius the First acknowledged that Lady Tory was an unusually
intelligent woman. If Lady Tory was trying to fool Poliana and sneak
sensitive information out of her, she wouldn’t have asked this openly.
And even if Lady Tory was trying to gather information, she would’ve
made sure to only ask the questions Poliana could answer anyway.
Poliana felt foolish for being suspicious of Lady Tory.
After a short question and answer period, Tory smiled shyly and said to
her, “Thank you so much for explaining things to me so kindly, Marquess
Winter. I had no one else to ask these kinds of questions and I have
been dying of curiosity.”
“I think reading a few books might help you even more to understand
these topics than just me explaining it to you, Lady Tory. Would you like
me to recommend a few books to you?”
“No, that’s ok. If I had those kinds of books, my maids would notice
them. They will nag me for reading on my breaks.”
The bookshelves in a lady’s room needed to be filled with novels and
fashion books. If there were anything more serious, people would
disapprove. Poliana understood why Lady Tory could not ask anyone
about these things.
Lady Tory was surrounded by other noble ladies just like her. If she
asked one of her male relatives, they would be reprimanded. If she
asked her maids to find her the books Poliana recommended, they
would protest, telling her that proper ladies would never read such
books.
And of course, a proper lady was also not allowed to go to the library
herself to find these books.
Lady Tory asked Poliana, “If you don’t mind, would it be ok for me to
continue asking you these kinds of questions in the future?”
“Of course, Lady Tory.”
“Thank you so much.”
Tory laughed with clear joy. It wasn’t even a big favor she was asking,
yet Lady Tory seemed so grateful and happy. Poliana felt a little
embarrassed, and with an awkward expression, she asked, “Well, would
you mind if I asked you a question too, Lady Tory?”
“Of course. What would you like to ask, Marquess?”
“How do you plan an Acreian wedding?”
“A wedding? Why would you need to know about planning a wedding…?
That is… Oh my god!”
Tory gasped in shock as Poliana looked at her seriously.
***
The truth was, Poliana Winter proposed to Frau Sneke, and her decision
came from her desperate loneliness. Frau was the one who was most
surprised about her proposal. He acted as if Poliana declared that she
was going to kill him. Well, certain marriages could be like a death
sentence, but perhaps it was an understandable reaction.
“M-m-m-m-Marquess?”
“Since you want to marry me for my money, I will let you use all the
money you want. I wouldn’t even mind if you overspend like you are a
king.”
Frau gaped in shock. It looked like he wouldn’t even notice if a fly flew
into his mouth. He asked, “Do you really mean that?”
“Yes, I do. I will never be able to find a man with a higher status than me,
and even if there is such a man, he would never agree to marry me.
Besides, all men are pretty much the same and since I don’t want a
young boy as my husband, you will do, Frau. If you don’t want me,
however, just let me know.”
“N-no! Not at all! I will marry you, Marquess Winter!”
“Alright. The next time we meet, make sure to bring your side of the
engagement documents. Oh, wait, we can’t get engaged or married right
now.”
Due to the recent royal death, no noble could get officially engaged or
married for a year. Poliana was planning on being engaged for a year
before her marriage, but she decided to ignore this tradition.
She announced, “Well, I guess we’ll just get engaged verbally. It won’t
be official or legal, but it doesn’t matter. Let’s call today our engagement
day and a year from now, we will get married. Are you ok with that?”
“Yes, of course!”
“Good! We will then have a whole year to come up with a perfect
marriage contract.”
This was how her marriage was decided and planned. Considering how
a marriage was one of the most important events in one’s life, there was
no doubt that Poliana made this decision too spontaneously. Poliana,
however, thought that a marriage would not take too much importance in
her own life. She was not like the other women after all.
Unlike the other ladies, whose lives depended heavily on who they
married, Poliana had a career, a powerful family name, high noble
status, and lands. It was more likely that Frau’s life would change by
marrying Poliana, not the other way around.
For the rest of his life, Frau would be called a gold digger.
A man who married for money.
A man who gave up his own family name to marry a woman wealthier
and more powerful than him.
It was Poliana who proposed to him, yet she refused to see Frau during
the month of her self-punishment. This meant that today was going to be
the first time she meets him since their proposal. Poliana planned on
discussing their marriage contract with him in detail.
Lady Tory, Lady Stra, and Poliana sat in Lady Stra’s reception room
together. Poliana initially planned on telling only Lady Tory about her
marriage plan, but Lady Tory called for Lady Stra to join them. Both
ladies looked very concerned and serious; even the maids around them
looked shocked and worried about her, too.
Lady Tory said to Poliana, “Marquess… To marry just because you are
lonely… You can’t make such an important decision so rashly.”
“Marriage isn’t that important to me, Lady Tory. This is for convenience,
no one will ever be able to fault me for not getting married.”
“Then why not marry a handsome young man?”
“I can’t marry someone younger than me; young men all look like babies
to me.”
“Please, Marquess… Please reconsider. If Rebecca was here, she
would’ve fainted.”
Lady Tory and Lady Stra wished they fainted easily like Rebecca used
to. Poliana frowned at them unhappily and announced, “Frau is a good
man. I don’t see why this is such a problem.”
‘That’s not the problem!’
Lady Tory was about to scream but stopped herself. She inhaled deeply
to calm herself while Lady Stra replied, “Well, I guess we are ok with it
as long as you are happy, Marquess, but… do you really think his
highness will allow this?”
“Pardon?”

Chapter 211: Chapter 211

Chapter 211
Lucius the First told Poliana many times before that she should get
married if she found a good man. Poliana never imagined that the
emperor would refuse to allow her to get married. When she looked
confused, Lady Stra explained, “Marquess Winter, you are a very close
acquaintance of the emperor, right? It sounds like you may be marrying
too below your status… which could be problematic…”
“Oh, that shouldn’t be an issue, Lady Stra. His highness is very lenient
when it comes to things like that. As long as I am not marrying a
descendant of a traitor or a mad man, and there isn’t a severe genetic
disorder in his family, it should be ok.”
Poliana felt certain that Lucius the First would give her his permission to
marry Frau. After all, Cekel was significantly beneath Sir Ainno but the
emperor gave his permission to Sir Ainno anyway. Poliana couldn’t think
of a reason why the emperor would be against her marrying Frau Sneke.
Lady Stra murmured, “Oh… I see… I guess… Alright… I suppose… but
still… I was expecting…”
While Stra was deep in her own thoughts, Lady Tory said to Poliana,
“Marquess, you need to think carefully about this. It might have been
hard for you to find an appropriate man because you were focusing only
on the men living in Yapa or Acreia. If you look further down south, I am
sure you should be able to find a man of your age. And I am certain that
all of them are in a better situation than Frau Sneke. If you are
concerned about finding a man who is willing to change his family name
to yours, then there are plenty of kingdoms in the south that are used to
this custom, so…”
“But I don’t want a better man.”
“Pardon?”
Tory was confused. Frau Sneke was an unambitious and useless man.
The world was filled with men that were so much better than him, yet
why was Poliana saying she didn’t want a better man? Every woman
wanted to marry the best man they could find, right?
But Poliana had a good reason for her decision. She explained, “Even if
a man is willing to change his last name to mine, most men will still insist
on being the head of the family. The problem is, I don’t plan on giving up
control over my own family. I want to always remain as the head of my
family.”
Poliana loved power. Was there anything greater than power in this
world? Her name and status allowed her to do as she wished. She could
command thousands of noblemen with a single order. When she walked
the street in her blue uniform with the golden stripe, people moved aside
to create a clear path for her. Power was what made life worth living.
Poliana had all the power in the world, and she didn’t plan on giving it up
when she was in her own home. She swore to be in power both inside
and outside her home.
Poliana continued, “Besides if I marry Frau, I won’t have to worry about
dealing with the in-laws. He will do as I tell him to do. Since he is
marrying me for money, he wouldn’t want to divorce me, which means
that he won’t cause any serious problems for me either.”
“Well, if that is how you feel…”
This was the reason why Poliana didn’t want to marry a man with better
qualifications. She was right about one thing; most men in a decent
situation would never allow her to be in power in their relationship. Even
if he did, the man’s family, friends, and acquaintances would make it
impossible for him to live in such a way. This was why Frau Sneke was
the perfect man for him. He was an outsider and he didn’t have any
friends. No one cared about him, so they wouldn’t care if he lived a
powerless life. His reputation was so bad that it could not get any worse
anyway.
It was hard for the two ladies to agree with Poliana, and it was even
harder for them to oppose her. Lady Stra and Lady Tory sighed quietly.
They had always hoped Poliana would marry someone great. Poliana
was in the position to choose her own husband, unlike all the other
women in the world, and the ladies hoped that she would pick a better
man than Frau Sneke.
‘But this is the reality.’
It was Poliana’s life and her decision. The ladies knew that they had no
right to judge her. Lady Tory asked, “So will you be meeting Frau
today?”
“Yes, I will first go to see the emperor and afterward, I will see Frau.”
“Are you planning on looking like that when you see your fiancé?”
Lady Stra shook her head and called for her maids. “Ladies, please bring
me a brush.”
The maids moved quickly and expertly. Poliana got up, trying to escape,
but she decided against it. She sat down again and thought in
resignation, ‘Well… He is my fiancé now, but maybe I should look
better…’
Perhaps a little change wasn’t the worst idea.
***
Cekel murmured to herself quietly, “I guess this is really happening…”
She felt like her head was going to explode. She was anxious and she
couldn’t help it.
It began when the castle became short-handed when more than half the
maids and servants left to visit Yapa. Cekel remained in the castle and
helped out Lady Rebecca’s servants when needed. Because Lady
Rebecca needed a lot of care, the maids and the servants were glad of
her help. Duchess Nani brought her own maids too, but taking care of a
sick pregnant lady was a lot of hard work. Because the servants were
considered too low-born to touch the lady’s body, it had to be the maids
who take care of Lady Rebecca closely. The problem was, the maids
also hesitated to volunteer to provide physical care because it was hard.
Cekel quietly took it upon herself to do this job without complaints. She
was high born enough to take care of Lady Rebecca, but because she
was considered an insignificant noble among the maids, she didn’t mind
doing the hard work.
Things deteriorated fast after the emperor left the Yapa castle. Duchess
Nani, after she arrived, began to rule the castle as if she owned the
place. The maids had no choice but to follow her orders. Lady Rebecca
lost consciousness frequently and after the emperor returned, she
passed away as she gave birth to the princess. Things happened so fast
and there were so many new strange faces in the castle. While everyone
was focused on Lady Rebecca and the new princess, a few strange
things happened as well in the castle.
After Lady Rebecca’s death, the maids were moved to different
departments. It was a common occurrence that the maids formed their
own cliques depending on where they were from and who they served,
but after Lady Rebecca’s funeral, this situation worsened.
The strangest of them all was the maids from Acreia. Cekel herself was
from Acreia, but she was not an acquaintance of Lady Tory. Cekel
always thought that since she was from Acreia, and they have been
working together for a long time, she was part of the group. But when the
maids returned from Nanaba, they began to treat Cekel like she was an
outsider again; It was the strangest thing.
It was hard to explain what the problem was, but there was a clear
tension in the air. And on top of this, Poliana, who returned from her
selfpunishment, announced that she was getting married, and her husband
was going to be Frau Sneke.

Chapter 212: Chapter 212

Chapter 212
Cekel hated what was going on around her.
The odd tension that was going on inside the lady’s quarters…
Poliana announcing that she was going to marry Frau Sneke…
Cekel didn’t know what to do about it, especially without more
information. She needed help from Sir Deke, who might be able to find
out more about the current situation. Unfortunately, he was still away per
the emperor’s order. He had been absent from Yapa since before Lady
Rebecca’s funeral.
Cekel grumbled, “Damn that boy. He is never around when I need him.”
Her older brothers were the same way. She had two older brothers and
one younger brother, and all of them were useless; they were never
there for her when she needed them the most. She was unlucky like
that.
It would’ve been helpful for her to know anyone else in the Intelligence
Unit, but because it was such a secretive unit, she didn’t know anything
about it. Cekel might have been an informant of this unit, hired by Sir
Deke, but she didn’t know any other agents.
“Gosh…”
Cekel sighed in frustration. Her sixth sense was telling her that
something fishy was going on and she needed to investigate it; the
problem was that she had no idea what was going on at all.
Cekel always thought of herself as one of the countless and nameless
maids in the giant castle. She was a nobody, which meant that as long
as the situation in the lady’s quarters wasn’t causing direct harm to her,
she needed to leave it alone. Poliana knew how to take care of herself.
There was no need for Cekel to be concerned about the other maids.
Suddenly, she noticed Sir Ainno walking towards her with his usual
harsh expression. Cekel immediately turned away. The rumor was that
Sir Ainno had been unusually mean lately; he was picking fights with
anyone he could find. Even without this rumor, Cekel would’ve done her
best to avoid him. Nothing good could come from her meeting him. If he
ignored her, she hated to admit it, but it would bother her. If he came on
to her again, she would be annoyed to no end.
‘I hope he just goes away.’
But Cekel’s wish didn’t come true. When she turned away from him, Sir
Ainno followed her. He no longer walked leisurely; he stalked her like a
predator, making Cekel gasp in shock.
‘He has been ignoring me lately, so why is he chasing me all of a
sudden?’
His long strong legs caught up to her quickly. He was quite far away
from her, but it didn’t take long for him to catch her. His breathing was
still normal too.
What an athletic guy.
He stared at Cekel, and when she felt his eyes on her, she wanted to
hide. Instead of running away, she asked, “Did you need something from
me, Sir Ainno?”
“When I visited Nanaba recently, I meant to talk to my parents and
formally make a marriage offer to the Ingreter family.”
What? His blunt announcement was both shocking and confusing.
Ignoring her outrage, Sir Ainno continued, “Unfortunately, I didn’t get the
chance to visit my parents because we received the news of Lady
Rebecca’s condition. We ended up leaving immediately. So now, we
need to wait one year. Well, more like 11 months now. For the next 11
months, we won’t be able to officially get married or even engaged.”
When Cekel took a step back, Sir Ainno walked up to her to close the
distance. They were alone, which was a good thing. If someone saw
them like this, there was no way of knowing what kind of rumor would
start between them.
Sir Ainno asked Cekel, “Just give me 11 months, and if after 11 months
you still don’t like me, then…”
He had never looked this serious in his life, making Cekel feel odd. She
swallowed hard and asked, “Then?”
“I will give up on winning over you and just marry you by force.”
What a strange hypocrite he was! Cekel couldn’t believe what she was
hearing. She said in frustration, “Do you even know how mean you
sound?”
“I am telling you that I may give up on winning your heart, but I will never
give up on having you as my wife.”
This was crazy.
“Are you being serious, Sir Ainno? Do you really mean that? Do you feel
that way about me? Truly?”
“I told you from the beginning.”
Sir Ainno became annoyed that she refused to believe him. It was true
that from the very beginning, he told her that she was the one for him. Of
course, Cekel could not believe him since the second time they met, he
pushed her against a wall and kissed her. This was not how a gentleman
behaved.
Cekel exclaimed, “Are you telling me that pushing me against a wall and
kissing me was your way of telling me you cared for me?”
She blushed as Sir Ainno nodded confidently. She shook her head and
asked, “What gentleman would treat the woman he loved like that?!”
“I couldn’t help myself. When I realized what I was doing, it was already
done.”
“What you did to me was an assault. Some might even call it a crime,
you have shamed me and my family!”
“We will be married anyway, so I didn’t think it would matter.”
“And who do you think would give you permission to marry me?”
“Viscount Ingreter.”
Cekel clenched her fist and trembled. She tried to punch him but Sir
Ainno grabbed her hands and put them on his chest. She pushed him,
but his giant body refused to budge. Cekel was becoming angrier and
angrier. She glared at Sir Ainno, who didn’t look away. Cekel said to him,
“My father will never give you his permission.”
“I will make him.”
“Then his highness won’t give you permission.”
“I already got it from him, the emperor has given me permission to marry
you.”
“Then your father the Duke won’t…”
“That won’t matter since I love you. If my family is against this marriage, I
will just leave it. His Highness will give me a new noble status and I will
become independent. Oh, and don’t worry if you are upset that you won’t
become a duchess. I will get his highness to make me a duke.”
Sir Ainno had all the power in the world. He had a younger brother, who
could become the next family heir, which meant he could leave his family
without feeling guilty. Sir Ainno was also confident that the emperor
would give him a new dukedom. He was also very rich on his own
thanks to the rewards he received from Lucius the First. If he became
independent, it wasn’t because his family disowned him. It would be
because he left the family.
Sir Ainno thought quietly, ‘If I do leave my family, I am sure my brother’s
wife would love it. She will become the next Duchess Seki.’
Meanwhile, Cekel thought in exasperation, ‘This isn’t working. He isn’t
listening to me at all; it’s like we are living in two different worlds.’
Chapter 213: Chapter 213

Chapter 213
Cekel always wondered why people called Sir Ainno as the only person
who could prank the emperor, but now, she knew why. She felt
frustrated at this stubborn man, so she asked coldly, “If you are such a
great man as you claim, why do you bother asking me to fall for you? If
you are certain I will end up marrying you in 11 months, why do you
care?”
“Because, Cekel Ingreter, I am in love with you.”
He said with such a force that Cekel’s cheeks flushed. She was so
shocked that she almost nodded. This was all because all women were
taught from an early age to be obedient, especially to men. Cekel
clenched her teeth and replied, “It would’ve been nice if you told me this
before you kissed me by force. I will never fall in love with you, Sir Ainno.
Waiting for me for 11 months would be a waste of time.”
“I will wait. Because even now, I am being patient.”
“Pardon?”
“I am desperate to hug you, kiss you, and touch you even now, but I am
restraining myself. For the next 11 months, I will not touch you without
your permission, I promise.”
If Lucius the First saw his friend right now, he would’ve been very proud.
“How can I trust you? Even after I slapped you, you touched my bbreasts and hugged
me. Don’t you remember?”
There was a good reason why Cekel kicked Sir Ainno’s crotch in the
past. The way he acted around her had been unacceptable. When Cekel
refused to believe his words, Sir Ainno offered, “I swear on his
highness’s name.”
It was good to have the emperor as his friend. It made his life so much
easier sometimes. When Sir Ainno saw that Cekel looked a little less
angry, he continued, “So, what do you like? Do you like jewelry? Silk?
New dresses? How about new instruments? I hope you can wait till our
wedding day for the animal hide. I tried to hunt a good one when I went
to Nanaba, but I didn’t get a chance. But don’t worry, I will get a white
bear hide for you, and I will give you the best gifts anyone has ever seen
in Acreia.”
But Cekel didn’t want these things. Jewelry, silk, instruments, and animal
hides… Cekel wasn’t interested at all because, in 11 months, she was
going to be forced to marry this man even if she didn’t want to. She
wondered how Sir Ainno would react if she told him she didn’t want to
see his face for the next 11 months. Cekel was about to declare it when
she remembered the things that have been bothering her before she met
Sir Ainno just now.
She asked, “Will you give me anything I want?”
“Yes, of course, as long as it’s not something unreasonable.”
“T-then! You are Sir Deke’s superior, right? The Intelligence Unit belongs
to the First Division, so you must be!”
Sir Ainno’s eyebrows crumpled. She might have been his sister, but Sir
Deke had no right to tell Cekel about this secret unit and his role in it. It
was true that technically, the Intelligence Unit belonged to the First
Division. However, the Intelligence Unit was the emperor’s creation.
Lucius the First was the one who controlled it, which meant that Sir
Ainno didn’t know much about it.
Sir Ainno did not ask Cekel how she knew about this secret unit. He also
didn’t tell her that he wasn’t actively involved in it. He was an excellent
hunter, and he knew it when he was about to catch what he wanted. It
seemed that Cekel took the bait, so slowly, Sir Ainno said to her, “Is
there something you want to find out? If so, I will look into it.”
“Well, lately… There has been an odd tension in the lady’s quarters…”
Cekel told him everything she has been feeling and witnessing recently.
She was wringing her hands, worried that someone might pass by and
hear them, and Sir Ainno thought she looked so adorable. He was
listening to her without paying too much attention when suddenly, her
words caught his attention.
“Wait! What did you just say?”
“I said that Marquess Winter is planning to marry Frau Sneke. No matter
how hard I think about it, something doesn’t feel right. I asked my brother
to find out about him, and thankfully, there wasn’t much. I am worried
that Deke’s investigation wasn’t thorough enough, so I was going to ask
him to do a bit more, but Deke isn’t around right now. I thought I had to
give up on this, but… You are Deke’s superior, right? Would you be able
to find out more about it?”
Sir Ainno, who had a stupid smile on his face, now looked concerned.
Cekel, realizing he was bothered by her request, added carefully, “I
know that this Intelligence Unit is for the emperor and the good of this
kingdom. It should not be used for a personal reason, but when you think
about it, Marquess Winter is a close acquaintance of the emperor, and
her marriage concerns this kingdom greatly. So… Sir Ainno?”
“Are you sure about this? Marquess Winter is really marrying this guy?”
“Yes, I heard it from Lady Tory herself today.”
This was indeed huge news. Sir Ainno had no doubt that Lucius the First
would find it the greatest priority.
***
Snakes can be sneaky, and this was why hunting this animal was a very
difficult task. It was common for snakes to hide in random caves and
remain ready to pounce and bite with their sharp teeth. Snakes were
masters at hiding themselves.
To find a snake cave, one needed to find the snake first. After spotting it,
it was necessary to follow it to its home without killing it.
Lucius the First had no desire to catch the old snake. He had seen these
old snakes since he was a child. Not all of them were smart and sneaky;
some of them were rather stupid. Some snakes were even naïve.
Those snakes who were greedy always said nice things to Lucius the
First. They always showed interest and joy to whatever he said or did,
especially when he was a young boy. Because the emperor
remembered these good days, he gave up on hunting these snakes. All
he had to do was wait a little while longer until these old snakes died.
These elders thought they would live forever, but their time was coming.
‘We are such different people, but I guess it can’t be helped since we
grew up in different times.’
Lucius the First was having a private meeting with Sir Bentier, who said
to him, “I think my grandfather is beginning to be suspicious of me, your
highness.”
“It was only a matter of time.”
Sir Bentier smiled bitterly. He lost his grandfather’s trust, and the only
reason why he wasn’t removed as the family heir was because Marquis
Seeze was too old to find and groom another heir.
Sir Bentier said to the emperor, “He told me that I needed to do the right
thing.”
“Hmm… The right thing…”

Chapter 214: Chapter 214

Chapter 214
Lucius the First was in an irritating situation. The reason why he allowed
the elders such leniency was because the elders did not wish to replace
him. The elders were just being greedy for power and wealth and
thankfully, most of them were still far away from him in Nanaba. But the
way the elders were acting… It was getting closer and closer to being
treason.
The emperor asked Sir Bentier, “Benti, why did you decide to become on
my side rather than your family’s?”
“Me, your highness?”
“Yes, you. Wouldn’t it be better for you to just obey your grandfather? If
you are on my side, your authority may diminish. You know this, right?”
Lucius the First planned to reduce the nobles’ power to strengthen his
position. This was going to anger many people, but it couldn’t be helped.
The emperor just wanted to know how Sir Bentier was feeling about this
situation.
Sir Bentier answered, “It’s because I wanted to be helpful to you. I want
to follow you.”
“That’s the only reason?”
“Your highness, you always tell people to be realistic and stop dreaming,
but I think it is you who needs to see the reality. I am on your side
because I want to. Your highness, you always show us that you trust us.
You have shown us the end of this continent. I, and everyone who
supports you, will always believe in you, your highness.”
“What a big compliment; I feel both flattered and burdened.”
Lucius the First grumbled, “I guess this means that the elders don’t want
to be on my side.”
“They are just afraid of changes. Once they admit it, they think it would
be too late for them.”
The problem of the elder’s private armies was still unsolved. The size of
their armies was much bigger than before the war began, although no
one seemed to notice this. It was a big problem.
Why couldn’t everyone get along?
Sir Bentier asked, “Are you going to just continue to watch?”
“Yes, since I don’t have solid proof. The elders may not want to admit it,
but the base of my authority comes from Acreia. If I get rid of all of them,
it will be like spitting on my face. If there was clear proof that the elders
did something wrong, I would be able to punish them, but they are so
sneaky. There is nothing I can do at this point. All I can do is remain
patient and wait for my chance.”
The emperor was waiting for the snake to lift its head and reveal itself.
What he hoped for was for this old snake to die of old age soon. The
most patient one was going to win this game. Lucius the First could step
on the snake’s tail or wait for the snake to lift its head. Either way, he
would win, but there was one thing he needed to remember. A snake
was a devious animal filled with poison; even its smallest bite could be
fatal.
Lucius the First murmured, “There are no snakes in the north, yet there
are so many men who are devious just like these snakes.”
“It’s the same everywhere else, your highness.”
“I suppose.”
Suddenly, the emperor’s office door was kicked open. A private meeting
was taking place, so there was only one person in the kingdom who
could dare to burst into the emperor’s room like this. Sir Ainno, looking
confident and nonchalant, bowed casually to the emperor; the way he
moved was both elegant and strong.
“I have something to report to you, your highness.”
“Alright, the meeting was almost over anyway. Sir Bentier, you may go
now. Continue your good work.”
“Thank you, your highness. I will see you later.”
Sir Ainno turned towards Sir Bentier and asked, “Actually, this concerns
you as well, Chancellor, so please stay for a while longer.”
Sir Bentier was about to leave, but he sat down again. Sir Ainno
explained to the emperor the odd tension Cekel felt inside the lady’s
quarters. Both Lucius the First and Sir Bentier nodded.
Sir Bentier said quietly, “My grandfather was very worried when Lady
Rebecca became pregnant. I wouldn’t be surprised if he did something
or is planning to do something soon. It would be the right time to cause a
problem since the death of Lady Rebecca has caused so much grief and
confusion to the people.”
The emperor murmured, “Is the snake about to lift its head…”
“Your highness, you can’t be too lenient anymore.”
Lucius the First was unhappy about this whole thing. This was a fight
among men, so why were the elders trying to bring it to his wives? It has
only been a month since his wife’s funeral, and Lucius the First was still
not fully healed yet.
Sir Bentier gave him a piece of solid advice, “Your highness, perhaps
you can distance yourself from Lady Tory for a while and act closer to
Lady Stra, which will anger them even more.”
“I don’t want to use women as bait. Besides, Lady Tory and Lady Stra
are my wives, which means it is my duty to protect both of them.”
“But your highness, you need to accept the eventuality…”
Sir Bentier continued in a cold voice, “If you end up getting rid of my
grandfather, you will have to do the same to Lady Tory.”
“…Yes, that has always been the plan.”

Chapter 215: Chapter 215

Chapter 215
From the very beginning, Lady Tory was always considered a disposable
wife. Both Lucius the First and Marquis Seeze felt this way. It was an
unfair situation, but it was the way of the world. Lucius the First thought
to say something, but he stopped himself.
Yes, it was indeed unfair; it was very wrong. Sir Bentier was Marquis
Seeze’s direct grandson as well as his heir, yet he was given the chance
to decide for himself which side he wanted to be. Because Sir Bentier
showed his loyalty to the emperor, he was going to be pardoned even if
and when the entire Seeze family was punished for Marquis Seeze’s
wrongdoing.
On the other hand, Lady Tory wasn’t going to be given a chance to
prove herself. It was very likely that it wasn’t even her choice to marry
the emperor. She became the wife of the emperor because of Marquis
Seeze’s power. If Lady Tory did something that caused harm to him,
Lucius the First wouldn’t have felt guilty about removing her from her
position when the time came. But the truth was that Lady Tory didn’t do
anything wrong. In fact, she did an excellent job as his wife. The only
reason Lady Tory wasn’t pregnant was because Lucius the First did not
visit her as often, thinking that she wasn’t going to be by his side for too
long. But despite it, Lady Tory took her responsibility as his wife very
seriously. She served him very well, maybe better than some of his men.
‘Was it wrong of me to distance myself from her?’
If she became pregnant, it would’ve been a good enough excuse for
Lucius the First to keep her by his side even in the worst-case scenario.
The emperor regretted his actions. He had been treating Lady Tory as a
member of Marquis Seeze’s family, not as herself.
An intelligent kind lady.
His own wife.
It wasn’t her fault that she belonged to that awful family. Lucius the First
felt guilty, ‘This must be why Rebecca left that will for me.’
Her will was filled with the legality of her death and the birth of her child,
but in the end, there was a single sentence she wrote personally. It was
heartfelt and at first, Lucius the First thought it came from her as a
mother. Now that he thought about it, her words must’ve come from her
as a woman on behalf of all the other women in his kingdom.
The emperor murmured, “Tory is such an intelligent woman… It would
be such a waste.” He thought suddenly, ‘I feel like I had a similar feeling
about someone else before… When was that…?’
Sir Ainno interrupted the emperor’s thought, “What does it matter? She
is a woman, so who cares if she’s smart?”
Sir Ainno approached the emperor. He came here because there were
two things to report. Sir Ainno didn’t have the patience to wait any
longer. The emperor asked, “Did you have something else to tell me,
Inno?”
“Yes, your highness, but this doesn’t involve the chancellor, so please
leave, Sir Bentier.”
“Of course.”
As soon as the chancellor left, Sir Ainno asked the emperor, “Your
highness, did you know?” He asked the question, but Sir Ainno knew the
truth. The emperor clearly didn’t have any idea about what happened to
Poliana. That was the only reason why Lucius the First was sitting in his
chair calmly. If he knew, Sir Ainno didn’t doubt that the emperor would’ve
made a scene.
Sir Ainno said to him, “Apparently, Marquess Winter is getting married.”
Lucius the First’s eyes widened in shock. He didn’t even have the sense
to ask if this was true. The emperor turned rigid and silent, and just to
make sure, Sir Ainno repeated himself, “Marquess Poliana Winter is
going to get married.”
“What!?”
Lucius the First stuttered as he stood up. Sir Ainno quickly pushed him
down, so he sat down again. It was a good thing because the emperor’s
legs were shaking badly. Lucius the First began to bite his fingernails as
Sir Ainno repeated himself one more time, “Marquess Poliana Winter is
going to get married.”
Three times. Sir Ainno said the same thing three times just so that the
emperor could not deny reality. Lucius the First shook his head and
insisted, “You, you, you, you, you, you are too funny, Inno. What an
awful joke.”
“Your highness, why would I tell you such a joke when I know how you
feel?”
“Who is it? Who is she marrying?”
Lucius the First could not believe it. His Poliana was getting married?
Marriage? Poliana, who didn’t even see the most handsome man in the
kingdom as a man? She was getting married?
Sir Ainno replied, “She is marrying Duke Sneke’s younger brother, Frau
Sneke. Apparently, she is marrying him. She will come to you for your
permission to get married after a year from now.”
Lucius the First shook his head faster and faster, making Sir Ainno worry
that he might hurt his neck. The emperor muttered, “No… No, no, no…
this can’t be. I know about that man; Pol will never marry someone like
him, and Pol told me herself that Frau is too ugly. Inno, you know how
my Pol loves beautiful people!”
Lucius the First refused to believe the truth, and Sir Ainno had no choice
but to be cruel to make him understand.
“Your highness, it’s not like she is going to marry you even though you
are the most beautiful man in the kingdom.”
“Nooooo!”
The emperor screamed desperately. From the outside, it must’ve
sounded like the emperor was being attacked. One of the servants
knocked on the door quickly. Sir Ainno opened it and the servant asked,
“What is going on? Is his highness ok?”
“A huge problem has occurred. We need some privacy to discuss this so
make sure no one comes near this door.”
The servant asked worriedly, “Is it something very serious?”
Sir Ainno lied smoothly, “It is something that can affect the entire
kingdom.”
This wasn’t technically a lie. Lucius the First always said that he was the
kingdom itself and since this situation affected the emperor, it meant that
it might affect Acreia as well. After closing the door behind him, Sir Ainno
grumbled, “Your highness, people are going to think I hurt you. I didn’t
punch you or cut you, so why did you scream so loud?”
“Your news… It hurt more than being cut by a sword.”
Lucius the First held his hands together tightly and looked down.
“I… I… I… I…”
He kept repeating himself like a parrot. Clearly, this was a serious
problem for him. To wake him up, Sir Ainno smacked the back of the
emperor’s head. He apologized immediately afterward.
“I’m sorry, your highness, but I had to do it.”
“It’s… ok. I needed that.”
Lucius the First touched his head and asked, “Inno… Is this really true?
Are you sure?”
“Like I said many times before, yes, your highness. Sir Poliana
apparently announced this to Lady Stra, Lady Tory, and their maids, so it
can’t be a lie. I was told that she even asked them how to plan a
wedding, which means that she wasn’t joking either.”
With a sigh, Sir Ainno added, “I think Sir Pol will be coming to see you
any time now.”
“But…!”

Chapter 216: Chapter 216

Chapter 216
The emperor continued, “But isn’t it strange?! I mean, why would my Pol
marry some ugly noble who isn’t even a real noble anymore?! Why? On
top of that, he’s a gold digger; he said so himself! And he isn’t even a
handsome gold digger, he’s an ugly one! I cannot accept him, I will not!”
Panting heavily, Lucius the First added, “There is no doubt that he is
trying to steal all of Pol’s wealth! He is going to use it all up! He is trying
to use and corrupt my innocent naïve Pol!”
Sir Ainno replied calmly, “Your highness, Marquess Winter’s wealth is so
great that it would be very difficult to ‘use it all up.’ You must know better
than anyone since it was you who rewarded her. And as for her
‘innocence’ and ‘naivety…’ Your highness, since when has Sir Poliana
ever been innocent and naïve? You know very well what a rough mouth
she has. You’ve heard her talk with men, right?”
Love was a funny thing. Poliana was called the “witch” by many for a
good reason, yet the emperor, who was in love with her, called her
innocent. In the past, Sir Ainno wouldn’t have understood how the
emperor felt, but now, he was in love himself as well; Sir Ainno could
sympathize with Lucius the First.
The emperor continued to rant, “Why him? Of all the good-looking
noblemen, why did she choose that ugly man? Is it because he is
blackmailing him? Does he know her weakness somehow? No, that
can’t be! My Pol is so perfect that she would never let any man hold
something over her! Wait, is it because she just doesn’t know men very
well? She doesn’t have any experience with good men, so maybe that’s
it! Oh, that must be it!”
Lucius the First grabbed his head as if in pain and added, “This is all my
fault! I should’ve let her mingle with young high-ranking noblemen!”
The emperor wasn’t making sense anymore. Sir Ainno smacked the
back of his head again. How could Lucius the First think Poliana didn’t
know men and that she didn’t have any experience with men? This was
a woman who spent the last 15 years in the military! What was Lucius
the First talking about when he said to “let her mingle with young highranking
noblemen?” There was no way the emperor meant this.
Sir Ainno asked, “Do you really mean that?”
“My Pol is the greatest woman there is! So why is she wanting to marry a
poor nobody like Frau? Why doesn’t she just date some good-looking
men instead! It must be all because she doesn’t have any experience
with men!”
To Sir Ainno, the emperor wasn’t making any sense, but Lucius the First
was actually right about one thing. It was true that Poliana wasn’t used to
men as “men.” Because no man has ever approached her with a love
interest, Poliana didn’t know much about love and dating in general. It
didn’t matter that she was surrounded by thousands of men for years.
Most of them were married and none of them were interested in her as a
woman.
She was a classic target for a gold digger. Someone who only knew
about her work and nothing else in the world… She was a gold digger’s
dream.
Although Lucius the First was right, Sir Ainno couldn’t accept this logic.
First of all, Sir Ainno didn’t care; he didn’t know much about Poliana for a
reason. Also, the way the emperor was acting looked more like a
tantrum, not a rational argument.
But Sir Ainno was the emperor’s friend. He was also a fellow man in
love, so Sir Ainno decided to think carefully about what to say. After a
short silence, he decided that this whole situation was the emperor’s
fault. Sir Ainno said to him, “She said she made this decision because
she was lonely.”
“…”
“That night when she visited you and you screamed at her to leave…
You should’ve taken your chance with her, your highness. She realized
that she had no one. Most of her guards were married, which meant that
she couldn’t just barge into their home and insist on getting drunk with
her. She didn’t even have a dog, so Sir Poliana decided that she will get
a husband. And since there was only one man who proposed to her so
far, she decided on Frau. He was the only one available to her.”
Lucius the First blanked out. He remembered that night and his face
crumpled into an ugly frown. He covered his face with both hands; he
didn’t want even his friend to see his expression.
Sir Ainno asked quietly, “Why did you do that?”
He was genuinely curious. Sir Ainno’s question stabbed Lucius the
First’s heart painfully. If it was Sir Ainno, he would’ve taken such a
chance without hesitation. If he was alone with the woman he loved… If
he thought he had even the slightest chance to make her willing to be
his, Sir Ainno would’ve taken it. He didn’t care if it was the wrong thing to
do; he didn’t care if she didn’t love him.
Lucius the First screamed his excuse, “Did you think I made her leave
because I wanted to?!” He was still hiding his face with his hands as he
continued, “At the time, one of my wives just passed away from giving
birth to my daughter! How could I have used that occasion to take Pol as
mine? On top of that, Pol was Rebecca’s friend! She was suffering just
as I was, so if I tried anything, I meant that would’ve been using her
sadness against her. I could never do something like that! It’s just
wrong!”
“If it was me, I would’ve. I always will take whatever chance that I can
get.”
“That’s you, not me, Inno! I am not like you; you know that! If I was in
your situation… If I was an heir to a dukedom and not the emperor, I
would’ve taken my chance! As the emperor, if I forced her into my arms,
I would make Pol unhappy. If I didn’t stop myself that night… What
would’ve been the point of waiting for this long? Even if she accepted me
that night, it would’ve been only from her pity towards me. It wouldn’t be
worth it at all. As a man who respects her will, I could never do
something like that to her!”
It was such a long excuse that made Sir Ainno sigh impatiently. His
friend was too nice, too kind, and too weak sometimes. His emperor
cared too much about his wives, who he married for a political reason.
His ruler cared too much about the snake-like elders too. It was no
wonder that Lucius the First cared greatly about Poliana’s feelings. She
was the woman he loved after all. The emperor’s kindness was one of
the reasons why his subjects were so loyal to him, but his caring nature
was acting like a poison in his love life.
“Your highness… You have a problem.”
“What?”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
Lucius the First pulled out his sword and attacked Sir Ainno, who
grabbed his hand and pushed the emperor down on the floor. Sir Ainno
said to Lucius the First, “You’re an idiot.”
Tears rolled down the emperor’s eyes as he whispered, “I know, I know
that I’m an idiot.”

Chapter 217: Chapter 217

Chapter 217
When Sir Ainno left the emperor’s office, he saw that Poliana was
waiting outside. It looked like she might have been waiting for a long
time. She didn’t walk in because of what happened a month ago. He was
about to leave after nodding at her before asking in surprise, “Sir
Poliana, is that perfume I smell on you?”
“Yes, the ladies put it on me.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
Poliana hated putting anything on herself such as makeup. The most
she was willing to do was put a little bit of oil in her hair to style it, so this
was a shocking change. When Sir Ainno looked outraged, Poliana
frowned, and replied, “You’re being rude.”
It has been a long time since they last met, and this was how he treated
her. Poliana wanted to punch him, but she knew she wouldn’t win
against him; it was pointless for her to even try,
Master Chail knocked on the door to announce her. Poliana glared at Sir
Ainno before straightening up. This was the first time she was seeing the
emperor since that awful night. She needed to behave perfectly for she
knew that she had no room for mistakes.
“Greetings to your highness.”
Poliana kneeled to give a proper and respectful greeting to the emperor.
Lucius the First, looking upset, said to her, “Stand up, Sir Pol. There is
no need for you to kneel. Why are you acting so formal all of a sudden?”
He sent her a message a month ago, telling her there was no need for
her to punish herself and lock herself in her home, but Poliana ignored it
and didn’t even send him a single letter all this time.
And now, she was going to get married; this was wrong on so many
different levels.
Poliana replied, “I am forever grateful for your forgiveness, your
highness. I have done you a great wrong, yet you have been so kind.”
“Sir Pol, please stand up. Why are you acting this way? Are you trying to
make me sad? Please have a seat and look at me. Please look at my
eyes when you speak. That night… I was too drunk and I didn’t want to
show you that side of me. I didn’t want you to see me like that. That is
why I asked you to leave.”
Poliana didn’t refuse. She quickly stood up and sat down on the chair.
She has learned her lesson. Punishing herself for the last month was
plenty enough, so there was no need for her to feel guilty anymore.
When she looked alright, Lucius the First sighed in relief. Poliana replied,
“Thank you, your highness. How have you been?”
“That’s not important, don’t you have something more pressing to tell
me?”
‘Something important?’
Poliana tried to figure out what the emperor was referring to. During the
last month when she was alone in her home, she hasn’t been interacting
with anyone. She didn’t know anything important that happened during
this time except whatever she heard that morning.
The only thing she could think of was her visit to the princess that
morning.
“Oh, I did see Princess Luminae this morning, your highness. She
resembles both you and Lady Rebecca, which means that she will
become a great beauty!”
“Yes, of course.”
“Indeed, your highness. I always thought a princess would look best with
blond hair, but I think I have to change my opinion on this. She looks
gorgeous with black hair too.”
“Alright, but don’t you have something else you want to tell me?
Something very important?”
‘Even more important than the princess?’
Poliana couldn’t think of anything. The emperor must already know
everything about what was happening in the lady’s quarters. Poliana
didn’t doubt that her guards kept the emperor well informed. The private
conversation she had with Lady Tory that morning… It was just the two
of them so she couldn’t imagine the emperor knowing about it. And even
if he did, it wouldn’t have been something he would be interested in. It
wasn’t that important of a conversation.
The emperor continued to pry, “It’s not something that is work-related.
It’s something that involves your personal life, Sir Pol. Something very
big. Umm… I heard that you already told my wives about it this
morning… Is that right?”
‘Wow, the Intelligence Unit must have amazing sources.’
It was only a little while ago when she announced her marriage plan to
Lady Tory and Lady Stra. The maids helped her put on some perfume
and brush her hair, but during this short time, it seemed that Lucius the
First heard of the news already. Poliana was truly impressed with their
Intelligence Unit.
Lucius the First watched her anxiously. Poliana wasn’t showing any
emotions, which meant he couldn’t figure out what she was feeling or
thinking.
Poliana finally answered, “Yes, that’s right. I decided to get married. I will
be marrying Frau Sneke from the Sneke family.”
“Why? Why? Of all people, why Frau? He isn’t a very good man.”
“He isn’t a bad man either.”
Poliana smiled lightly. Every time the woman he loved smiled, Lucius the
First could not look at her in the eyes because he felt so guilty as if he
had done something wrong.
Poliana added, “It’s not a bad deal for me, your highness.”
Frau Sneke was not a traditionally ideal husband material, but Poliana
wasn’t a good wife material either. Frau was too weak for a man, but
since Poliana would make a strong head of the family, it didn’t really
matter. In fact, it was possible that they might really make a good match.
Most of all, Poliana felt that it would take too long and it would be too
hard to find a “good man” for herself as everyone wished for her.
‘Frau is a good enough match for me.’
Poliana didn’t want to complicate things. This was just a marriage; It
wasn’t a life or death situation. If for some reason, things didn’t work out,
she could just give him some alimony and divorce him. The strange thing
was that society was more accepting of a divorced woman than a
spinster. Poliana had nothing to lose from this marriage.
‘And if I bear a baby, that would be amazing…’
When she first had her period, Poliana hated the idea, but after she
decided to get married, she realized that this could be a good thing.
Poliana imagined what she and Frau’s baby would look like. It didn’t
matter if it was a boy or girl; their baby would be ugly.
And if this child stood next to the beautiful princess…?
‘It would make such a funny picture.’
It was indeed fun to imagine such things. Poliana smiled again quietly,
and this time, she looked genuinely happy. Her joyful smile was enough
to shut Lucius the First up.
Poliana didn’t know herself, but since she proposed to Frau, she has
been thinking about Frau a lot. Now that she considered him her man,
she found him almost cute; she was beginning to like him more and
more.
And they were going to live together forever…

Chapter 218: Chapter 218

Chapter 218
To Poliana, belonging to a unit was very important. Once she was part of
a group, that group became her life. It was true that she didn’t feel any
loyalty to her group when she was in the Aehasian military, but that was
because it was such a horrible unorganized unit. The Acreian army was
very different. The reason why she still showed great respect to Sir
Baufallo, Sir Rabi, and Sir Mahogal was that she felt like she belonged
with them. Her need to belong made sense since she spent her
childhood and teenage years alone; no one cared for her at the time.
Lucius the First accepted her, and in turn, the other knights and armies
acknowledged her as their own. As time passed, Poliana’s obsession to
belong became even stronger.
And for the first time in her life, she was going to have her own family.
Her own family, which she chose herself!
Until now, the Acreian military was like her family. But once the war was
over, her close friends moved away to different parts of the kingdom.
This was why Poliana has been so lonely, and the only way to fix this
problem was to create her own family.
Her need to belong made her feel affection towards Frau, which was a
very unfortunate thing for the emperor.
Lucius the First asked Poliana, “Sir Pol… Did you put on perfume?”
“Yes, the ladies put it on me!”
“You look very happy.”
“Hahaha… Is that so?”
Lucius the First looked down because he found Poliana’s smile too
bright. The heartache he felt for his unrequited love… The jealousy he
felt towards Frau… He needed to let these feelings go now. The
emperor knew what he had to do.
“Yes… It’s ok if he is not a good man, Sir Pol. If you are happy, that is all
I need.”
To pray for her happiness… This was what he needed to do. If he truly
loved her, Lucius the First knew it was the right thing to do.
The emperor smiled sadly. Unaware of his true feelings, Poliana smiled
happily. Lucius the First had to keep reminding himself that if Poliana
was happy, he needed to feel happy for her too.
***
Poliana continued to smile widely as she roamed around the castle. The
rumor was that Poliana remained home for a month as a punishment for
disobedience. There were only a very few people who knew exactly what
happened that night, but because everyone knew how close Poliana was
to Lady Rebecca, people understood why Poliana must’ve felt emotional
at the time.
Some men even claimed, “Well, Marquess Winter is still a woman, after
all. It makes sense that she is emotional.”
Young lower-ranking knights who said things like this out loud were
dragged away by others loyal to Poliana to be beaten. Any older knights
who said such things were subtly ridiculed for being old-fashioned.
It seemed that the way people thought about Poliana was slowly but
surely changing. It was especially a surprise since there were days when
Poliana was hated for just being a woman.
When Poliana spotted her fiancé, she called out his name, “Frau!”
“Yes! Yes!”
“Did you bring what I asked you? The paperwork?”
“Yes, I certainly did!”
Frau, when he heard his name, jumped readily. Because it was almost at
the end of his work hour, Frau and Poliana walked out together from the
doctors’ office. After they left, the other royal doctors, who were shocked
to see what happened, began to gossip, “What did Marquess Winter
want with Mr. Frau?”
“What paperwork? What was she talking about?”
“Do you think Doctor Sneke is being hired as her personal doctor?”
“Wow, he has been following around the marquess so diligently, and I
guess it paid off. He has done well for himself, what a promotion.”
No one could even imagine that Frau was becoming Poliana’s husband.
They all assumed that he was being hired as Marquess Winter’s
personal physician, so they began to discuss what kind of salary he
might receive.
Meanwhile, Poliana carefully read over the documents Frau brought for
her.
“Hmm…”
Poliana checked his birth certificate that shows his birthdate and proves
his nobility. She also checked the document that shows his family
history, his tax reports from the year before that shows his wealth, a
document that indicates his current address and place of work, and
finally, a health certificate that lists his current medical conditions,
including any history of his family’s illnesses.
These were all the necessary things that needed to be studied
thoroughly before any noble marriages. The most important thing to
make sure was his identity. In this case, there wasn’t any problem since
Poliana already knew Frau and his acquaintances.
Frau read over the documents Poliana brought for him as well. He didn’t
take as long, however, to examine them. Everything she read was what
she expected, but his financial state was much worse than she
anticipated.
‘Does he like to gamble or something?’
He wasn’t one of the official royal doctors, but since he was a student of
one and worked in the castle, Poliana suspected that he received a
decent salary, but for some reason, Frau had no money at all. Many men
were bad at saving money, but it was still no excuse for Frau to have
nothing. Besides, there were plenty of men in the kingdom who were
savvy and frugal. For example, there was Momo, who saved enough
money to buy a house in Nanaba.
Poliana thought sadly, ‘Of course, as soon as he bought one, the capital
was moved to Yapa and he lost a lot of money from it.’
When Momo found out about the move of the capital city, he cried in
front of Poliana and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me the capital was being
moved?!” Feeling bad, Poliana gave him an interest-free loan so he
could purchase another house in Yapa.
Based on her understanding, Frau led a boring life. He didn’t enjoy
drinking and she hasn’t heard any rumors that he was into gambling.
This could mean only one thing; Frau was just horrible at managing
money.
‘I guess he has a bad spending habit. Oh well.’
As long as he didn’t become addicted to gambling, it was going to be ok.
Poliana was ready to accept his flaws. Other than his lack of wealth,
there wasn’t anything else that concerned her. Then suddenly, Poliana
remembered something. She asked, “Oh, now that I think about it…”
“Yes!”
“I heard that there was a woman you loved so much that you abandoned
your family. What happened there? Did you break up with her?”
When Poliana first heard this story, she thought Frau was used by a gold
digger. But when she heard more about it, Poliana thought that perhaps
it could’ve been a genuine love story.
Well, at least on Frau’s part.
Before, Poliana didn’t care about this, but now that they were going to be
married, Poliana felt that it was necessary to know exactly what
happened.
Frau’s face darkened immediately before becoming pale. Poliana asked,
“Is it something you can’t answer, or is it that you’re still with her?”

Chapter 219: Chapter 219

Chapter 219
Frau denied it hurriedly, “No, no, that’s not it at all! She has passed
away.”
He looked down again and explained, “It is all in the past. It happened
many years ago!”
Poliana thought about it quietly. So it seemed that Frau’s once-in-alifetime love
story ended because of her death. Was it because Lady
Rebecca died recently? Poliana wasn’t unhappy to hear what happened.
She felt a little relieved that the woman in question was gone.
Poliana replied, “You aren’t a young man, so it is understandable that
you have a past. I don’t, but I am a special case.”
After looking through Frau’s documents, Poliana warned him, “I will be
writing this in the contract, but I will give you a warning in advance; if you
cheat on me, I will kill you.”
“I would never do that.”
“And if you do anything that shames or embarrasses the Winter name, I
will kill you.”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
“I’m not kidding, I really mean it.”
Poliana took out her dagger and began to play with it. She threw it in the
air again and again, and every time its sharp edge shone against the
sunlight, Frau’s face paled further. Poliana continued, “And the
documents you brought… They may be accurate. If there is any
falsehood on this paperwork, it’s going to be very bad for you. I hate
liars.”
Lucius the First ripped Gali the Third’s mouth when he lied. Frau nodded
in understanding, making Poliana grin in satisfaction.
‘He’s cute.’
To Poliana, Frau looked adorable.
***
Lucius the First, for his birthday feast, only invited the Acreian elders and
the high-ranking nobles on purpose. He had a plan, which was to have a
serious conversation with them as a last attempt to force their
obedience. It was true that these men have been a pain in his life, but
they were also the people who made Acreia. Lucius the First wanted to
give them a last chance.
Of course, if this didn’t work, then he was going to have to do a snake
hunt. He and Sir Bentier have been planning this hunt for a while now.
Poliana’s wedding plan was also going very well, thanks partly to Lady
Tory. Poliana asked anything she wasn’t sure about, and Lady Tory
answered as best as she could. Lady Tory was only too happy to help,
especially because Poliana was always there for her to answer any
questions she wanted to ask. Poliana was the only one who Lady Tory
felt safe to ask about the topics about the kingdom.
“Oh, so that would be called tax evasion.”
“Yes, Lady Tory, that’s definitely tax evasion.”
Poliana was no law expert, but even she could tell that the case Lady
Tory talked about was illegal. Poliana was fascinated whenever Tory
asked about various stories she heard from somewhere. She could tell
that these illegal deeds were done by Lady Tory’s acquaintances, but
Tory was very sneaky about not revealing their identities. Even if Poliana
knew who these people were, she had no intention of telling the emperor
about them. Poliana was just happy that Lady Tory now knew that what
her acquaintances were doing was wrong.
Their conversations were kept secret. Everyone thought that Poliana and
Lady Tory were only talking about Poliana’s upcoming wedding. It made
sense because Poliana was alone. She didn’t have her parents or any
other family members to help her arrange her wedding. It wasn’t an odd
thing for Poliana to ask a noble lady for help.
Frau also didn’t have his family to help him arrange the wedding. Even if
he wanted to plan it himself, he couldn’t because he couldn’t afford it
himself. Everything was paid by Poliana.
If Marquess Winter’s wedding becomes a success, Lady Tory’s
reputation was going to greatly improve. To help arrange a high-ranking
noble’s wedding was considered a great honor only given to older noble
ladies.
The reality was a little different than what the maids and other ladies
believed, however. The truth was, Poliana’s wedding was being
arranged mostly by her butler and maids. Tory did help in giving advice,
but only at the very beginning. Their time spent together was rarely
about Poliana’s wedding.
What Poliana found odd was Lady Tory’s mood. Some days, Tory
looked relieved while other times, she looked like she was worried about
something. Whenever Poliana asked if something had happened, Lady
Tory refused to give her a real answer. She only explained that she was
too tired from work.
It was Poliana’s lucky day today. She was permitted to visit Princess
Luminae. Poliana was even allowed to hold her for a while. On her way
to the princess’s room, Poliana met the oldest and the second oldest son
of the Ingreter family. She saw Sir Beke often, but it had been a long
time since she met Sir Aeke, who retired from his active duty and was
transferred to have a desk job. For some reason, the two brothers were
together in the garden enjoying the sunlight.
Poliana greeted Sir Beke pleasantly, “Sir Beke, long time no see!”
“You too, Sir Pol.”
“It’s nice to see you, two brothers, together.”
She stood next to them to sunbathe as well. Sir Beke asked her, “Has
something good happened recently? You look really good.”
“Oh, it’s because I began to get facials; I’m taking care of my skin now.”
It only began recently, so it was nice that he noticed it already. Poliana
realized that it was worth the money and time to get her skin improved.
The maid who was working on her told her to avoid the strong sun
whenever possible, but Poliana had already forgotten about it; she
laughed brightly as she enjoyed the sun.
Both Sir Beke and Aeke laughed as well and replied, “Hahaha! You’re
too funny, what a good joke!”
They both thought Poliana was kidding. Just then, Sir Aeke became
aware that he could smell something.
‘Hmm? What is this scent?’
At first, he thought it was from the flowers since they were in a garden,
but the scent was a little more complicated. It smelled more similar to
what he could smell in his wife’s room sometimes. It wasn’t too strong,
but it definitely was not from nature — it had to be man-made.
Sir Aeke looked around and the only difference within the last few
minutes was the fact that Poliana came to them. In disbelief, he asked,
“Sir Pol… D-did you put on some perfume by chance?”
To the brothers’ shock, Poliana answered, “I didn’t’ spray it, it’s just a
dab.”
‘Oh my god!’
Both Sir Aeke and Beke backed away in shock and took their swords
out. They yelled at her jokingly, “Who are you, and what have you done
with Sir Pol?!”
“Maybe she’s an imposter, but where would you be able to find such an
ugly girl like her?”
‘Bastards.’
The brothers were only half-joking, making Poliana annoyed. These men
needed to be taught a lesson.

Chapter 220: Chapter 220

Chapter 220
“…”
Poliana sighed, she thought about punching the Ingreter brothers but
decided against it. She was feeling pretty good because she saw
Princess Luminae earlier.
Sir Aeke and Beke were both shocked that Poliana put on perfume.
They never thought they would see the day when Poliana does
something feminine like this. Poliana was the woman who kept her hair
short because she was too lazy to wash her hair often. Until she became
a royal guard, she used to wash herself only when absolutely necessary.
Just like many soldiers, she used to believe that washing too often would
increase the chance of getting caught by the enemy’s military dogs.
So to see Poliana wearing a perfume…
Sir Beke murmured in fear, “Sir Poliana… Could it be that you are very
sick? Do you have an incurable illness or something?”
Sir Aeke asked, “Did Lady Rebecca’s will say you need to become more
feminine?”
Sir Beke clapped as if in understanding, “Oh, that makes sense! Did
Lady Rebecca give you her perfume as her last gift? Is that why you put
it on? That’s it, right?”
The brothers seemed excited. Poliana tried her best to be patient, but
she couldn’t help raising her fist, which shut the Ingreter brothers up.
Sir Beke finally whispered, “So… was the rumors true? We heard that
you’re marrying Frau, who was kicked out from the Sneke family. The
maids were talking and we didn’t believe them, but…”
The brothers stared at Poliana desperately. They prayed that the rumors
weren’t true. Unfortunately, Poliana was really marrying Frau. She put
her hand on her waist and replied, “It’s true. I will be marrying Frau
Sneke.”
“But why?!”
“Why, Sir Poliana?! That man is a nobody; he isn’t even a knight!”
Sir Aeke and Sir Beke began to talk at once. They loudly nagged her
and their reason for it was the same as everyone else’s.
“Sir Poliana, he isn’t good enough; his status doesn’t suit yours!”
“That’s right! You are Marquess Winter after all! Someone like him
cannot marry you!”
“Sir Poliana! Why don’t you just marry one of the knights?!”
“Or at least a man who is good looking!”
“You can do so much better. He has no money, looks, and status.”
Poliana yelled, “Just stop!” She explained to them the reality of her
situation. Poliana was 33 years old. She said that all of her colleagues
were married with children, and pretty much most of the other noblemen
that were slightly younger than her were also either married or engaged.
Those who weren’t married were either at least 10 years younger than
her and Poliana refused to marry children. Those much older than her
that might be interested in marrying her were widowed.
It was true that the continent was big and if she continued to search, she
might find a better man that was more suitable for her. However, as she
searched, she wasn’t going to get any younger. Poliana decided that it
was time to compromise and this was the good time to do it. Unlike other
ladies, Poliana had the right to choose her own life, so she was happy to
do this.
Poliana was a powerful woman, and everywhere she went, people paid
attention to her. This was especially the case nowadays because of the
rumor of her marriage. Sir Ainno, who was walking far away from them,
noticed Poliana and approached her. Sir Beke has been trying his best
to avoid Sir Ainno, and when he noticed Sir Ainno, he quickly walked up
to his boss and explained what he just heard. To Sir Beke’s shock, Sir
Ainno replied, “I already know.”
Sir Ainno looked perfectly calm. He looked at Sir Beke coldly, making Sir
Beke cringe a little. Sir Ainno also looked at Poliana coolly, making her
yell at him, “Stop that!”
“What? What did I do? I didn’t say anything, Sir Poliana.”
“You were looking at me like you thought I wasn’t good enough. You
made me feel bad!”
“Maybe that’s because you feel guilty because you have done something
wrong, don’t you think so?”
Unfortunately, Sir Ainno was the best and the strongest knight of Acreia,
which meant that Poliana couldn’t argue with him. She trembled angrily.
‘What a jerk.’
But she was partly glad to see him because she had been meaning to
ask Sir Ainno for something. Poliana said to him, “By the way, I am sure
you will fulfill your promise to me.”
“Promise? What promise?”
Sir Ainno asked in confusion. Poliana snorted, remembering the exact
word Sir Ainno said to her before. She explained, “Don’t you remember
telling me that you will be my groom’s best man at my wedding? I
remember it very clearly, so thank you for your offer.”
Frau had the worst reputation among men, so Poliana knew that her
future-husband had no one to stand by his side on their wedding day.
She heard that Frau had no friends because any friends he had left him
once he was kicked out from his family. Having the best knight of Acreia
as his best man was going to only improve Frau’s reputation.
Sir Ainno looked at her unhappily.
‘At the time, I thought Lucius would end up winning her…’
Even if the emperor didn’t, Sir Ainno thought Lucius the First would
never give his permission to Poliana to marry anyone else. Sir Ainno
was only joking when he offered to be her groom’s best man, but now, it
was too late. This was all because of his stupid friend.
Sir Ainno tried to back out, and Poliana refused to let him off. As they
argued with each other, the Ingreter brothers grabbed them and
exclaimed, “We have an idea, Sir Ainno! You must marry Sir Poliana,
you must save her from marrying Frau Sneke!”
“That’s right, Sir Ainno! Just marry her for a year and then you can
divorce her; this is a perfect plan!”
Sir Aeke and Sir Beke continued to insist that Poliana should marry Sir
Ainno. They hated the idea of her marrying Frau and the more they
talked, the bigger Poliana’s frown became.
Of all people in the world, why would she willingly marry Sir Ainno?
Sir Ainno also had an ugly scowl on his face. Of all people, how could
Cekel Ingreter’s own brothers tell him to marry someone other than their
sister?
Only Lucius the First and Poliana knew about Sir Ainno’s proposal to
Cekel Ingreter. Sir Ainno decided that this was a perfect time to
announce this so that everyone could now. Then, Sir Ainno placed his
arms around Sir Aeke and Sir Beke. He did it in a friendly manner, but
his arms felt like a prison to the Ingreter brothers.
Sir Ainno said to them, “I have something to tell you.”
“B-boss? W-we’re sorry we said you should marry Sir Poliana. We will
never say such a thing again.”
“T-that’s right, Sir Ainno, we’re Sorry. We won’t do it again, so please
don’t hit us…”
With a scary smile, Sir Ainno said to the brothers, “In one year, I will be
marrying Lady Cekel. We’re going to be family, my brothers. I hope we
get along.”
Chapter 221
Sir Aeke, Sir Beke, and Poliana’s eyes widened at Sir Ainno’s sudden
declaration. Even the people around them who were passing by stopped
to listen. They were all focused on Sir Ainno. They stared with intense
curiosity and interest.
“S-sir Ainno? Y-you’re joking, right? Your sense of humor is getting
worse… I am afraid the emperor’s sense of humor is rubbing off on
you…”
“O-our sister’s name is indeed Cekel…. Hahaha… But maybe you’re
referring to another Lady Cekel? You must be mistaken… It could not be
our sister… You have to be joking…”
Cekel was rather a common name, but unfortunately for the Ingreter
brothers, Sir Ainno repeated himself, “I proposed to Lady Cekel Ingreter.
Yes, your sister. There is no mistake. I’ll marry her once the year of
mourning is over.”
Sir Beke’s eyes wavered while Sir Aeke tried to continue smiling, still
wishing that Sir Ainno was kidding. Was this really happening? Or were
they dreaming? If they were, this had to be the worst nightmare.
The atmosphere became tense and when the Ingreter brothers realized
the seriousness and realness of the situation, they asked Sir Ainno
again, “Do you really mean this? You are really marrying our sister?
Cekel Ingreter?”
“Yes, brother.”
‘Dammit.’
Sir Beke began to tear up, and it wasn’t from happiness. Even though
Poliana knew about Sir Ainno’s feelings for Cekel, she was also shocked
as well. She had no idea the situation has progressed this much in such
a short period of time. Just how and when did Sir Ainno pull this off?
Marriage? And why didn’t his highness share such a juicy story with her?
The last thing she heard about Sir Ainno and Cekel’s situation was that
Cekel was still refusing him. Did Cekel change her mind about him? If
so, why? How?
So what happened since then?
Poliana asked Sir Ainno, “So Lady Cekel accepted your affection? Are
you sure?”
Sir Ainno replied confidently, “11 months. I have 11 months to make her
fall for me; she permitted me to try.”
“I am pretty sure she will still hate you in 11 months.”
“It wouldn’t matter, we’re still getting married.”
Poliana frowned, realizing what Sir Ainno was saying.
“Sir Ainno… are you saying that you will force her to marry you? You will
misuse your power like that? Are you serious?”
Sir Ainno nodded proudly. It was good to be powerful. Poliana knew
better than anyone how great it was to have power, but what Sir Ainno
was about to do was not acceptable. Poliana knew she needed to stop it.
She exclaimed, “His highness will never allow such a thing! You can’t do
this!”
Sir Ainno looked at her calmly and replied, “I already have his
permission. It is done.”
Poliana gaped in shock. It now made sense that Sir Ainno felt confident
declaring his intention for Lady Cekel in public like this. This wedding
was going to happen no matter what. He said to the Ingreter brothers,
“You understand what I’m saying, right, brothers?”
Sir Aeke and Sir Beke answered at the same time, “W-what?”
“Hahaha.”
Sir Ainno laughed dryly as he tightened his arms around the brothers.
He was enjoying the Ingreger brothers’ discomfort. There was no doubt
Sir Ainno was a perverse man.
Poor Cekel.
Sir Ainno began to slowly drag them away to a dark corner as he said to
Poliana, “Well, we need to get going. We need to discuss some family
business, Sir Poliana, you should understand. I will see you later.”
“You’re such a jerk, Sir Ainno…”
Poliana shook her head while the bystanders stared at them with
interest. Soon, the entire Yapa was going to know about Sir Ainno’s
declaration and Poliana’s marriage plan. This meant that the right and
left hands of the emperor were both getting married. This was a huge
deal that was going to affect the entire kingdom.
‘I can’t believe his highness is allowing this… Is he really going to let Sir
Ainno force Cekel into an unwanted marraige?’
Poliana was certain that Sir Ainno must’ve had a fit in front of the
emperor to get this permission, and if his highness gave his permission,
there was nothing Poliana could do. It was too bad for Cekel, but it
couldn’t be helped. But if Cekel wanted to get divorced in the future,
Poliana would be there to help.
Was it because the Ingreter brothers mentioned Lady Rebecca? Poliana
suddenly felt a little down now as she thought about her late friend. Lady
Rebecca’s almost every possession was taken away by her mother
Duchess Nani. Whatever was leftover were distributed among Lady
Tory, Lady Stra, and Lady Rebecca’s maids. Poliana was offered to take
something if she wanted, but she refused.
Lady Rebecca also did not leave a will for everyone. There was no time
since her death was quite sudden and unexpected. She only left one and
it was for the emperor. Poliana was her friend, possibly her closest friend
in Yapa, yet she never got to talk to Lady Rebecca before she died.
‘There were so many more things I wanted to tell her… There were even
more I wanted to hear from her…’
Things Poliana could never tell anyone else… Deep secrets she wanted
to share… Lady Rebecca was her true friend and now, she was gone.
The only one left on this earth from Lady Rebecca was her daughter,
Princess Luminae. The daughter Lady Rebecca hoped was a son. In
about 15 years, the newborn Princess Luminae was going to be married.
Who will the princess end up marrying? Lady Rebecca was worried that
any daughter of hers was going to have an unfortunate life. Was she
right? Poliana was afraid to find out.
<hr />
People found it very hard to believe how much Poliana changed lately.
The perfume… her skincare routine… Her happier mood… Her smiles
and giggles… They looked at her like she had gone crazy. The guards of
the Second Division were the first ones to accept her changes. They had
no choice, after all. Anyone else who kept mentioning the fact was
quickly punished until they shut their mouths.
Most women, however, saw Poliana’s changes in a positive way. They
were glad to see Poliana finally acting like a woman.
“It’s a good thing for her to improve herself now that she’s getting
married. She is a woman no matter what people say, so this change
makes perfect sense. Good for her.”
The older men, however, were still grumbling about her.
“Why doesn’t she take off her pants and just wear a dress like a normal
woman? Why does she keep carrying a sword? Why does she still act
like a man even though she is going to be a bride?”
But the ones who were most shocked and concerned by her changes
were those who knew her well. The men who went to war with her were
genuinely worried about her, so they all went to Lucius the First and
voiced their concern, “Your highness! Marquess Winter has lost her
mind!”
They were seriously alarmed and they wanted their emperor to fix the
situation before it got worse.

Chapter 222: Chapter 222

Chapter 222
Sir Mahogal, who was unfortunately still working for Sir Ainno, ran to
Lucius the First as soon as he heard the shocking news. When he
arrived at the emperor’s reception area, he saw Master Chail standing in
front of the door. This was a good sign because it meant that the
emperor was available to receive visitors.
‘Perfect!’
Sir Mahogal excitedly asked Master Chail, “Is his highness inside?”
Master Chail shook his head without a word, which was an unusually
rude behavior for him. When Sir Mahogal looked at him in confusion,
Master Chail shook his head again and waved his hand. “You can just
go inside, Sir Mahogal.”
Still confused, Sir Mahogal did as he was told. He walked into the room,
and as soon as he did, he realized why Master Chail was acting
strangely. Lucius the First’s reception room was filled with knights who
were in shock from the same news. They were telling what they saw and
heard to the emperor. It looked like most of the knights inside Yapa were
all gathered here. Sir Mahogal realized that he was too late to the party.
Most of them were the knights who were part of the conquest. The scene
reminded Sir Mahogal of the strategy meetings they used to have during
the war. The knights were talking earnestly to the emperor, who was
sitting there with a serious face.
When the knights spotted Sir Mahogal, they all spoke at once.
“Oh, Sir Mahogal, you’re here too!”
“Come, come! You’re late!”
“Sir Mahogal, what did you see? Tell his highness what you saw!”
“Did you know what I saw? I saw Sir Poliana smelling a flower, a flower!
Sir Poliana did!”
“That’s nothing! I saw something worse! I saw Sir Poliana humming! She
was humming, I tell you!”
“I even saw her hiding her scars with makeup! I thought I was going to
faint!”
The men were busy sharing what they witnessed. Sir Mahogal didn’t
know how to join in, so he found an empty chair and sat down. The
knights continued to talk loudly for a while longer but slowly, they began
to calm down. And thankfully, the men began to accept the situation.
“Well… It’s not that she put the flower in her hair, so I guess it’s alright.”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“Sir Poliana is still doing an excellent job leading her guards, so I guess
we can let her do what she wants. Her own men seemed shocked to see
the changes, but I think they’ve already accepted them. She also still has
a very firm grip on her unit too.”
“I guess it’s okay for her to put on some perfume. It isn’t like it’s hurting
anyone, right?”
“That’s right. I mean, if she is going to get married, it makes sense that
she wants to improve her skin. Marquess Winter’s skin is so awful that
she will probably need a year to improve it.”
In the end, the men decided that there was nothing wrong with their
Poliana Winter. For some reason, their frustration changed its direction
towards Frau.
This was all Frau Sneke’s fault. It had to be!”
“Frau Sneke is no good! He just doesn’t suit Sir Poliana, don’t you
agree?”
“If he wasn’t kicked out from the Sneke family, perhaps he would’ve
been an alright choice, but he was abandoned by his own family,
abandoned! If he doesn’t belong to a noble family, doesn’t that pretty
much mean that he’s a commoner?”
“Absolutely, so how dare he propose to the marquess?”
“He has no money or status. He has no land, and he was kicked out of
his family. He is also old, and he isn’t even a knight! He’s just a doctor! I
am against this marriage!”
Lucius the First, who was holding his forehead with his hand as if he was
having a headache, flinched. The knights, however, were too busy
talking that they didn’t notice.
The men continued, “I am against this marriage too! I heard he even said
that he was doing this for her money! He’s a gold digger!”
“I went to have a look at him, and he was also ugly too!”
“Yes! That’s right, he’s ugly too; an ugly gold digger like that needs to be
destroyed!”
The emperor’s ears were clearly very much focused on the men’s
conversation, but the knights were still unaware.
One of the knights suddenly disagreed, “Actually, I am ok with this
marriage. Frau is indeed unmanly and weak, but this means that he will
treat Marquess Winter with the greatest respect. He will do as he is told
and they might just have a quiet marriage.”
Lucius the First slowly looked up to see the man who thought positively
of Poliana’s upcoming marriage. The knight, unaware of the hatred in the
emperor’s eyes towards him, continued, “I mean, think about it. Any man
who marries Marquess Winter will have to give up his family name and
take hers. If she wasn’t rich, what man would be willing to do that?”
“Well… I guess…”
The other knights agreed reluctantly, “It’s true that I would never give up
my family name. I would never take a woman’s name as mine.”
“Me too, no amount of money would make me do something like that.”
“That’s right, my name was a gift from my ancestors, so how could I ever
sell it?”
Any man who married Marquess Winter had to take her last name. On
top of that, Poliana was barren, which meant that they would have no
heir. Some of the knights nodded in agreement, but those who disagreed
argued, “But Marquess Winter’s name was given by his highness
himself! It won’t be such a sad thing to take an honorable name like
Winter. Besides, Sir Poliana would be able to make even the most
vicious man obedient! She doesn’t need a weak doctor like that! She can
do so much better!”
“But what can we do? It’s not like we chose him, the marquess did!”
“I had no idea that Sir Poliana had such a low standard.”
“That can’t be! Everyone knows how much Sir Pol cares about people’s
looks.”
“So why would she decide on such an ugly man?!”
“Well, she apparently said that she didn’t want a much younger man.”
“So what are your thoughts on this, Sir Mahogal?”
Sir Mahogal, who was sitting quietly, flinched when his name was called.
He sat up straight and faced the men. The reason why the men turned to
Sir Mahogal was that they were talking about good looking men.
The most handsome man in the room was without a doubt Lucius the
First, but it was a well-known fact that Poliana did not see the emperor
as a man. The next in line for the list of handsome men were Sir
Mahogal.
Indeed, people witnessed Poliana blushing from time to time in front of
Sir Mahogal, who was a very handsome man. He was also from a good
family and his manner was excellent. If he wasn’t married, Poliana would
have been very interested in him.
After some careful thought, Sir Mahogal replied, “For someone important
like Sir Pol… I do think she needs a man who is at least as good looking
as me.”
Chapter 223: Chapter 223

Chapter 223
All the knights booed Sir Mahogal, who just shrugged his shoulders. His
comment was disgusting, but unfortunately, it was true that Sir Mahogal
was indeed a very good looking man. If Poliana saw how her colleagues
were behaving, she would’ve been annoyed. They were certainly her
friends and co-workers, but they were not her relatives. They had no
right to agree or disagree with her marriage plan, yet these men were
seriously discussing the situation as if they were talking about their own
sisters or daughters. They were talking about her like her future was
their business.
Poliana was ugly, old, and barren; she had all the three qualities of an
undesirable woman, however, she was also incredibly wealthy and
powerful. Wealth and power could be enough to make all of her worst
faults look ok. To these knights, Poliana was someone they wanted to
protect. They felt affectionate towards her and wanted the best for her.
So, the men continued to argue if Poliana should marry Frau Sneke.
“Yes! Yes! No! Yes! No! No! No! Yes!”
The meaningless discussion went on and on and it seemed that they
could not come up with a decision. They formed two sides and continued
to argue intensely.
“How can you approve of such an uneven marriage?”
“What? This is what Marquess Winter wants! She wants to be happy! So
how could we object of this is what she truly wants?”
“How could she be happy in a marriage that does not suit her? Do you
really think she will be happy marrying that gold digger?”
Finally, one man suggested, “Let’s stop this nonsense and talk to the
marquess herself. We need to convince her!” His comment sounded
logical, but everyone else disagreed. They argued, “But we can’t. If we
talk to her about her marriage, she’s going to think we’re nagging her.
You know how she is going to react if we approach her.”
“He’s right. She hates being nagged. Last time I suggested something,
she forbade me from approaching her for weeks. She was so cold to me.
It was not fun.”
“Well, let’s think logically for a second. We need to figure out why Sir
Poliana decided to get married. We have been telling her to get married
for a long time, but she never agreed to it. So why did she change her
mind now? What happened?”
“It’s because she’s lonely! Isn’t that what she said?”
“She was very close to Lady Rebecca.”
One of the knights, who couldn’t take this anymore, offered loudly, “I will
offer my nephew to marry her! This will fix everything! I am willing to
sacrifice my nephew for her!”
All the other knights began to boo the man as they yelled, “Your nephew
is only 14 years old. He could be her son! You know she isn’t going to
agree to this!”
Lucius the First, while sitting in his chair, watched his knights quietly.
Why did these men feel so strongly about Poliana’s marriage? They
were talking as if her marriage affected them greatly. They were acting
like Poliana’s brothers, fathers, and grandfathers.
Just as the emperor was busy with work, these knights were very busy
men too. This was why it was so strange that the knights were still here
arguing. They have been doing this in front of the emperor for hours
now. It seemed that none of them were even getting tired; their voices
became louder and louder.
Lucius the First thought quietly, ‘It looks like they are enjoying this
situation…’ His eyes narrowed, slowly figuring out why. Most of these
men got married right after they returned home from the war. Their
honeymoon was probably sweet, but soon after, they began to have
children. By now, their wives were probably more focused on their
children than their husbands. Their children were probably in their
rebellious teen years and want nothing to do with their fathers.
It was clear that these knights were bored with their lives. They were
busy with their work, but they were used to it. What they lacked was
something interesting in their lives, and they finally found it.
Poliana’s marriage…
This was the most fun they had in years!
Lucius the First sighed; his face was filled with worry and irritation.
‘And these are the men that accomplished the unification of this
continent with me.’
The only man in this room who had any right to have an opinion on
Poliana’s marriage was Lucius the First, and this was because he was in
love with her, and because he loved her, he had to say something he
didn’t really mean.
“Stop, everyone. I, the emperor, have decided to respect Marquess
Winter’s decision.”
“Your highness!”
The knights all turned to the emperor as if he betrayed them. Lucius the
First continued, “Don’t you get it?”
The emperor gritted his teeth, worried that he might begin to cry at any
moment. Lucius the First raised his voice on purpose and opened his
eyes wider as he added, “Doesn’t Marquess Winter look happy now?”
She has been seen humming often nowadays. People reported
witnessing her laugh too for no reason. These small changes that were
very unlike her… These were proof that Poliana was happy.
Lucius the First fell in love with her small smiles. He really wanted
Poliana to be happy. Her happiness was more important than his own.
Sir Ainno once ranted that it didn’t make sense how the emperor of the
greatest kingdom could not even have the woman he wanted. But the
truth was that it was because he was the emperor that he had to give her
up.
There was no good reason for Lucius the First to stop Poliana from
marrying the man she wanted.
The men nodded after listening to their emperor. The room turned quiet
as Lucius the First closed his eyes.
‘That’s right. As long as she’s happy… That’s all that matters.’
He opened his eyes and ordered, “Now, you’re all dismissed. Return to
your works but remember this one thing. If that man makes Marquess
Winter cry even a single tear…”
Lucius the First clenched his teeth, finally showing small evidence of his
true feelings. He didn’t bother putting on his usual fake smile.
“If that man makes Marquess Winter sad, I will kill him. I will end him.”
It was an oath, and the knights waved their hands in shock. They
begged the emperor, “Your highness! Please, don’t say such a thing!”
But they weren’t asking the emperor to spare Frau Sneke. They wanted
something much worse for him.
“You cannot just kill him like that! That would be too easy for him; you’re
being too kind!”
“That’s right, your highness! He needs to be tortured for at least a year!”
“Hang him upside down and drown him!”
Lucius the First smiled happily, impressed at his knights for being such
good friends of Poliana. He said proudly, “You men are such good
knights. What a beautiful friendship we all have!”
A single tear finally rolled down from Lucius the Fist’s eyes. He wiped it
away quickly, and the knights in the room assumed that it was a tear of
joy for their friendship.

Chapter 224
Following Lucius the First’s order, Sir Deke explored the southern
regions before stopping at the viceroy’s official residence. The viceroy,
who controlled the entire southern region, Sir Rabi, welcomed Sir Deke
with open arms. Sir Rabi was genuinely happy to see Sir Deke. It has
been a very long time since he got a visitor from the capital. He was also
very fond of all of the Ingreter brothers.
The Bika family offered to throw a banquet in honor of the guest from
Yapa, but Sir Deke declined it since he needed to do a lot of work here.
Unlike in the northern and mid-continent region, there weren’t many
intelligence agents Sir Deke could rely on, which meant that he had to
do the work himself. It was an annoying situation, but it could not be
helped.
Thankfully, the southern region has been very quiet lately. After the
incident with Duchess Nani, who was thrown out from the Yapa castle by
Lucius the First, there was a concern that the colony, Nanikun, might
cause problems, but nothing happened. Instead, the people of Nanikun
mourned the death of Lady Rebecca and prayed for the health of
Princess Luminae. The people of other southern colonies felt the same
way.
There was also a big interest in who would become the next wife of the
emperor to replace Lady Rebecca. Everyone expected it to be a lady
from the south again. There was still a rumor that the emperor preferred
middle-aged women, but other than that, things were relatively quiet.
Many noble ladies of the south secretly felt expectant, hoping that they
could become the next wife of the emperor.
After Sir Deke was done doing his research in the south, he readied
himself to return to Yapa, but before he did, he dropped by the Viceroy’s
house one last time. Although he didn’t want a huge banquet in his
honor, he still wanted to become the Bika family’s guest. When the war
was over and many of the knights ended up staying as guests of Sir
Rabi, Sir Deke heard that these men were treated luxuriously. He wasn’t
one of the guests at the time because he was away with his brothers Sir
Aeke and Sir Beke, which made him feel envious and curious, so he
wanted to become one now. He wanted to experience the luxury of
being a Bika family guest. It was also considered a great honor to be a
guest of Sir Rabi and his family.
The entire Bika family welcomed him. Sir Donau, who was about the
same age as Sir Deke, was especially happy to see his old friend. They
spent a lot of time together during the war and they became close
friends at the time. It has been a very long time since they last saw each
other.
Sir Deke joked, “You’re being too nice to me, Donau. If you think you are
going to get something from me, you’re going to be disappointed. I have
nothing, so stop being so nice.”
“What are you talking about? I am really happy to see you, that’s all.
Don’t be such a jerk.”
“How is life in the south by the way?”
“Pretty good, except for the summer; it’s too hot here. I miss the north
sometimes.”
The family of the viceroy and the Ribo family both lived in their official
residence. Sir Baufallo was the landlord of the adjacent land, but Sir
Rabi offered to live together since his residence was so big. In truth, Sir
Rabi just wanted to be close to his twin daughters so he could watch out
for them. The in-laws ended up living together as one big family.
Sir Howe was happy to live with Sir Rabi, who he idolized, and Sir
Donau was ok with the situation as well since he got to live with all of his
family. Although, being surrounded by family and relatives all the time
could be a little overwhelming sometimes; this was why Donau was
happy to see a new face.
Sir Donau asked, “Did you get to check out the road conditions? Are you
done all of your work?”
“Yes, it seems like all the roads are in good condition. They’re very
cleanly made, and it was much better than the ones in the mid-continent.
I don’t think there is much to worry about.”
The official reason for Sir Deke’s visit was to check on the roads. It was
a plausible excuse since the emperor was indeed planning on uniting the
entire kingdom with well-built roads. For easy imports and exports
among the colonies, solid accessible roads were necessities. This was
his big plan for the future.
Sir Deke made sure to always carry a map, telling everyone he was just
checking on the roads. Thus, no one suspected that he was there for
another reason. He also marked the map of any roads that needed to be
repaired so it looked even more convincing.
Sir Donau replied, “Of course, my father-in-law is the viceroy, after all.
He’s very thorough in taking care of everything. He is an excellent
landlord.”
“Wow!”
Sir Deke exclaimed and added, “You sound so natural calling him your
‘father-in-law!'”
“…”
Sir Donau looked away in embarrassment while Sir Deke laughed. It was
so nice to see Sir Donau looking comfortable and happy in his new life. It
was clear that Donau was content.
Sir Deke had nothing to do until dinner, so he decided to walk around the
residence. The truth was, one of his purposes here was to find out the
general atmosphere of the Viceroy’s residence. It was obvious that the
emperor was right in trusting Sir Rabi with such an important job. Sir
Deke could see that Sir Rabi’s residence was well-kept and well-run. All
the works were done efficiently, and everyone seemed generally
satisfied here.
Then suddenly, Sir Deke screamed when he saw a strange creature on
the ground.
“Arrggh! What the heck! What is that?”
He almost fell to the ground from the shock of it. Sir Deke took a step
back and took a careful look at the animal. To his surprise, he realized
that it was a dog. But it was not the kind of dog he knew. The dog’s face
had similar features as the northern dogs, but the animal had no hair on
its body. It looked like a duck or a chicken without any feathers.
What surprised him, even more, was the fact that there were similar
looking creatures on the ground all over the place. Most were
underneath the tree in a shade or lying against cold stones. It seemed
that these animals were trying to keep themselves cool.
“What the heck!”
Bardo Bika, who was walking alongside Sir Deke, explained, “The dogs
and the cats were not doing well with the heat here, so we shaved
them.”
Thinking about the luxurious hair the northern dogs usually have to fight
against the Acreian cold, Sir Deke felt pity towards these dogs. His eyes
began to tear up a little, so he quickly turned away and headed towards
the dining room where the dinner was about to begin.

Chapter 225: Chapter 225

Chapter 225
The Ribo and Bika families gathered around with Sir Rabi as the head of
the table. Both Sir Rabi and Sir Baufallo greeted Sir Deke pleasantly and
a light-hearted conversation began; they asked each other about how
their mutual acquaintances were doing and how things were going in
Yapa in general.
The Bika twins expressed their sadness to Sir Deke regarding the recent
passing of Lady Rebecca.
“Sir Pol told us she was a very kind lady. We were both very saddened
by the news.”
“We are just glad that the princess is doing well at least.”
Sir Deke replied, “I am just happy to hear that you’ve delivered your
babies safely. Everyone in Yapa was glad to hear about it.”
Everything seemed great in the south. Sir Deke was satisfied with what
he saw. There was nothing that would worry the emperor here. Sir Deke
was also pleased on a personal level. When he first heard about his
friend, Donau’s marriage, he was worried because it seemed that Donau
was being sold to Sir Rabi. Thankfully, Sir Donau looked very happy. It
looked like their wives were the ones in control in their relationships, but
both Sir Donau and Sir Howe seemed happy. Sir Deke never thought it
would be possible for a man to be happy to live with a woman stronger
willed than him, but in truth, it was very possible.
Both Sir Howe and Sir Donau also had a great relationship with their
brother-in-law, Bardo. It was Bardo who approached his new brothers
because he was so happy to finally have male siblings; they became
best friends right after.
The conversation over dinner continued pleasantly and finally, the topic
of Poliana was brought up.
Sir Donau mentioned, “Sir Pol must be out of her house by now.”
Sir Deke replied, “I only heard about her self-punishment after I left
Yapa.”
Donau smiled bitterly because he knew very well how determined and
serious his adopted sister could be. He said, “I was so shocked when we
stopped receiving letters from her.”
Sir Baufallo added, “Of all people, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised Sir
Pol would do something like this.”
Sir Rabi nodded in agreement. Sir Howe muttered, “I can guess what
must’ve happened. I’ll bet his highness said whatever she did was
perfectly fine, but she probably insisted on punishing herself. It’s an easy
guess, knowing Sir Pol.”
“Well, her determination is also one of her strongest qualities.”
“She should’ve at least sent us a message to explain why she won’t be
sending any more letters for a while.”
The Bika twins grumbled, “We were so worried when we didn’t hear from
her after Lady Rebecca’s passing.” They looked genuinely upset and
disappointed in Poliana, so the knights sitting around them shook their
heads, explaining to them that it would have been strange for Poliana to
explain her own punishment.
Donau asked Sir Deke for a favor, “When you get back to Yapa, can you
deliver some gifts to Sir Pol?”
“Gifts?”
“It would be faster for you to deliver them than us sending them through
a messenger.”
Sir Deke was confused. He tried to remember if he was missing
something. Did something happen to Poliana?
‘Why is Sir Poliana getting gifts?’
Sir Deke assumed something must’ve happened while he was traveling
all over the kingdom. He didn’t really care what happened since it
sounded like whatever happened was something good. If Sir Donau,
who lived in the south, knew about it, everyone in Yapa must’ve known
about it by now. Although he didn’t care what happened, Sir Deke felt a
little ashamed that he, the head of the Intelligence Unit, didn’t know
about it. This was embarrassing.
Sir Deke asked, “Why? Did something happen? Did she get promoted?
Is there any position higher than the head of the division? I didn’t know
that.”
As far as Sir Deke knew, Poliana was at the highest level a knight could
achieve. Suddenly, Vanessa interrupted him to answer, “We heard that
she’s getting married. Sir Pol has been so kind and generous to us when
we had our babies. We know there is no way for us to repay her, so we
thought it would be a good idea to send her a small gift as quickly as
possible.”
Vaxi added, “We would obviously love to attend her wedding, but I don’t
think it will be possible.”
The twin sisters sighed in disappointment, and Sir Deke gasped.
‘Sir Pol is getting married? What?’
It wasn’t just Sir Deke who looked surprised. Other than the young
couples on the table, everyone else seemed shocked, too.
“What? Sir Pol is getting married?”
“To who?”
“When did this happen? When did you get this news, Vanessa?”
Sir Rabi, Sir Baufallo, and Lady Bika’s eyes widened as they asked all at
once, and Sir Donau answered them calmly. The letter from Poliana
arrived that very morning. It was the first letter she sent since she went
into her self-confinement, so when he saw it, Sir Donau opened it
happily. Inside the envelope was a message that she was getting
married.
Lady Bika exclaimed, “Oh my! Marquess Winter is getting married?!”
She clapped in joy; her cheeks even flushed.
“Wow. Sir Pol is really going to marry someone?”
“Did the letter say who the groom is?”
“Yes. It is the fifth son of former Duke Sneke. His name is Frau Sneke;
he’s a doctor, and he’s the same age as Sir Poliana.”
Sir Baufallo, Sir Rabi, and their wives frowned unhappily. It was clear
that they did not approve of Poliana’s choice. They had the same
reaction from most people in Yapa when they heard this news. Sir
Baufallo and Sir Rabi both remembered Frau being kicked out from his
family. They were also unhappy about his job as a doctor. The only thing
they approved of was his age.
Sir Deke remembered his sister asking him to investigate Frau, so he
was even more surprised. How did this happen?
‘When I get back to Yapa, I will have to find out what exactly happened.’
Why would Sir Pol marry a man who was clearly after her money?
Sir Rabi announced quietly, “Frau Sneke is clearly not worthy of Sir
Pol… I don’t like this at all, but if this is Sir Pol’s decision, I will have to
respect it and congratulate her.”
Sir Baufallo shook his head slowly. In the past, he told the knightess that
if she wanted to remain a knight, she should never get married, but time
has changed. Now, he knew that she could get married and still be
accepted as a knight. She worked hard and she earned her place in this
world. People around her respected her.
Sir Baufallo always thought she would live alone, but it seemed that she
was getting married. This was a good thing, but he really did not like her
choice for her husband.
“Frau Sneke is not the right man for her…”
It didn’t sound like it was a love match either. When Sir Baufallo looked
upset, Vaxi and Vanessa replied, “We agree with you, most people feel
that way.”
“But since this is what Sir Pol wants, we decided to congratulate her.”

Chapter 226: Chapter 226

Chapter 226
Sir Donau and Sir Howe agreed with their wives.
“I feel the same way, Father. I respect my adopted sister’s wishes.”
“Me too, Father. I’m sure Sir Pol didn’t make this decision lightly.” The
brothers knew that Poliana was an intelligent and careful woman. They
believed that she would have considered all the possible consequences
of her marriage before making this decision. But the truth was, Poliana
decided to do this in a very rash way. In fact, if she had accepted the Sir
Bika Senior’s offer of a puppy, Poliana would’ve never decided to get
married. Poliana was in an emotionally vulnerable position because she
felt so lonely, and it worked perfectly to Frau’s advantage. It was his
lucky day.
In the end, everyone on the table agreed that they should all respect
Poliana’s decision. Sir Deke, feeling awkward, didn’t say much. It
seemed that he was the only one who knew about Frau’s declaration
about how he wanted to marry Poliana for her money. Perhaps it was
best for people not to know about it or else it would upset them even
more.
Vanessa and Vaxi nodded, “We are so glad Sir Pol is marrying someone
her own age.”
“Totally, I remember her telling us she doesn’t want to marry a younger
man.”
Sir Donau felt a little sad, remembering how Poliana was his first love,
but his feelings for her were now a distant and fond memory. He loved
his wife and his daughter.
While everyone chatted amicably, Lady Bika kept murmuring to herself,
“Frau… Frau…” The name sounded familiar. She had a bad feeling
about it, and suddenly, she looked up.
“Sir Donau, did you say Sir Poliana is marrying Frau Sneke?”
“Yes. His name is Frau and he is from the Sneke family. He is currently
working as Baron Redikal’s student; he’s a doctor.”
Lady Bika’s face became rigid. She was normally a very calm and kindlooking lady,
but at this moment, she looked like a witch. She looked so
angry, which was very unusual. It was also considered very rude to look
so unhappy in front of a guest. Sir Rabi held his wife’s hand gently and
asked, “Dear, what’s wrong?”
“Just give me a moment. I need to think. Frau Sneke… Frau Sneke… So
that would be the current Baron Sneke’s younger brother? The man who
had that notorious affair with a maid in his own household?!”
No one could agree or disagree with Lady Bika’s question because no
one knew. Vanessa and Vaxi had no idea what their mother was talking
about. Sir Rabi and Sir Baufallo were not in Acreia when this happened
because they were away at war. Sir Donau and Sir Howe were the
same. Sir Deke knew about this scandal since he recently did his own
research, but he could not reveal this fact. If they asked how he knew
about it, it would be very hard for him to explain it.
Lady Bika exclaimed, “No one here remembers this?!”
She raised her voice and Lady Ribo frowned before answering, “Oh, oh!
Yes, you’re right, Lady Bika. Now that I think about it, I do remember.
There was a huge scandal where a son of a duke wanted to get married
to a maid. It was a huge deal, so I assume that that was the Sneke
family?”
Sir Rabi murmured coldly, “So, that man has another woman?”
Lady Ribo, now remembering more about it, explained, “I think that maid
died soon after that scandal. Right, Lady Bika?”
Lady Bika nodded unhappily, which made Sir Rabi feel a little better.
After all, Frau Sneke was the same age as Poliana, which made him 33.
It was not an odd thing for a man of 33 to have a past. As long as he
was unattached right now, it was going to be okay.
Sir Rabi announced, “If she’s dead, then I guess it’s all good.”
Sir Baufallo asked, “Does Sir Pol know about this man’s past?”
Sir Donau answered suggested, “Well, knowing Sis, I am sure she did
her research before deciding to get married. You know how her hobby is
collecting information, right?”
“Haha, that’s right. She used to refuse to go into battles if she didn’t have
enough information about them…”
“So, Sir Pol is really getting married…”
“What a joyous occasion!”
Suddenly, Lady Bika yelled as she slapped the table, “What are you
people talking about! This is a joyous occasion?!”
“D-dear, w-what’s wrong, are you ill?”
“Are you people all crazy? A joyous occasion, how could you all say
this!”
Ignoring her shocked husband, Lady Bika pointed at the three young
men at the table. The three men straightened, just like they used to
when they were in active duty and ordered by their superior. Lady Bika
looked faint as she stood up weakly. Before Sir Rabi could help her,
Lady Bika ordered firmly, “You three need to go and stop this wedding
right this minute!”
Her voice sounded almost scary. It was so loud that it echoed throughout
the dining room. It was no wonder she was the wife of a prominent
knight. The three men stood up and saluted her.
“Yes, Ma’am!”
“Right away, Ma’am!”
“Of course, Ma’am!”
Their reaction was by reflex from their years in the military. Lady Bika,
suddenly realizing how odd her behavior was, quickly began to explain
her reasoning behind her request. The three men, however, did not need
her to explain herself. They were ready and willing to follow her order.
That very night, the three young knights rode to Yapa. They had only
one goal and one mission in mind.
They had to stop the evil Frau! They had to prevent Poliana’s wedding
from happening!
The night deepened and heavy ominous rain fell on the three young
men, but they never stopped riding.
***
Meanwhile, as Cekel predicted, the maids inside the lady’s quarters
became divided into two sides. Some sided with Lady Tory, while others
supported Lady Stra. Strangely, this made Lady Stra and Lady Tory
become even closer to each other.
Instead of Lady Rebecca’s reception area, the two wives of the emperor
began to gather inside Lady Stra’s reception room. Instead of the sweet
fruity snacks from the south, grainy desserts from the mid-continent
region were served.
Lady Stra was now fully responsible for raising Princess Luminae while
Lady Tory remained the unofficial head of the lady’s quarters. Taking
care of a newborn was a hard job, but in truth, it was the wet nurse who
did most of the work. When Lady Stra seemed apologetic, Lady Tory
suggested, “Stra, could you take care of arranging the emperor’s
birthday feast this year?”
“Oh?! I think that job is too big for me; I don’t think I’m qualified to do it.”
“I am sure you can do it!”
“But… All the powerful Acreian nobles were invited this year, right? It will
have to be a perfect Acreian banquet, and I know I won’t be able to do
it.”
Due to Lady Rebecca’s recent passing, it was decided that the
emperor’s birthday party will be a much smaller occasion than usual.
Only the Acreian nobles and those aristocrats in Yapa were invited,
which meant that the banquet would have to be in Acreian fashion. Stra,
who was not from the north, did not feel comfortable taking care of such
a big event.
Lady Tory said encouragingly, “You can do it, Lady Stra. The feasts in
the mid-continent regions are actually more complicated. I will help you
do it, so don’t worry.”
Stra hesitated, but Lady Tory has been taking care of a lot of the things
lately. Stra has been thinking that she should be helping more, so this
could be her chance. In addition, she could learn more about the Acreian
customs this way, which will be helpful to her in the future.
Stra nodded and replied, “Alright. But if I do something wrong, you have
to promise to tell me right away.”
“Of course.”
Tory replied kindly, but Stra still seemed uncertain. She knew any
mistakes would be criticized harshly by the Acreian nobles. When Stra
looked concerned, Tory offered, “If you do a good job, I will give you a
gift.”
Tory gestured to her maid, who brought a bottle of wine. When Stra saw
it, her eyes shined. She exclaimed, “It’s the ice wine!”
Tory replied quietly, “So, you have heard about this wine.”

Chapter 227: Chapter 227

Chapter 227
The ice wine from Acreia was legendary. Lady Stra did not particularly
enjoy drinking, but even she knew about this wine. It was made only in
one region in Acreia, and because of the ongoing war between Aehas
and Kukda, it had been almost impossible for people of the midcontinent and
southern regions to enjoy this wine. Lady Stra’s father,
who was the king of his own kingdom, only had one bottle and he kept it
safe as one of his treasures.
Lady Stra asked excitedly, “Where did you get that?”
“This ice grape grows only in Marquis Seeze’s land. Marquis Seeze is
my great grandfather, and when we visited Nanaba recently, he gave me
this as a present.”
“Oh, then you can’t give that to me. It is a precious gift from your great
grandfather. I can’t accept it.”
“Oh, no!”
Lady Tory smiled teasingly as she handed the bottle back to her maid.
The maid took the bottle with trembling hands, terrified that she might
drop the priceless item. Lady Tory said to Stra, “I am not giving it to you
for free. I will only give it to you if you do well with the emperor’s birthday
party.”
“Oh… I heard from Duchess Luzo that the Acreian nobles and the elders
can be very picky… They will be harsh critics of anything I do.”
When Stra looked disappointed, Tory said to her encouragingly, “So,
you’ll just have to do a perfect job so no one can complain about
anything. I’ll help you.”
“R-right? Since you are offering such a priceless gift, I guess I will have
to do my best.”
“You can do it, Stra!”
The two ladies giggled together like little girls. The atmosphere in the
reception area was light and happy, making even the maids on different
sides smile. Lady Stra’s maid brought new plates of snacks. Stra looked
at Tory expectantly. She always felt like she owed Tory, so providing
tasty snacks was the least she could do.
Lady Stra explained, “My new chef made it. He’s very good at his job.
Try it.”
“Absolutely.”
Sweet snacks were rare in Acreia, so Tory took a bite of a cookie
excitedly. It was indeed delicious, and Tory murmured, “I wish the
marquess was here to enjoy it; she would like this.”
“Well, it can’t be helped. Marquess Winter is too busy planning her
wedding.”
Tory picked up another cookie. Feeling embarrassed that she was eating
all of the snacks, she offered one to Stra. Lady Stra shook her head
gently.
“My chef is so good at his job that I gained so much weight. I need to
control myself.”
“I understand how it would be so easy to gain weight on food like this.”
Tory ended up cleaning up the plate all by herself. Her Acreian chef was
great at cooking meat and making jerkies, but that was it. He was awful
at making any other types of dishes or desserts. It was going to take a
very long time for the Acreians to learn the sophisticated cooking of the
mid-continent region.
Tory wondered secretly, ‘Is she really gaining weight because of
overeating? Or…’
She was smiling, but deep inside, she couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
‘I guess it can’t be helped. Whatever happens… Even if she is
pregnant…’
Tory’s maid informed her recently that Lady Stra stopped having her
period. It was unknown whether it was because she was pregnant, or
because she usually had irregular periods. Was it another phantom
pregnancy?
Apparently, Stra didn’t even call for a doctor to get checked. Was it
because Stra believed it could be another phantom pregnancy? Did she
not want to be embarrassed and disappointed again?
The maid brought more cookies, and Tory continued to eat. Stra teased
her that at this rate, Tory might gain weight too. The maids laughed at
her joke, and Tory, still a smile on her face, focused on the taste of the
cookies. They were indeed delicious.
***
At that same time, Poliana was busy discussing her wedding dress
design with a dressmaker. It was a tradition for a bride to wear the most
expensive outfit she owned on her wedding day, but most of the time,
the women decided to get a new outfit made for this occasion. It was a
good chance to get a nice outfit.
Lucius the First was a generous emperor. He sent the best designers
and dressmakers to Poliana. He also allowed her to use whatever royal
fabric he owned in the castle. Poliana didn’t know much about different
types of fabrics. All she knew about were uniforms and bandages.
The dressmaker asked Poliana, “Should we first decide on the fabric? Is
there a specific color you would like, Marquess Winter?”
“Blue.”
“Well, blue is great, but most brides prefer red, gold, or purple.”
“Blue, and I want it to be the same blue as the guard’s uniform.”
The head of the dress committee, Lady Siming, looked at Poliana
awkwardly. The main reason why the guard’s uniform was blue was that
it looked rich. Blue dye was also one of the cheapest. The expensive
dyes were gold, red, and purple. There were different shades of blue that
were more expensive, but the specific one Poliana wanted was the
cheapest one of them all.
Lady Siming explained patiently, “Marquess Winter, the shade used for
the uniforms is too dark and is therefore not appropriate for a wedding
dress.”
“Blue.”
“I heard that you like dark-colored clothes. Why not try a lighter and
brighter color this time?”
Lady Siming took out a few different fabrics and tried putting them
against Poliana. The maid brought a mirror and placed it in front of the
two ladies.
Lady Siming said to her, “See! Don’t these bright colors look good on
you? What do you think?”
“Blue.”
“I can see that you aren’t going to change your mind…”
In the end, Lady Siming gave up. Poliana was well known for her
stubbornness, so Lady Siming knew her effort was going to be useless.
Now that the fabric was decided, next was to determine the dress’s
design. Lady Siming asked nervously, “You are going to let your hair
grow, right? Please tell me you won’t cut it short.”
Both Lady Siming and all the maids looked at Poliana beggingly. Poliana
has begun to take care of her skin, but she hasn’t thought about what
she should do with her hair. After a few moments of thinking, Poliana
answered, “Well since I am getting married… I guess I should let it
grow… Right?”
“Yes! Absolutely! How long do you think it will be if we let it grow until
your wedding… Does your hair grow fast, Marquess Winter?”
“It grows at a normal speed.”
“I see. Well, it’s really short now, but if you let it grow, I am sure it will be
ok.”
Poliana knew nothing about clothing design, so she let Lady Siming take
care of it. Lady Siming was only happy to take on responsibility.
The next topic was the gifts to be exchanged between the groom and the
bride. All the women in the room looked at Poliana expectantly.
Poliana answered, “I will be the one taking care of all the gifts.”
“Of course.”
The maids looked disappointed, but this was expected. Normally, it was
the groom that gave more expensive and extravagant gifts to his bride.
In this case, however, it made sense that Poliana took care of everything
since Frau was penniless.
One of the maids said eagerly, “I heard that Lady Ingreter got a box full
of jewels as a wedding gift!”

Chapter 228: Chapter 228

Chapter 228
The maids exclaimed as they talked about Cekel and Sir Ainno.
“Wow, that sounds so amazing!”
“I am so envious! A whole box of jewels?”
The biggest story in Yapa at the moment was Sir Ainno and Cekel’s
upcoming marriage. Just like Frau and Poliana, there was a huge gap
between Sir Ainno and Cekel in terms of wealth and status. People,
however, reacted differently to the two couples. Whenever they heard
about Poliana and Frau, they laughed or shook their heads. A woman
marrying so beneath her? Everyone found it either ridiculous or
unacceptable. However, a woman marrying above her station? All the
women found the story of Sir Ainno and Cekel romantic.
Many women were jealous as well. They pouted, saying how sneaky
Cekel was. Didn’t she declare that she was never going to get married?
That she was going to remain a spinster? Yet here she was, getting
married to the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom.
People were also curious. How did someone like Cekel capture Ainno
Seki’s heart? There were many rumors, but nothing was confirmed. The
ladies also enjoyed Sir Ainno’s passionate courtship of Cekel. Sir Ainno
was a jerk, and he was a very forward and forceful man, but it seemed
that no one noticed it. It was partly because he was a great actor. Ever
since Cekel gave him permission to try to win her over, he has been
acting like a perfect gentleman.
When he gave her a bouquet of flowers, he made a noticeable effort not
to touch her hands. Whenever he escorted her, he asked for her
permission respectfully. He even asked for her permission whenever he
kissed the back of her hand. To the ladies, he was a perfect gentleman.
Poliana, however, knew he was faking it.
‘What a jerk.’
Her guess was that Cekel was training Sir Ainno to act in this way. If this
was the case, then Sir Ainno must really love Cekel.
Lady Siming asked Poliana, “And what will you do about the wedding
animal hide?” Traditionally, the groom was supposed to hunt an animal
and give its hide as a wedding gift to his bride. But unfortunately,
everyone knew Frau was not a hunter. He was a chubby slow man. It
was very likely that he wouldn’t even be able to catch a chicken inside a
chicken coop.
Poliana considered hunting an animal herself but quickly gave up on the
idea. Poliana herself was not a talented hunter. It was best to just
purchase a hide. She didn’t even want or need one, but it was the
tradition.
When Poliana said she was going to buy a hide, Lady Siming replied
excitedly, “There is no need. His highness told me that he will be giving
you a black bear hide as a gift for you. He has one that he recently
received as a gift.”
“Isn’t that too much?”
“His highness was actually disappointed that he didn’t have a white bear
hide for you.”
“Well, I guess that makes sense… His highness is so generous. I guess
I better go and thank him in person soon.”
Poliana accepted the emperor’s gift without a fight. It was a good idea
never to refuse a gift like this. Lucius the First also offered to give
Poliana jewels, but she politely refused them, especially because he was
offering a ring and Poliana wanted to get one custom made for her.
Poliana asked Lady Siming, “For the wedding ring… I was thinking about
making one big enough to fit my gauntlet. What kind of stone do you
think I should use?”
“Marquess! During the wedding, you will be exchanging the rings with
your future husband. Are you telling me that you will be wearing your
gauntlet at your own wedding?!”
Lady Siming exclaimed in shock. The maids, who were working nearby,
also ran towards them and said hurriedly, “Marquess Winter! You will
have to wear your ring during the entire wedding, and if the ring falls off
even once that day, it means your marriage will suffer bad luck!”
‘Even the women are so superstitious here.’
It wasn’t just the Acreian men who were suspicious. The northern
women also strongly believed in myths. There was no doubt that such a
ring would fall off a few times during the wedding and the reception. It
would also look quite ridiculous for her to be wearing a ring that big.
Poliana pouted in annoyance, realizing that she was going to have to
give up on her idea. Lady Siming, watching Poliana change her mind,
quickly learned that it was possible to persuade Poliana sometimes.
‘I am going to have to try changing her mind about the blue dress.’
Lady Siming thought carefully. It seemed that Poliana was not interested
in fashion at all. The only reason she insisted on the color blue was that
it was the color she was most familiar with, or perhaps she just liked the
color.
If she could get Poliana an opportunity to wear different colored clothes
before the wedding, Lady Siming thought she might be able to change
Poliana’s mind about the blue wedding dress. Poliana, who was only
used to dark colors, would never agree to wear a bright pink outfit, but…
“Marquess Winter.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Are you working on his highness’s birthday? During the party?”
“No, I am not going to be on duty. The emperor forced me to attend his
banquet as a guest.”
This was the gift Lucius the First demanded from Poliana. Poliana
wanted to be working that day just like at his wedding, but she had no
choice but to do as the emperor wished. It was her duty to make him
happy.
Poliana thought worriedly, ‘All of the Acreian nobles will be there…’
But Lucius the First wanted to be surrounded by his close acquaintances
and friends on his birthday. He didn’t want the people closest to him
working that day. The emperor was lonely, which was why Sir Ainno was
also forced to be off duty that day.
Of course, this made both Poliana and Sir Ainno very nervous about the
security that day.
Lady Siming said to Poliana, “That is great! Then you should wear a nice
robe that day at the party.”
“Why? Do you need me to look like a clown so I can entertain the
guests?”
Poliana didn’t think Lady Siming meant a simple indoor robe. It was likely
that the dressmaker wanted Poliana to wear a very feminine and
extravagant dress. Lady Siming explained patiently, “There is a famous
story about you in a dress in the Yapa castle during the war, right? I
heard that you are very awkward in dresses, which means you should
wear it often before your wedding, so you get used to them. It would be
embarrassing for you to be walking down the isle awkwardly in your
wedding dress.”
Poliana replied indignantly, “I was walking funny that time because I had
hidden daggers on my thighs. I don’t walk strangely in a dress. I can
even dance very well in it.”
“I am sure you can! It’s just that everyone thinks you can’t. This would be
a great chance for you to show them!”
Poliana liked this idea. It was true that the story of her fighting bravely in
a ripped dress and thick makeup was widely spread. The knights talked
of it proudly, but Poliana didn’t like it at all. When Poliana looked
convinced, Lady Siming quickly added, “I will make a perfect dress for
you. Let’s make it something other than blue so that it doesn’t overlap
with your wedding dress.”
Lady Siming looked at Poliana expectantly. After a few minutes of
thinking, Poliana finally answered, “I think green would be ok.”
“Excellent. I will make a green dress that matches his highness’s
beautiful green eyes.”
This was the perfect answer. Poliana smiled widely and Lady Siming
grinned in satisfaction.

Chapter 229: Chapter 229

Chapter 229
The Yapa castle became busy even though the emperor’s birthday was
still a week away. Many of the nobles from far away arrived early to
attend the feast. Each nobleman brought a huge entourage with him, so
the castle quickly became overwhelmingly populated.
The attendance rate of the Acreian nobles this year was 100%. This was
because knowing that many elders would refuse to come, Lucius the
First wrote in all of the invitations.
-His highness Lucius the First had something very important to
announce so attendance is strongly recommended.
Until now, it was never mandatory to be present at the emperor’s
birthday banquet. This was especially the case now because Acreia was
now the entire continent, which meant many of the nobles would have to
travel very far to reach Yapa.
But this year, Lucius the First made sure to write that he wished
everyone would attend. He didn’t outright order the noblemen, but
everyone knew that it would be wise not to against the emperor’s
wishes. Things could get very ugly quickly for those who displeased the
emperor.
Yapa castle was huge, but it barely accommodated the guests that came
from all over the continent. The entire city of Yapa filled with people, and
for the security of the capital city as well as the royal family, the guards
had no choice but to work overtime. Most of them had to give up their
weekends and days off. Poliana, who was asked to be off duty on the
day of the birthday feast, felt embarrassed as she watched her men work
so hard. This was why she worked extra hard and passionately until the
actual banquet.
The four heads of the three divisions gathered together. It has been a
long time since all the lead knights have come together. Instead of Sir
Ainno, who was the head of the First Division, Sir Mahogal attended in
his place. The First and the Second Division were burdened with
securing the castle while the Third Division became responsible for the
surrounding villages. Each leader discussed the plan to protect everyone
efficiently and effectively.
“The Knight’s Order will help during this time. Our priorities would be, of
course, in the following order: his highness, Lady Tory and Lady Stra,
Princess Luminae, and Duke and Duchess Luzo.”
Sir Mahogal suggested, “I think having a regular patrol would be enough
to provide protection for the princess.”
Poliana agreed with Sir Mahogal. If Princess Luminae was a son and the
heir to the kingdom, a knight would’ve been given the honor of protecting
her. But since she was a princess, the chances of someone trying to
harm her were slim. In addition, Princess Luminae lived in the deepest
part of the lady’s quarters, which would make it very hard for an assassin
to reach her without getting caught.
Sir Mahogal added, “On the day of the banquet, the First Division will
take care of the security of the party. All the guests will be asked to
disarm themselves before entering the party. Only those given
permission by the emperor to carry arms in his presence will be allowed
to bring weapons.”
As he announced this rule, Sir Mahogal looked at Poliana. Sir Jainno
and Sir Wook also turned towards her. On the day of the feast, Poliana
was going to be off duty. She was going to be one of the guests, but
Poliana was one of the few people who were allowed to be armed in the
emperor’s presence. Knowing how Poliana enjoyed wearing her uniform,
the three knights assumed that she would be heavily armed this time
too.
Sir Mahogal suggested, “We know you are going to attend the party
armed, so why don’t you at least get a fancy sword?”
“I won’t be bringing my sword.”
It was clear that the three men were remembering the day when they
were ambushed by Gali the Third in the castle. Poliana shook her finger
and added, “You will all see that what happened that day was not me. It
was an unnecessary embarrassment and misunderstanding. I can walk
and move just fine in a dress and I am going to prove it at the upcoming
party.”
Embarrassment? Misunderstanding? The three men couldn’t understand
what Poliana was talking about? To them, what Poliana accomplished
that day in the Yapa castle was a symbol of bravery. Poliana was well
prepared and was able to save Lucius the First from the evil Gali the
Third. She gave all the other knights hope that they could conquer the
world. It was that day that the men were able to truly accept her as their
own.
Sir Wook said to Poliana proudly, “Sir Pol, you were so amazing that
day!”
Sir Mahogal’s eyes teared up just thinking it, before adding, “It is such a
famous story! I heard you were so great, Sir Poliana.”
Sir Jainno said as well, “I wasn’t there, and I wish I was. I heard you
were quite a sight.”
Sir Mahogal and Sir Jainno weren’t present that day. They were truly
disappointed that they did not get to witness Poliana’s bravery. Sir
Mahogal was especially upset that he missed the whole thing. At the
time, he was selected as one of the knights to compete in the
tournament. Of course, Sir Ainno ended up winning the whole thing all
by himself, so Sir Mahogal didn’t get to participate in the tournament
either.
He and many of the other knights were trapped by Gali the Third, and by
the time they escaped and reached the emperor, the fight was over.
Sir Mahogal asked Poliana in confusion, “What do you mean, Sir
Poliana? You mean your bravery? Why would you call what you did an
embarrassment?”
Poliana replied, “I refused to dance with anyone, so a rumor started that
I can’t dance at all, that’s not true!”
In addition, people believed that she could not walk properly in a dress
because she walked funny that day. It was ridiculous that people
believed this. She was a knight after all; she was a person who used her
body as a weapon, so why would anyone believe that she couldn’t walk
well in a dress? Even if the silk shoes were slippery, why would people
think she wouldn’t be able to move gracefully in them?
‘Jerks!’
Sir Wook was the worst of them all. He was present at the time, and
apparently, he told everyone how awful she looked that day. Based on
what she heard, most people believed she looked like a monster
covered in blood and ugly makeup. Poliana had to admit that she did
look scary that day. Her makeup was indeed awful and it must’ve looked
shocking when she threw her wig away, but still…
So this was her chance to look decent. She was going to wear a dress
and walk straight! She was going to prove to everyone that she could
dance just fine!
Poliana announced in determination, “You will all see! You will see that I
do not walk funny in a dress! I will show it to everyone!”
“Haha, alright. So does that mean you will be attending the party with
Doctor Sneke?”

Chapter 230: Chapter 230

Chapter 230
Poliana shook her head and replied, “No, Frau Sneke won’t be
accompanying me to the party.”
Frau was not important enough to even get an invitation. The emperor’s
birthday feast this year was to include the highest-ranking Acreian
nobles. The security of the party was going to be extremely tight; a
nobody like Frau couldn’t even dream of being invited.
Sir Mahogal asked, “But aren’t you engaged to him? So shouldn’t he be
your guest?”
“We aren’t engaged.”
It was illegal to get married or engaged within the year of a royal death.
Poliana planned on skipping the standard engagement period and just
get married as soon as it was allowed. Although Poliana and Frau were
promised to be married, they weren’t legally engaged.
Sir Jainno was confused. Even if they weren’t technically engaged,
everyone in Yapa knew they were going to be married, which meant that
Frau would be allowed to attend the party. Sir Jainno asked, “But he
would still be allowed to go as your guest, right?”
Poliana shrugged her shoulders. She did consider taking Frau with her,
but when she asked, Frau became pale and asked, “Do I have to, is this
mandatory?”
“Well, no.”
“T-then, I don’t want to go.”
“Hmm, alright, as you wish.”
This was the end of their conversation that day. Poliana didn’t ask Frau
why he didn’t want to go. They weren’t married yet, and therefore she
didn’t want to act like a nagging wife, and besides, she could guess why
he wouldn’t want to attend this party. Since all the important Acreian
nobles were invited, it was very likely that Frau’s family, the Snekes,
were going to attend as well. Frau was kicked out from his family and he
wasn’t even allowed to attend his own father’s funeral. Meeting his family
now would be a painful experience.
Sir Wook nodded. “Well, I can understand why he wouldn’t want to go. I
am guessing the Sneke family will be attending, right? And Frau Sneke
is still a nobody, so it would be embarrassing for him to face his family
now.”
Sir Mahogal shook his head with sympathy. For a family to prevent a son
from attending his own father’s funeral… Frau must’ve angered his
family very badly. Sir Mahogal especially could not understand this. A
family, no matter how dysfunctional, was still a family. Not all families
could be happy. Not all family members could get along with each other.
Things happened for a reason. For example, look at Poliana. She was
practically abandoned by her own father. If Poliana was even a little bit
prettier… If she was a little bit less resilient and strong… She would’ve
never met Lucius the First, and if she never met the emperor… All of
them would’ve never met.
***
It was finally Lucius the First’s birthday. Lady Stra worked very hard to
arrange the banquet with the help from Lady Tory. Even the harshest
critic had to agree that the feast was perfect. Lady Stra asked Tory and
many of the other Acreian ladies to decide on the food and drinks. The
banquet hasn’t begun yet, but Stra still felt so proud of herself. Her eyes
teared up as she exclaimed, “It is all thanks to you, Tory!”
“…”
When Tory didn’t answer, Stra turned towards her. To Stra’s surprise,
Tory was shaking visibly and glaring at the reception area. When Stra
took Tory’s hands in shock, Stra felt that Tory was shaking very hard.
“Tory? Are you ill? What’s wrong?”
“No, I… I guess I am very nervous.”
“Oh, Tory, I should be the one who is nervous. Oh my… Why are you
shaking so much?”
“Everything is fine. I just need to rest a little.”
“Of course.”
Tory smiled kindly, which made Stra’s smile wide. Tory looked around
and saw that there were many people around them. Tory gestured for
Stra to come closer and whispered, “Can I tell you a secret?”
“What is it?”
“The truth is, I don’t want to give you the bottle of ice wine.”
“Haha, you’re too funny!”
Stra laughed hard and replied, “Just because you said that, I now feel
like I must taste it!”
“Haha, I hope you like it.”
Whatever the emperor’s wives did, they always were the center of
everyone’s attention. Lady Stra and Lady Tory were only talking, but the
maids nearby never took their eyes off from them. Tory closed her eyes
and held her hands together. Knowing that she will have to see those
she knew before tomorrow at the banquet… Her heart refused to stop
beating fast.
***
The banquet began successfully. The Acreian nobles, who heard the
feast was orchestrated by Stra, tried their best to find faults with it, but
they were disappointed.
“I guess it’s not bad.”
“Considering she’s from the mid-continent, I guess she did alright. The
party seems very proper.”
“Well, Lady Tory helped, which must be why it’s so perfect.”
“Exactly. Lady Stra is from the mid-continent, so she probably doesn’t
know anything about Acreian customs. Lady Tory probably arranged this
whole thing.”
Acreian banquet followed very frugal and tight rules. The only areas
where men and women could mingle was in the middle where the dance
floor was. Women and men weren’t allowed to eat together, so their
tables were separated.
A man and a woman were allowed to dance together if their families
were previously well acquainted. It was only 30 years ago when the rule
eased, and a man was allowed to ask a lady to dance. A woman was
strictly forbidden to ask a man to dance.
An unmarried woman was not allowed to roam around the banquet
alone. A married woman could, but it was frowned upon.
A wild hog and a deer were roasted whole for this party. It was not
necessary to serve only Acreian drinks, so many expensive bottles of
mid-continent wine were served.
In some kingdoms, the rules dictated that the most important figures
appeared last to the party, but this wasn’t the case in Acreia. However,
the highest-ranking figures were to be seated first, which meant the
emperor and his wives had to sit down before the others were allowed to
sit.
Lucius the First, in his extravagant outfit, looked around the room. He
was still the most beautiful man in the kingdom, and those Acreian
nobles smiled bitterly. Duke Luzo, who sat next to the emperor, was also
a very handsome man, but next to Lucius the First, he looked average at
best. The emperor’s golden hair shined brightly against the light, and the
balding men in the room looked away in shame and envy.
Lucius the First stood up. He was satisfied to see that all the nobles he
wanted present today were all here. After the feast, the emperor planned
on talking to some of them individually one by one.
He opened his eyes and began, “As you must all know, something very
sad happened recently.” At the mention of the late Lady Rebecca,
everyone looked down humbly. The emperor continued, “I am very
grateful that my other wives and my new daughter, Princess Luminae,
are all healthy. I would like to thank you all for attending this party to
wish me a happy birthday. And thank you, Lady Stra, for arranging such
a wonderful banquet for me.”

Chapter 231: Chapter 231

Chapter 231
Lucius the First praised his wife and Lady Stra stood up to bow to him.
She replied, “You are too kind, your highness. I was only able to arrange
this banquet thanks to Lady Tory; without her help, I wouldn’t have been
able to do it.”
Lucius the First turned to Lady Tory and praised her as well, “Thank you,
Lady Tory. I am always so grateful that my two wives get along so well
like sisters.”
“How could we be jealous of each other when we are so honored to
serve you, your highness? And Lady Stra is so very kind that I have no
complaints. I am just grateful to have you and Lady Stra by my side.”
The older noblemen began to congratulate the emperor on his good
luck. They talked about his beautiful wives and prosperous kingdom, but
Lucius the First did not feel lucky.
‘How come none of the annoying elders are dying?’
He hated the fact that his thoughts were turning negative. The servants
began to serve the food and the guests laughed and enjoyed it. Poliana
sat next to Tory. Lady Tory and Lady Stra sat at the seats of honor. Next
to the emperor’s wives were supposed to be Duchess Luzo and
Duchess Seki, but Poliana was given the seat of honor instead. Poliana
greeted Duchess Seki awkwardly.
Next to Lucius the First was Duke Luzo and Sir Ainno. Those who were
trusted the most by the emperor were allowed to sit next to him. In
reality, Poliana should’ve been sitting next to Lucius the First, but
because she was a woman, she was seated next to the other ladies.
Lucius the First didn’t even think that this was how the seating was going
to be arranged. Poliana was just as surprised. In the previous feasts,
men and women were seated together, but this time, Lady Stra made
sure to follow the Acreian tradition. Since she knew how hard Lady Stra
worked on planning this, Poliana didn’t dare to ask to get her seat
changed.
‘But I want to sit with the men.’
Lady Stra talked happily with Duchess Luzo while Tory looked
uncomfortable for some reason. Normally, she would’ve said a few kind
words to Poliana, but today, Lady Tory was very quiet.
For example, Lady Tory would’ve said something like, “What a beautiful
green dress you are wearing, Marquess. It is the exact shade of the
emperor’s eyes.”
Normally, Poliana would’ve been happy to sit next to the emperor’s
wives and chat, but today, Tory seemed unhappy. Poliana asked, “Lady
Tory, are you alright? Are you not feeling well?”
“No, Marquess. It’s just that I am still very nervous…”
‘Nervous?’
Lady Stra interrupted their conversation, “Lady Tory has worked very
hard to help me plan this party. That is why she’s so anxious; I think
she’s anxious for me.”
Poliana nodded. “I think I can relate to that. I always get so nervous
when I see my guards dueling with a guard from another division.”
Tory turned to Poliana and said apologetically, “I’m sorry I’m not acting
appropriately. I can do better; I need to smile more.”
Tory smiled brightly. It was a perfect smile of a perfect lady, but Poliana
didn’t like it at all.
“Lady Tory, if you aren’t feeling well, there is no need for you to fake a
smile.”
“No, Marquess. This is my duty. When you were a lower-ranking knight,
you had to always put on a smile in front of your superiors, right? This is
the same thing. I must smile in public; that’s my job.”
It was indeed the same thing for everyone. Tory was right, but Poliana
shook her head and replied, “But I don’t do that anymore, Lady Tory. I
don’t smile if I don’t want to. You, Lady Tory, are the wife of the emperor
and therefore you are not required to put on a smile unless you feel like
smiling.”
With a sigh, Poliana continued, “And if someone forces or orders you to
smile, then please tell me the name of that person. I will beat him or her
up for you.”
Lady Tory giggled. People who forced her to smile? That would be pretty
much every Acreian noble in the kingdom. Tory suspected, however,
that if she told Poliana the truth, Poliana would really go after every
Acreian noble. This time, Tory could laugh for real.
After the feast, the main portion of the party began. Lucius the First
stood up and approached Tory as he offered her his hand. Tory took his
hand gently and the emperor glanced at Poliana secretly.
Poliana looked different than usual today. Her hair, how a bit longer, was
neatly arranged with oil. She was also wearing a refreshing green dress.
Lady Siming was a truly talented dressmaker. The dress hid Poliana’s
overly well-developed and muscular upper body. Poliana was also
wearing a few simple jewels. Lucius the First loved Poliana no matter
how she looked, but this feminine side of her made his heartbeat even
faster today.
The emperor praised her generously, “Green suits you very well, Sir Pol.
Are you planning to wear dresses often now?”
“No, your highness. I only wore it today to redeem myself from what
happened a few years ago in this castle.”
Poliana stood up suddenly and began to dance by herself.
Three steps to the right, three steps to the left, turn forward and turn
backward…
Her moves were graceful, proving that she could indeed walk and dance
well in a dress. Lucius the First said to her, “I remember how you and Sir
Donau were so brave that day.”
“I swear I didn’t bring any weapons today, your highness.”
Lucius the First gave up on his love, but this didn’t mean his feelings
were gone. He would love Poliana forever and he would have to live with
it for the rest of his life. The emperor knew he would die with this love
and pain deep inside of his heart. Lucius the First smiled to hide his
bitterness. Did Poliana know that even the most powerful man in the
kingdom had to fake a smile sometimes?
Duke Luzo took his wife’s hand and walked to the dance floor. The other
men began to move as well, trying to find partners such as their wives
and fiances.
Poliana looked around, trying to find an appropriate dance partner. She
proved to everyone that she could walk normally in a dress. Now, it was
time to show that she could dance as well. Most of all colleagues were
dancing with their wives, so Poliana decided to wait. If she waited
patiently, she was sure one of the knights would ask her to dance
eventually.
Today, none of the men seemed surprised to see her in a dress and
wearing makeup. The men have changed just as Poliana has. She
looked especially natural and decent today, and the other knights
learned that a woman, even Poliana, could change without looking
drastically different.
The first song was a very long one. Poliana was enjoying the music
when someone offered her his hand.
It was Sir Ainno.

Chapter 232: Chapter 232

Chapter 232
Poliana stared at the hand he offered before looking up at Sir Ainno. She
asked in confusion, “What are you doing? What’s with the hand?”
“Wanna dance?”
“You? With me? Dance? You want us to dance together? Are you
serious? But what about Lady Cekel… Oh.”
Because Lady Cekel was present at the party as Lady Tory’s maid, she
was not allowed to leave her lady’s side. Of course, if she asked Lady
Tory in advance for a day off, Cekel would’ve been able to attend the
party as a guest today, but she instead volunteered to work on the
emperor’s birthday. There were many maids dancing around on the
dance floor, but Cekel watched from afar quietly. She asked to work
today all because of Sir Ainno. Cekel knew that if she attended the party
as a guest, she would be obliged to dance and converse with her
unofficial fiancé.
Sir Ainno offered Poliana, “Why don’t I dance with you instead of being
your groom’s best man? Would that be enough to get me out of my
promise?”
“What are you talking about? You already offered, so I will not release
you from your promise. Besides, it was you who offered without asking
for my permission, not me.”
“At the time, I thought you would end up marrying someone else.”
“What? Who? Who would I marry?”
“It doesn’t matter now. Dammit…”
Sir Ainno looked obviously annoyed. It was clear he didn’t want to chat
anymore. Poliana suggested, “Why don’t you dance with your mother?”
Duchess Seki, who was sitting next to Poliana, flinched and replied, “Oh,
there is no need. I don’t want to dance with him, hahaha.”
Duchess Seki quickly escaped to her husband so she could avoid
dancing with her son.
“…”
Poliana thought understandingly, ‘So I guess Sir Ainno is a jerk even to
his own parents.’
She asked Sir Ainno, “Are you not in a good relationship with your
parents…?”
“They told me they find me too intimidating because I am so perfect.”
‘More like you always act like a jerk…’
Poliana could understand how Sir Ainno’s parents must feel about their
oldest son. It seemed that Sir Ainno never discussed his life decisions
with his parents. For example, he decided to join the emperor on the
conquest all on his own. Sir Ainno also announced to his parents about
his marriage plan rather than talking about it with them. Obviously, Sir
Ainno’s parents didn’t like their son very much, and Poliana wasn’t
surprised.
“Hmm… Should I dance with you? Or not? Maybe? Maybe not?”
Poliana grinned at Sir Ainno and began to tease him. Meanwhile, the
first song finally ended and Lucius the First returned to the seat with
Lady Tory. He took Lady Stra’s hand for the next dance when he spotted
Sir Ainno and Poliana together. The emperor asked, “What are you two
doing? Is this some kind of a protest against me because I made you
take a day off today?”
Stra giggled and explained to the emperor what the two knights were
arguing about. Poliana reported to the emperor, “Sir Ainno was just
telling me that he doesn’t want to stand as my groom’s best man at my
wedding. He promised, and now he is trying to break his own words,
your highness.”
Sir Ainno defended himself, “Your highness, I am sure you understand
why I am trying to avoid being part of this.”
The two loyal knights, Poliana and Sir Ainno, both looked at the
emperor, who announced firmly, “The best knight of our kingdom
breaking his word? That can’t be. I will not allow it.”
“…”
Sir Ainno glared at his friend who just betrayed him. How dare he! Sir
Ainno was only trying to help, yet it seemed that the emperor chose love
over their friendship, and it was only one-sided love too!
Dammit!
Sir Ainno had no choice but to do as he was told.
Just then, several knights approached them and began to ask Poliana to
dance. “Give me your hand, Sir Pol.”
“May I have this dance, Sir Pol?”
“How about me?”
“I have a lot of time too, Sir Pol. My wife sent me here to dance with you,
Sir Poliana!”
Poliana didn’t understand what was happening, but she realized that this
was her chance to tease Sir Ainno. Maybe all these knights were asking
her to dance to save her from dancing with Sir Ainno the Jerk.
Sir Ainno muttered, “… you’re all going to regret this.”
He wanted to punch them all, but today was the emperor’s birthday. It
would have been unacceptable for him to use violence on such a happy
occasion. He was helpless in this situation, especially because he did
not have a high rank. Among the highest ranking Acreian nobles, Sir
Ainno was only one of many knights and nothing more. He regretted not
accepting a dukedom of his own when the emperor offered him. Sir
Ainno refused because he wanted to keep his freedom, but he realized
that he made a mistake.
Poliana chose the first knight who approached her the quickest. The
other knights didn’t seem disappointed at all. In fact, they all looked
relieved. As long as it wasn’t Sir Ainno who got chosen, they didn’t care.
Lady Tory, who watched sympathetically, murmured to Cekel, “Lady
Cekel.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“I will give you my permission to dance with Sir Ainno today. Just one
dance.”
‘Dammit!’
All the knights around them heard this and frowned in disappointment.
Poliana frowned as well, annoyed at Sir Ainno’s grin. Cekel quickly and
emphatically shook her head, “There is no need, Lady Tory. I would like
to stay by your side for the rest of the party.”
“It’s ok, Lady Cekel. It looks like Sir Ainno has no one to dance with him.
He obviously needs a dance partner, so I am asking you to do this. Just
one dance. Go on and enjoy it.”
‘Dammit.’
Poliana and her dance partner walked to the dance floor in
disappointment. A quick and upbeat music began to play, but they didn’t
feel happy. At least, Poliana was glad that she could finally show
everyone that she could dance properly in a dress. She was not an
overly skilled dancer, but her steps were calculated and accurate; she
was a soldier, after all. Because her partner was also a knight, his steps
were also very measured. For some reason, they made good dance
partners.
Poliana made sure to avoid looking at Sir Ainno and Cekel dancing
together because she didn’t want to see Sir Ainno’s satisfied grin. If she
saw his smug expression, Poliana knew her blood pressure would go up
uncontrollably from anger. This was not fair at all. She was going to
refuse his offer to dance with her, leaving him all alone without a partner,
but as usual, Sir Ainno got more than he deserved. He got to dance with
the woman he loved.
Sir Ainno was handsome, talented, and came from a rich powerful
family. And now, it seemed that he was going to get the woman of his
dreams.
Yes, this world was not a fair place.

Chapter 233: Chapter 233

Chapter 233
One day, a long time ago, Lucius the First said to Poliana that he would
not dance with her. He remembered the day when Poliana pushed him
against a wall. Just thinking about that time made his heart go wild. It
was such an exhilarating day for him. The emperor would never be able
to forget that day.
The emperor did not ask Poliana to dance. He danced with a few
different ladies other than his wives, but he never danced with Poliana.
Poliana, on the other hand, would’ve been happy with just one dance
that night, but her colleagues kept asking her to dance with them. The
knights all thought that they would never get to dance with Poliana again
since this was the first time they have ever seen her looking feminine.
Poliana danced so many times that her feet began to sweat. She had
excellent stamina, but even she was tired by the end.
As the night deepened, the second feast began. Tory suddenly stood up
and gestured to her maid. Her maid quickly brought a box that contained
the bottle of ice wine. The maid carefully handed the bottle to Tory, who
took it and announced, “Everyone. I have something to reveal.”
All of the guests were already focused on the bottle of ice wine even
before Tory said anything. Ice wine was considered a rare commodity.
The ice grape only grew on a small land in Acreia, which belonged to
Marquis Seeze, and Marquis Seeze rarely sold his bottles. Ice wine was
thought to be the most sought after drink in the kingdom. Tory opened
the bottle herself.
Pop!
A clear sound rang throughout the room.
Tory continued, “Today’s successful feast is all thanks to Lady Stra. I
promised her before that if she carried out her plan well, I would gift her
this bottle.”
People exclaimed in surprise. Lady Stra was supposed to be Lady Tory’s
competition, so for her to offer such a precious gift… Many people
thought very highly of Lady Tory.
Of course, there were many men who grumbled in annoyance. They
thought Lady Tory too forward. How dare a woman, even if she was the
wife of the emperor, make a public announcement like this? And how
dare she give such a precious item to Lady Stra? A woman! No woman
would ever be able to appreciate this priceless wine!
Stra’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Tory poured a glass of the ice
wine for Stra herself. Its signature clear green color filled the glass
beautifully. Everyone seemed mesmerized by the wine’s amazing color
and sound. Even watching it being poured made some people feel
drunk.
Lucius the First licked his lips. Because his father, the former emperor,
was not in a good relationship with Marquis Seeze, both the former
emperor and Lucius the First have never tasted the ice wine before. And
now, it seemed that his wife, Lady Stra, was going to get the opportunity
to taste the drink even the emperor himself never had before. Lucius the
First swallowed loudly.
‘I’m sure Tory will give me a glass too.’
The emperor wanted to try the wine too. It was the most expensive drink
in the kingdom. It was actually something that money could not buy. It
was the wine that even the emperor never was allowed to taste!
Stra held up the glass with both of her hands carefully. The scent of the
wine was sweet and refreshing. Stra exclaimed, “Oh my!”
Just the smell of it seemed enough to make her feel intoxicated. Stra
said excitedly, “It smells very different than any other wine I have ever
tasted!”
Everyone in the room was envious of Stra; some even wanted to be her
at that moment.
Lady Stra slowly picked up the bottle and filled Tory’s glass as well. She
said to Lady Tory, “I can’t drink such a treasured wine all by myself. We
need to share. Have a taste, Lady Tory.”
Lucius the First swallowed loudly again. He stared, hoping and expecting
that he would be offered a glass, but it seemed that his wives forgot
about him. They were busy taking care of each other. They didn’t even
turn towards him.
In the end, the emperor gave up on tasting the wine tonight. When Sir
Bentier became the next Marquis Seeze, he would get to finally drink this
priceless wine.
‘Someday! Someday, I will make sure I get to taste it.’
Lady Tory and Lady Stra cheered and smiled at each other. Many others
looked at them proudly. It seemed that the two wives of the emperor
were indeed good friends. Stra looked excited and curious about the
wine while Tory looked at her with a kind smile. Lady Tory’s smile was
that of a perfect lady.
A perfect smile of a perfect lady.
All the guests watched expectantly at the emperor’s wives. They were
curious about how the ladies would react when they tasted the wine.
Many were also glad to see Marquis Seeze’s gift being used with such
kindness.
Tory’s eyes suddenly met Marquis Seeze’s. Without meaning to, she
looked away. When she did, Tory faced Poliana, who was sitting next to
her. Poliana was also looking at Tory expectantly, hoping that she would
get to taste the wine. Poliana looked like a puppy waiting for a treat.
Poliana was thinking the same thing as Lucius the First. She thought that
if she stared at Tory hard enough, she would be offered a taste.
Stra announced eagerly, “Well, then, I am going to try it now!”
“Stra, wait.”
Tory never lost her kind smile. She touched Stra’s hands and made her
let go of her glass. Poliana frowned in confusion as she watched Tory’s
body tremble.
Tory murmured, “This isn’t right.”
Tory, with her shaking hands, put Stra’s glass, her own glass, and the
bottle of ice wine in front of her. She gave Stra a smile before turning
towards the emperor. Lady Tory said clearly, “Your highness! I would like
to present this ice wine as a piece of evidence against Marquis Seeze!”
Lucius the First’s eyes shined. People began to murmur in confusion
while Tory continued to shake visibly. Stra was about to say something
to Tory but Duchess Luzo grabbed her and made her sit down. Stra
protested, “B, but Tory…!”
“Shush! Lady Stra, you need to remain quiet. This isn’t the time for you
to get involved!”
Stra’s maids also came running and pulled her away from Tory. The only
one remaining close to Tory was Poliana, who watched quietly and
calmly. Poliana hated surprises. Most of the time, when she faced an
unexpected situation, she became angry and hysteric, but tonight,
Poliana remained calm. She was surprised at herself, and soon, Poliana
realized why she could remain this relaxed. It was because it wasn’t her
battle.
This was Tory’s battle.
Tory just declared war. She didn’t bring any weapons. She was all alone
and she was here to fight with nothing but herself. Poliana was one of
many bystanders at this point. Whether she would get involved or not
was completely her choice.
Then suddenly, a burst of laughter was heard.

Chapter 234: Chapter 234

Chapter 234
Someone laughed but it was not possible to determine who it was. More
laughter followed from different places. The laughs… They weren’t the
sounds you were supposed to hear on a battlefield. This was not right.
Suddenly, people began to shout out, “Lady Tory must be intoxicated
from the scent of the ice wine.”
“Or perhaps she already had a taste? Maybe Lady Tory drank a little too
much tonight?”
“Her maids should be reprimanded. They obviously weren’t taking care
of their lady very well tonight. How could they let their lady get this
drunk? This is unacceptable.”
At the mention of them, Lady Tory’s maids began to move quickly. Cekel
remained still, but the other maids surrounded Tory, who was still
trembling uncontrollably. Tory was in shock and fear that she was
powerless against her maids’ hands.
Lucius the First, who has been quiet until now, gestured for the maids to
step away from Lady Tory. He ordered, “I want to hear more from my
wife. Leave her be.”
The maids hesitantly stepped back from Tory. Lady Tory, panting
helplessly, supported herself by leaning against the table. Marquis
Seeze, who was watching Tory, looked calm. Marquis Seeze slowly said
to the emperor, “Your highness, I think that perhaps my granddaughter is
confused. She must be very intoxicated, and she must think she is
dreaming. I apologize for her rudeness.”
“No, I think you are wrong, Marquis. I don’t think my wife is drunk at all.
And even if she is, I would like to hear her out. What she’s saying is very
interesting. Aren’t you curious too, Marquis Seeze? Don’t you want to
know what my wife has to say about you?”
Lucius the First waved his hands to quiet the marquis. He leaned
forward from his chair and turned towards Lady Tory.
“My lady, please continue.”
The banquet room became very quiet and cold. The nobles became
confused about what was happening in the room. Was the emperor
teasing his wife or was he taking her accusation seriously? It was
impossible to tell.
Sir Ainno gestured to Sir Mahogal to move the guards around a little
inside the banquet hall. Everyone was staring at Lady Tory. The Acreian
nobles, who were watching her warmly just a moment ago, now glared at
her coldly. Tory could feel the iciness from their stares. Her teeth began
to chatter, but she continued with her words, “T… this bottle is
poisoned.”
Someone shouted a question, “What kind of poison?”
“I… I don’t know.”
Tory’s eyes wavered anxiously. As soon as she answered, some of the
nobles began to laugh loudly. One of them yelled, “My Lady Tory, I think
you are drunk. Why don’t you return to your room and rest a little?”
Tory replied, “I don’t know what kind of poison was put into this wine, but
I am certain it is poisoned! M-my guess is that it is something that would
harm a woman. Marquis Seeze gave me this bottle to give it to Lady
Stra. He was trying to poison her. If you investigate this wine, you will
find out that I am telling the truth!”
People did not believe in Tory’s words. Most thought that she was just
drunk and talking nonsense. It couldn’t be helped because her logic did
not make sense. One needed solid evidence to accuse someone, but all
Tory offered was a bottle of ice wine. It was true that the bottle had to be
from Marquis Seeze, but to accuse him of poisoning it? This didn’t make
sense. And Lady Tory also didn’t know what kind of poison was used,
which made her argument even stranger.
Marquis Seeze said calmly, “This is a false accusation.” He didn’t bother
explaining himself. Marquis Seeze just looked at Lady Tory coldly.
Tory said desperately, “I am telling you the truth, your highness! This
bottle of wine is poisoned. It has to be! Marquis Seeze gave me this
bottle and told me to make sure Lady Stra drinks it.”
Marquis Seeze said to Lady Tory with a frown, “Lady Tory, please stop.
You are embarrassing me and everyone here.”
“No! This bottle is poisoned! I am telling you! This wine needs to be
tested!”
Suddenly, one of Lady Tory’s maids ran towards her, “Lady Tory! Just
stop!” As if by an accident, the maid pushed the bottle and the glass off
the table. The priceless wine spilled all over the floor. Poliana watched in
disgust.
‘I didn’t think of the maids. I missed it.’
Poliana has been so focused on the men that she didn’t even think of
watching the maids, who were gathered behind Tory. The maid who
spilled the wine kneeled on the floor. She bowed her head down so low
that her hair became wet with the wine on the floor. The maid begged,
“Please forgive my rudeness, your highness, but I cannot just watch
anymore! It is true that this bottle was poisoned, but it was not Marquis
Seeze who did it! It was Lady Tory! She is the one who poisoned it! I
could not say anything until now because I wanted to be loyal to my lady.
The last thing I can do for her now was to spill this wine so you could not
test it. If you did, you would find out what kind of horrible poison she put
in it…”
Tory closed her eyes. Her trembling eased a little, and suddenly, she
began to laugh. Poliana was shocked to see Tory laughing in this
situation. Tory’s smile was now that of resignation. Tory said to her maid,
“I thought you were loyal to me.”
“My lady! You shouldn’t have poisoned the wine…!” The maid began to
cry and the other maids ran out to kneel in front of the emperor as well.
They said to him, “Your highness! Lady Tory has been jealous of Lady
Stra ever since the phantom pregnancy incident! Her jealousy has been
becoming uglier, and we, her maids have been the target of her anger,
until now… When Lady Rebecca became pregnant, Lady Tory’s envy
became much worse! There has been a rumor recently that Lady Stra is
pregnant, and that is why Lady Tory tried to poison her! Lady Tory is a
stupid woman! Please punish her!”
“You must punish her, your highness!”
All of Lady Tory’s maids, except for Cekel, kneeled in front of the
emperor and begged him to punish their own lady. Cekel remained
standing and looking pale like a ghost. This was what the tension inside
the lady’s quarters meant. The maids were planning to betray Lady Tory.
Tory’s eyes were still closed. She knew this might happen, which was
why she considered telling this to the emperor in private. But Lucius the
First has been very busy lately with work. He rarely visited the lady’s
quarters, and when he did, he went to see Stra. If Tory went to see the
emperor, people were going to notice, especially her maids. Tory has
been waiting for a long time, but she never was given time to be alone
with the emperor.
Her maids used to be her childhood friends. They grew up together in
Acreia, but now, Lady Tory was all alone. Tory knew that from day one,
she would be known as the crazy woman. She would disappear quietly
after tonight. Would history even remember her?

Chapter 235: Chapter 235

Chapter 235
Lady Tory could have just given Lady Stra the ice wine to drink. Tory
suspected the poison inside the bottle was not lethal because if Stra died
soon after drinking the wine, it would’ve been too obvious that Marquis
Seeze was the culprit. It was most likely something subtle that was bad
for women or something that would trigger illness when combined with
other food.
Tory knew she would never be blamed, but she still didn’t want to harm
Stra. Stra was too kind and Rebecca, although could be strange, was
honest and genuine. Tory didn’t care at this point if she was named the
crazy wife and be executed. All she wanted was for Stra to be safe. She
didn’t want to have to poison Stra.
This was for Stra, and this was also for herself.
This was why she decided to begin this battle and enter it alone.
Tory decided to go for her plan B. She said to the emperor, “It’s true,
your highness. I am a silly woman who became blinded by her womanly
jealousy. I repaid my debt to Marquis Seeze with wrongful accusations.
Marquis Seeze is indeed innocent.”
Her sudden change in tone made people gasp. Lucius the First became
tense instead of feeling disappointed. He instinctively knew something
big was about to happen. The snake hunt he has been procrastinating…
It was about to begin by the baby snake the elder snakes raised.
Tory continued, “It’s true that Marquis Seeze is innocent of poisoning the
wine. But I would like to report Marquis Seeze for something else. The
marquis has been illegally raising a personal army for a very long time.
He also has been selling three times the legal limit of bottles of wines
that are allowed for a noble. At least 90% of these sales were carried out
with cash to avoid paying taxes, and Marquis Seeze has been doing this
for the past few decades. I believe the amount of tax he evaded must be
greater than you can imagine, your highness.”
Baron Bird shouted, “Lady Tory! Have you truly lost your mind?! What
are you talking about? You are not making sense at all!” Tory turned
towards the noble before continuing in a clear voice, “Baron Bird illegally
owns and uses a piece of land that is considered a greenbelt. He also
stole the wheat that was given to the poor from the government and sold
it illegally to other kingdoms. He also stole from the royal military
supplies.”
“W-what…! How…?!”
Tory continued without hesitation. She stated the secret crimes carried
out by each Acreian nobles present in the room. If one of them shouted
at her, she made sure to state his crimes. She remembered the exact
dates and the specific details of each crime perfectly.
Tax evasions, treasons, and so on… Some of them were already known
to Lucius the First while others were very new to him. At some point, the
emperor began to laugh. His wife was indeed a very intelligent woman.
The small and big things she must’ve seen during her life in Acreia…
She must’ve somehow put meanings behind all of them and realize their
importance. It would’ve been very hard for her to achieve this. She was a
woman and in Acreia, women weren’t given proper education. The men
believed that women would become too arrogant if they became
educated. A smart woman was both useless and dangerous.
After stating all she knew, Lady Tory added, “Therefore, I report to you,
your highness, Marquis Seeze, and the other nobles based on these
crimes.”
The Acreian noblemen protested angrily. They screamed and glared at
Lady Tory. This had to be a fearful time for her because after all, she
was only in her early twenties. The noise continued until the emperor
pulled out his sword and threw down his scabbard on the floor hard.
“Be quiet! Have you forgotten that you are in the presence of me, your
emperor?”
“Your highness! Tory has lost her mind!”
“Your highness! You heard what she just said! She clearly is crazy!”
“She needs to be dragged out and punished immediately your highness!”
Lucius the First turned to her and asked, “Tory, are these things you
claim true?”
“Yes, your highness.”
“She is lying!”
“She is crazy! Your highness, don’t believe her words!”
“Don’t be fooled just because she is your wife, your highness!”
Lucius the First said firmly, “Enough! Obviously, I do not want to have a
crazy woman like my wife. This means I must hear her out. So Tory, do
you have any proof or witness that can support your claims?”
“My proof is the noblemen that are present here.”
“That is not enough.”
“I… I do have proof.”
The noblemen screamed, “Then show it to us, you b*tch!”
“That’s right. Bring it here right now! Show us!”
The only reason why the noblemen didn’t throw food and plates at Tory
was because of the guards around them. They clearly wanted to kill her
and Tory flinched in fear.
But Tory didn’t run away.
She announced, “I do have proof, but it’s not here.”
Before anyone could say anything more, Lady Tory continued, “Inside
the second library of Marquis Seeze’s primary castle, there is a desk
made of black wood. It has four drawers with separate keyholes and
these will only open if you put the keys in the right order. There are three
locking systems inside and if the drawers aren’t opened properly, there
is a secret internal disposal system that will destroy the proofs inside the
drawers. Your highness, the proofs are inside this desk.”
Sir Bentier gasped in shock. He was aware of this desk, but he didn’t
know the existence of the secret drawers. How did Tory learn about this?
It didn’t take long for him to figure out the answer. The reception room
where the elders met with Marquis Seeze… The room where Sir Bentier
was not allowed to enter… Tory entered it often to serve tea and snacks.
The men thought Tory would not understand what they were talking
about because she was a woman. They thought she was ignorant, but
the truth was that Tory remembered everything.
Sir Bentier knew that Tory was intelligent, but he didn’t trust her. It was
because she was raised by Marquis Seeze since she was very young.
Tory was raised to be obedient to the marquis.
Poliana was right, Sir Bentier should’ve trusted Tory more.
Sir Bentier murmured to the emperor, “Your highness, I believe Lady
Tory. She’s probably telling the truth.”
“That is my thoughts exactly, but at this point, all we have are her words.
I can’t do much.”
Lucius the First also knew Tory was very smart, but he still made a
mistake of underestimating her. He thought that she was smart for a
woman, and he regretted it. Only if he recruited Tory just like he did with
Sir Bentier… Things would’ve worked out much better.
If the emperor trusted and believed in Tory, Lady Tory wouldn’t have to
fight this lonely battle all by herself. He could imagine how scary this
moment must be for her.
The emperor thought disappointedly, ‘I made a mistake, how
unfortunate.’
Just then, Marquis Seeze stepped forward.

Chapter 236: Chapter 236

Chapter 236
Marquis Seeze said to the emperor, “Your highness! This woman has
lost her mind. Please do not pay any attention to her. My sorrow for my
granddaughter’s illness cannot be expressed with words. I am an old
man so I should’ve been the one who suffers such a sickness, yet this
young girl… She must be suffering from dementia! It should’ve been me!
Tory… Tory… You were such a smart girl, so what happened?! How
could this happen!”
Marquis Seeze cried sadly, making people feel sympathetic towards him.
But it was Tory who wanted to cry. What she did just now… Tory
betrayed her own world. The problem was, she was part of this world.
She was a member of it and therefore, the destruction of this world
meant that she was destroying herself.
She contemplated and hesitated about this for a very long time; she was
raised to be obedient. She was expected to remain quiet and do as she
was told. By doing this, what she accomplished during her entire life was
going to be destroyed. Just like that ice wine that was spilled on the
floor, what she just did could not be taken back.
Tory finally revealed the last weapon she had, “Duke Jimi, Viscount
Speal, and the other eight high ranking noblemen… They all have the
same secret desk in their libraries. This is because Duke Jimi
commissioned a very talented woodworker to make the same desks for
all of them.”
As soon as she finished the sentence, Tory became dizzy. She
staggered a little because she no longer had any energy left. In Acreia,
women were condescending but at the same time, they were
overprotected. In such a kingdom, Tory left as a proper lady who was
praised as the best example of what a woman should be. She smiled,
danced, sang, and sewed. The people she could talk to were very
limited. The topics of her conversations were always monitored closely.
Even as the wife of the emperor, she never directly ordered anyone
other than her own maids, who were on Marquis Seeze’s side.
So for her to make such a dramatic accusation in public… Tory was not
used to this. She was fearful as she felt so many men glaring at her with
deadly anger. Her legs shook and it took everything she had to remain
standing. This was too much. She wanted to cry. Tory leaned against the
table and continued, “I am not crazy! My mind is perfectly sane! Those
noblemen committed crimes, and therefore they are traitors. Yes, all of
them! Guards! Go arrest them right now!”
She yelled out the order, but no one moved. An awkward silence fell in
the room, and Tory looked down. She was done. She gave up
everything she had, but the guards refused to follow her order.
It couldn’t be helped. Tory understood that a woman’s words were
meaningless. Women could not tell the truth from the lie. A woman was
too emotional and therefore could not make logical decisions.
From the beginning, Tory was just a tool. She was going to be used by
men until she was no longer useful. She was going to be thrown away
because she was disposable. If Lucius the First punished Marquis
Seeze, Tory was going to be punished along with him. If Tory didn’t do
what Marquis Seeze wanted, she would’ve been replaced by another
lady by her own family.
Either way, she was going to be abandoned, so if this was her fate, why
not just say what she wanted to say? This was the reason why she
decided to make such a public accusation. If she was going to be
disposed of in the end, she wanted to at least show everyone what she
could do. People might think of her as a tool, but she wanted them to
know that she was a living person. Tory learned so much recently, but
deep inside, she knew what her new knowledge wasn’t going to save her
from her fate.
Since she made her decision to do this, she has been feeling so many
different emotions. Guilt, regret, sadness, and fear… The only people
that helped her keep going were Stra, who tried her best to help in any
way possible, and Poliana, who gave up a lot of her time to talk to her.
‘This is it. It’s over for me.’
When Tory closed her eyes in resignation, Poliana suddenly shouted,
“What the heck do you think you are doing?! Guards! Obey Lady Tory’s
order immediately!”
Poliana didn’t ask Tory anything. She didn’t demand an explanation from
the lady. Poliana took Tory’s side without a word and when Poliana
ordered, the guards, who have been remaining still like statues, began to
move quickly.
Poliana moved to stand by Tory’s side. All Poliana did was stand next to
her, but the relief Tory felt was immense. Tory felt safe because she
knew Poliana would protect her. No one would’ve followed her order
except for the fact that Poliana did.
Some of the royal guards stood in front of all the exits to prevent anyone
from escaping while the others grabbed the ropes and divided the
noblemen into the guilty and innocent groups. The noblemen protested,
but…
Over half of the guards present in the banquet hall were from the First
Division, which was made up of the crazy bunch of men Sir Ainno
handpicked himself. When the noblemen tried to fight back, these
guards threatened, “Shut up! Do you want me to beat you up? I am
going to bind you, either way, so you can choose how you want it done. I
would love to punch you a few times, so just try me!”
“F*ck you! Are you resisting me because I used to be a commoner
before becoming a knight? How dare you!”
These guards did not hesitate to use violence against the noblemen,
who were technically still innocent until proven guilty. When these
guards acted viciously, some young noblemen argued, “How dare you
act in such a vulgar way? You are a knight, so don’t you think you should
act accordingly?”
“What? Do you think I became a knight because I wanted to? I was
forced to become one by Sir Ainno and I can’t even retire! Do you know
what kind of life I have right now?!”
A knight of the First Division could not leave his unit until he found a
replacement. Sir Howe was an exception, thanks to his powerful new
father-in-law. Even if the knight brought a suitable man to replace
himself, it never worked out because the new replacement needed to be
approved by Sir Ainno, who had an incredibly high standard. This was
why most of the knights in the First Division, including Sir Mahogal, were
forced to remain in their position.
These knights of the First Division were frustrated and angry. They knew
no mercy and because they were the best fighters in the kingdom, the
noblemen had no chance against them. Even when four young
noblemen attacked a single knight all at once, the knight had no problem
restraining them with ease.
The men of the First Division did not hesitate to arrest the noblemen, but
it was a different story for the knights of the Second Division.

Chapter 237: Chapter 237

Chapter 237
Those in the Second Division were mostly from Acreia themselves. The
noblemen they were ordered to arrest were somehow related to many of
the guards in the Second Division. They were either their close or distant
relatives. The guards had no choice but to arrest the noblemen since it
was an order from their direct superior, but they felt awkward using
ropes to bind the prisoners. It was especially hard because most of the
men to be arrested were elderly.
When the guards of the Second Division hesitantly approached Marquis
Seeze, he turned to the emperor and said calmly, “Your highness, it is
true that I have a desk in my library made of black wood. However, there
are no secret drawers or locking systems inside of it. I have no idea what
Lady Tory is talking about. The only crime I may have committed is to be
naïve enough to trust my granddaughter. Your highness, please make a
wise decision.”
Lucius the First nodded, “Yes, I agree. I should not be blaming you and
the others for anything without solid proof. I totally understand what
you’re saying.”
The noblemen brightened a little, glaring at the guards and again
protesting that they should be released. The guards remained uncertain
and looked at the emperor and Poliana in confusion. Poliana glared at
them angrily, making the guards of her unit look down in fear. The
guards decided to compromise, which meant that they watched over the
noblemen closely but did not bind them with the ropes.
The emperor continued, “Of course, all the crimes Lady Tory just
accused you of… These crimes are very serious indeed and therefore, I
cannot just ignore them. A thorough investigation will be necessary, so
you, my noblemen, can remain in my castle until it is all over. I do not
want people to think that one of my wives has gone mad, so I will make
sure an impartial investigation is carried out. Sir Ainno, send the guards
to the lands of these noblemen and find out everything necessary.”
“Yes, your highness.”
Those noblemen who purchased the black wood desks together
trembled in fear. Lucius the First laughed at them and said reassuringly,
“Don’t worry so much, my loyal subjects. I don’t blame you for having
one or two secret systems at home. After all, you are all important men
with important information about this kingdom. I also am aware that
many, if not all, noblemen are involved in minor tax evasions and illegal
activities. As long as these crimes are small and petty, I will forgive
them. So there is no need for you to worry so much! You have all
supported Acreia for a very long time, so this is the least I can do.”
The noblemen could not stop worrying, however, because their crimes
were not small or petty. There was nothing they could do at this point,
unfortunately. If they protested against this investigation, it would be like
admitting their guilt.
Marquis Seeze asked quietly, “Your highness, do you truly mean to do
this? Do you really want to go against us?” His voice was eerily relaxed,
but his gaze was intense. The emperor shrugged his shoulders and
replied, “I am doing this investigation to prove your innocence, so why do
you look so angry? Marquis Seeze, have you lost your hearing? I am
doing this for all of you!”
“We, the elders, have supported Acreia! We made it what it is today! So
how dare you!”
Marquis Seeze finally lost his calm. He screamed at the emperor and
Lucius the First replied quietly, “That is exactly why I remained quiet until
now. Perhaps it was a mistake to believe that things could go on like this
until you, elders, die. I honestly thought you wouldn’t last this long. I was
wrong.”
The emperor opened his arms to show himself off. Lucius the First, in his
crown and his fineries, looked amazing. He was no longer a boy king,
but the emperor of this continent. Lucius the First continued, “Have you
ever saw or treated me as your ruler? Do you still see me as a young 18year-old
king? What I wear on my head right now isn’t a crown of a small
kingdom named Acreia. I wear the crown of the greatest kingdom in this
world. Do you still believe that the small piece of land in the north is the
whole world? I have conquered the entire continent! I rule this land! I am
not someone you can deceive and fight!”
The emperor in his thirties and the marquis in his seventies… Marquis
Seeze screamed while the emperor replied quietly. Marquis Seeze’s
voice was louder, but it was Lucius the First’s charisma that impressed
the people in the room. The elders who have been protesting until now
finally gave up and gave in to being bound by the ropes.
Suddenly, Marquis Seeze realized the truth too. Just as Lucius the First
claimed, the emperor was not someone he could fight and win against.
Why did he not realize this before? It was because he had known the
royal family for too long. Marquis Seeze still remembered Lucius the
First as a young boy with a pretty smile; this was the biggest mistake of
his life.
It was finally all over now.
Once he admitted his defeat, Marquis Seeze’s anger suddenly turned
towards the woman who created this situation. He screamed, “Tory! You
stupid b*tch! Do you have any idea what you have just done?! I raised
you and made you what you are and this is how you repay me? How
dare you betray me?!”
When Marquis Seeze tried to approach Tory, the guards stopped him.
The marquis raised his cane and pointed at Lady Tory, who flinched and
hugged herself in fear. Marquis Seeze continued, “Do you know who
made you the wife of the emperor? Do you even know what I did for
you? And what is it that you think you will gain from doing this? Do you
think you will be rewarded? What a stupid girl! You are very mistaken. It
is all over for you too, all over! Do you really think you will be safe after
tonight? You are the granddaughter of a traitor now! You will be
punished! Did you do this because you wanted to act like a hero? That
stupid girl with a sword must’ve tainted your mind! Did you really think
you could become somebody? Everything you have right now… It is all
thanks to me! It was all me! Without me, you are nothing! You would be
just a crazy b*tch with a pretty face!”
“I know that!”
Tory was shaking hard, but she looked straight into Marquis Seeze’s
eyes and replied, “I know that very well! I know it all! I know that because
I am a woman, I am meaningless! It’s true that I don’t know the law, but I
do know what is right and what is wrong — and poisoning a girl is wrong!
How can you call a murder a necessity?! And if women are so useless
and meaningless, what can you possibly accomplish by murdering one?
If any woman can be easily replaced, why is killing one necessary?!”

Chapter 238: Chapter 238

Chapter 238
Marquis Seeze continued to yell at Lady Tory, “You stupid, stupid b*tch!
You don’t know anything!”
“Yes, you’re right; I am stupid! I can’t help my emotions affecting my
decisions! That is why I don’t care about your goals and your ambitions! I
don’t want to know the ‘big picture’ you planned for this kingdom! All I
want is not having to poison my friend!”
Marquis Seeze’s reasoning was not logical. This whole situation was
ironic. If women were thought to be unable to make logical decisions
because they were too emotional, then why did Marquis and the elders
depend on Tory, a woman, to poison Lady Stra?
Marquis Seeze screamed that it was all Tory’s fault, but he was
mistaken. It was true that Tory was the one who betrayed him, but it was
going to be the emperor, Lucius the First, who was going to use the law
to judge him. Despite this, Marquis Seeze continued, “You b*tch…!
You…! How dare you…!”
The guards were holding the marquis. They could feel his arms shaking
in anger. Marquis Seeze could not control his anger. All his life, he has
been worried about being betrayed. He has always been wary of his son,
his friends, and his grandson. He never even fully trusted Sir Bentier,
who was his own heir. But despite his suspicious nature, Marquis Seeze
never worried about his daughter, wife, and granddaughter betraying
him. It was because he believed that women couldn’t do anything. All
women were only good for bearing children and keeping their homes
tidy.
But it seemed that he was wrong.
“Tory… How could you…!”
Marquis Seeze shook his cane and suddenly, the top of it came off,
revealing a hidden knife underneath. He threw it at Tory as hard as it
could. Although he was in his seventies, Marquis Seeze was diligent in
taking care of himself. The guards were helpless to stop this sudden
movement by this old man. Poliana covered Tory from behind and
turned around to protect the lady with her own body. Tory was frozen in
fear and they fell together as the knife pierced Poliana’s shoulder.
‘Dammit!’
The pain was sharp, but all Poliana could think about was her career.
‘Is my shoulder going to be useless now? Would it be permanently
damaged? But that would mean I will never be able to hold a sword!
What should I do? Ok, I will just retire! I will return to my land and enjoy
the hot springs for the rest of my life!’
As soon as she was done making her decision, Poliana suddenly
realized that the pain she felt was came from a flesh wound, not from a
broken bone. She immediately re-planned her future, ‘Huh? I think it’s
just a simple flesh wound. Yes! Excellent! My bone is fine, which means
I don’t have to retire! I will keep this position for the next 30 years!
Awesome!’
The guards of the Second Division, who were holding Marquis Seeze,
violently pushed their prisoner after they realized their superior was
injured. Poliana quickly looked up to look at the faces of the guards. She
was going to remember them and make sure to give them special
training later for not doing their job properly.
The next thing Poliana did was to turn towards the emperor to make sure
he was ok. Lucius the First was standing and frozen in place. Sir Ainno,
despite what happened, was standing right beside the emperor and not
moving at all to help her. Sir Ainno put his thumbs up for her.
Poliana stood up quickly and asked, “Lady Tory, are you alright?”
“Yes. Yes… Yes, yes… Y, yes…”
As soon as she was sure Lady Tory was unhurt, Poliana put her own
thumbs up for Sir Ainno. Without saying a word, the two knights knew
what each other was thinking.
Sir Ainno said to Poliana with his eyes.
-You are pretty good, huh?
Poliana told him silently.
-I am more impressed with you, Sir Ainno. You didn’t even move a
muscle when that old man threw that knife.
Sir Ainno shook his head and pointed at Marquis Seeze. He sneered at
her.
-If it were my guards, something like this would’ve never happened.
Poliana became angry because it was true. She turned towards the
guards and shouted, “Marquis Seeze just attacked Lady Tory, the
emperor’s wife! He has committed treason! Let the Third Division know
to close down the castle gate and arrest everyone in Marquis Seeze’s
household. That includes his servants as well as his family! Hurry up! Do
it right now!”
“Yes, Sir Poliana!”
“Sir Poliana, how is your wound?”
“Stop fussing over me! Just do your job right now! This wound is
nothing!”
It was just a flesh wound. Compared to all the other wounds Poliana
suffered in her life, this was a very minor injury. The guards dragged the
prisoners out of the banquet hall. Among the group were the members of
Marquis Seeze’s family including Sir Bentier.
Poliana thought secretly, ‘I guess only a few people know about Sir
Bentier’s loyalty to the emperor. It can’t be helped.’
But the emperor valued Sir Bentier, which meant that Sir Bentier was
going to be released very soon. It was obvious that Sir Bentier knew this
because he didn’t look very concerned as he was taken away.
When the members of the First Division came to arrest Tory, who was
also a member of Marquis Seeze’s family, Poliana kicked them away.
‘Have they lost their mind?!’
***
After the guards took away the prisoners, the room became quiet. There
were only those nobles who were on the emperor’s side, such as Duke
Seki and the nobles from other colonies. Even Lady Tory’s maids who
were clearly hired by Marquis Seeze were dragged away. Only a few of
her maids, including Cekel, were left behind. They were frozen in fear,
but Cekel was the first one who recovered. She bravely approached
Tory to help her.
“Lady Tory, are you ok?”
With Cekel’s help, Tory stood up and looked around. Stra was
surrounded by her own maids and she was arguing with them for some
reason. The other nobles stared at Tory with contempt.
In the past, Tory was considered the perfect lady and the ideal match for
the emperor. She did become the emperor’s wife and the unofficial head
of the lady’s quarters in the castle. She was treated by many noblemen
as the future empress.
But now… Those same noblemen who praised her were looking at her
coldly. They were looking at her like she was a monster. This couldn’t be
helped because Tory destroyed the sacred rule among the Acreian
aristocracy.
‘I knew this was going to happen. I expected this.’
Tory knew she was never going to come out of this alive. She was, in
fact, surprised that her plan worked out this well. The only unexpected
damage was Poliana’s injury. Tory asked Poliana, “Marquess, are you
alright?”
Poliana moved her wounded arm vigorously and replied, “I’m fine, Lady
Tory. This is nothing. One time, I had to fight with a dagger sticking out
of my body.”
Poliana’s guards protested, “Sir Pol! Stop moving your arm like that!”
Poliana ignored them without a word.
Then suddenly, Stra escaped her maids and ran towards Lady Tory.
“Tory!”
“No, Lady Stra! Stop!”
“Lady Stra! You mustn’t!”

Chapter 239: Chapter 239

Chapter 239
Stra’s pretty face was covered in hot tears; she held Tory’s hands
desperately and continued to sob. Stra was saying something but she
was crying so hard that no one understood what she was saying.
Calmly, Tory pushed her away and ordered Stra’s maids, “Take Lady
Stra away right now!”
“No, Tory!”
Stra protested, but three of her maids came to take her away. Lady Stra
was too weak to even fight them and she was taken to Duchess Luzo.
After the duchess finished talking to her husband, Duke Luzo, she left
the room with Stra.
The emperor announced quietly, “I apologize for having to do this, but it
can’t be helped. My birthday party is obviously over, so you may all
return to your guest rooms in the castle.”
The inside and the outside of the castle were closed. It was going to be a
long time before those who live in Yapa returned home. It was also very
possible that many noblemen from Yapa were never going to go back
home. None of the noblemen were going to be freed until the full
investigation was over. The people still in the room didn’t argue or
protest. Those left in the banquet hall were either on the emperor’s side
or kept a neutral political stance. They all knew that all of Tory’s
accusations had to be true. And they all had to admit that some of the
crimes the elders and the noblemen committed were too big to be
forgiven.
Lucius the First walked up to Tory. When he saw Poliana’s blood-soaked
dress, he sighed in distress. Poliana claimed that she was going to prove
to everyone how lady-like she could be, but instead, she ended up
confirming again what an amazing soldier she was. She swore that she
was going to dance gracefully in her dress, but she ended up getting
stabbed from protecting Lady Tory. Lucius the First supposed it was a
typical day for his brave knightess.
The emperor said to her, “Sir Pol, you must go and get your wound
treated first.”
“I’m fine, your highness.”
“You aren’t in your twenties anymore, Sir Pol. If you don’t get things
healed quickly, you are going to suffer later. Go right now.”
“But it is just a flesh wound; I didn’t hurt my bone.”
Poliana moved her arm again enthusiastically, making the emperor sigh
again. After Poliana got hurt protecting Stra a while back, the emperor
ordered her not to ever get injured like this. He wanted her to never
endanger herself to protect others, but clearly, she was not the obedient
type. At least, Poliana was lucky both times. If the knife got her face…
Things could’ve been a lot worse. The emperor shuddered just thinking
about it.
He said to Poliana firmly, “Sir Pol, if you don’t go right now, I will carry
you myself to the doctors, you know I would.”
“Alright! I’m off!”
Poliana saluted the emperor and left quickly. She also bowed to Lady
Tory before leaving the room. She was a little worried about her lady.
Lucius the First was a kind and merciful emperor, but he has proven to
be cold and decisive when it concerned traitors and their families. This
was a crazy situation. A wife of the emperor accusing her own family of
treason in front of all of the Acreian nobles! This unfortunately put Lady
Tory in an awkward position. She was a family of a traitor, so how would
Lucius the First react? What would he do to her?
Poliana decided not to worry too much about it. Her emperor was the
greatest ruler in the world. She was confident that Lucius the First would
make the right decision. She believed in him.
After Poliana left, Tory kneeled in front of the emperor. Lucius the First
decided that he had been wrong about how unlucky he was with women.
The fact was, he was unusually lucky when it came to having incredible
women in his life. He said to Tory, “This was the most shocking birthday
gift I have ever received in my life.”
“…”
There were many things he needed to discuss with her, but it was clear
that Tory was in shock. She was shaking visibly and in no condition to
carry a logical conversation. Lucius the First yawned on purpose and
said to her, “I am very tired now and I am sure you are even more tired
than I am. Go rest for now, Tory. We can talk later.”
Tory looked like a broken doll. She was too weak to walk on her own, so
the emperor’s personal maids helped her leave the hall. Watching his
wife walk away, Lucius the First murmured, “Don’t you think it’s too bad?
What a waste.”
The emperor laughed quietly. The day he captured Poliana, who was an
Aehasian soldier at the time, he thought it was such a waste that she
was a woman. He had been reading over her personal records and he
knew how talented she was. He thought at the time that if she was a
man, he could use such a skilled and intelligent soldier in his army.
A woman and a knight. Knightess Poliana Winter. She was the greatest
treasure he acquired during his conquest of the world. She was the
woman he loved, and she was also his most loyal knight. She was a
great strategist and she made him very happy. The emperor murmured
with a grin, “If Tory was born a man, Sir Bentier would’ve been replaced
by her by now. He would’ve had no chance against such a formidable
woman.”
Lucius the First had always praised Tory for her smartness, but the truth
was, he had been underestimating her because of her gender. Even
though he knew there was no limit to what a woman could do, because
he had witnessed it with Poliana Winter, he still made this stupid
mistake. If only he had given Tory a chance just like he did to Sir
Bentier… Something dramatic like this would’ve never happened. Tory
wouldn’t have been forced to go through such a cruel time on her own.
Sir Ainno, who has been standing nearby quietly until now, replied, “You
should do what you wish, your highness.”
“And what is my wish?”
“Honestly, I’ll bet it will be easier than how it was with Marquess Winter.
You must admit it.”
The emperor knew that Sir Ainno was right. There could be nothing more
difficult than a woman becoming a knight. This meant that this had to be
easy. The emperor had an idea and he wouldn’t have thought of it if he
never met Poliana.
‘She is indeed my greatest treasure.’
His love for Poliana, a new bride-to-be, grew bigger day by day.
***
The emperor has been procrastinating this snake hunt for a long time,
and in the end, it was resolved in a single day by his wife’s accusation.
Sir Bentier, who was imprisoned in a jail cell designated for noblemen,
couldn’t believe the emperor’s luck. No one could doubt that Lucius the
First was indeed meant to be the emperor of this continent

Chapter 240: Story 18. A short break from the hunt –

Chapter 240
Story 18. A short break from the hunt
Chapter 240
Some of the guards from the First, Second, and Third Divisions were
selected to be sent to Acreia. Their mission was to collect evidence
against the Acreian noblemen. Sir Mahogal and Sir Jainno accompanied
them to lead the team. Both men were from a powerful Acreian noble
family, which meant that they must be familiar with a nobleman’s library.
Some thought that perhaps the emperor should send even more soldiers
in case of a rebellion within Acreia, but Lucius the First decided that it
was not necessary. This was because all the noblemen who may start a
rebellion against him were all arrested and imprisoned in the Yapa jail.
Of course, the elders and some of the high-ranking nobles were illegally
holding private armies of their own. The question was, would these
soldiers be loyal to their masters, or will they disperse on their own.
Lucius the First betted that these soldiers wouldn’t go against him. After
all, their masters, who were supposed to lead them and pay them, were
all imprisoned.
In fact, the emperor gathered the heads of these armies and asked
them, “Will you really go against me?” The soldiers didn’t seem too
interested in starting a war. The power of Lady Rebecca’s accusations
was greater than she expected. Most elders ended up confessing their
crimes voluntarily. Sir Bentier continued to pretend he was still on the
elders’ side. In fact, it was Sir Bentier who scared the elders and the
noblemen into confessing. Sir Bentier told them about what happened to
those who were captured during the conquest. The royal families and the
noblemen who fought against Lucius the First were severely punished.
Sir Bentier claimed, “At this rate, it is very likely that our entire families
will be executed. Our lands will be confiscated. We might not even die a
decent death; we might end up being ripped into pieces in public to show
everyone what happens to traitors.”
Sir Bentier explained that although the emperor looked like an easygoing man,
Lucius the First was a cold and decisive. He claimed that he
witnessed a very scary side of the emperor during the war. Sir Bentier
continued, “If we confess right now, he might at least let the women in
our families live.”
This wasn’t something Sir Bentier planned with the emperor, but he was
certain that the emperor would not be cruel to the women just because
they belonged to traitors’ families. Sir Bentier suspected that only the
actual traitors would be punished.
In addition, although Lucius the First had been an emperor for over 10
years, he was still at an early stage of power. The emperor knew better
than anyone that it would be unwise to be seen as a cruel ruler.
Most elders, when they heard their grandsons and granddaughters may
survive this situation, gave up without a fight. They admitted their defeat
and they were ready to accept whatever punishment willingly. They all
acted submissively and Sir Bentier shook his head in disappointment, ‘If
only these old men acted this way from the beginning…’
If these noblemen were loyal to the emperor, they would’ve been treated
with respect for the rest of their lives. The elders could’ve led peaceful
lives and end up dying with tranquility in the arms of their family.
The last person Sir Bentier visited was Marquis Seeze. Most noblemen
were imprisoned with their families together in large jail cells, but
Marquis Seeze was put in a private room by himself. There was only one
reason for this and it was because he was deemed the most dangerous
of them all. As soon as Sir Bentier walked in, Marquis Seeze glared at
his grandson. It seemed that Marquis Seeze now knew how his
grandson betrayed him.
Of course, it was actually his granddaughter, Lady Tory, who ended up
betraying him in the biggest way possible.
Marquis Seeze said to Sir Bentier coldly, “I assume it was you who
convinced and trained Tory to betray me.”
“I am just as shocked as you are, grandfather. I didn’t expect this.”
“That can’t be! How could a mere girl come up with something like this!
She couldn’t have done it on her own!”
At first, this was Sir Bentier’s exact thought. Although he had witnessed
Poliana’s incredible accomplishments, he always thought she was an
exception, but now that he had the time to think, Sir Bentier realized that
he had been wrong.
Men would always think that women can’t do anything. Yet ironically,
men use women all the time. The women bear children and take care of
their homes for their men. Women were often used as obedient spies to
get information, and they could successfully carry out their missions.
Sir Bentier did not voice his realization to Marquis Seeze. He knew his
effort would be wasted. Marquis Seeze, who was set in his own way,
would never believe his grandson.
Marquis Seeze asked angrily, “What did Lucius the First promise you for
this? What is it that he gave you that you are willing to betray your own
family!”
“His highness promised me the gift of overwork for the rest of my life.”
Sir Bentier was already promised a great land and rank as the heir to
Marquis Seeze. He didn’t have to side with the emperor for wealth. The
only thing he gained from being on Lucius the First’s side was an
overabundance of work.
Marquis Seeze screamed, “This isn’t the time for your stupid jokes! Just
what is it that he promised you?”
Wealth and power. Everyone dreamt of these two things. Logically
speaking, Sir Bentier didn’t get to gain too much by siding with the
emperor. In fact, if he stayed on the marquis’s side, he could’ve ruled the
Nanaba, the old capital, like a king himself. Some men would’ve
preferred this over working as a chancellor for the rest of their lives.
But Sir Bentier had seen too much. He witnessed what deadly heat
could be. He saw different types of lizards and he watched how corrupt
the nobles in the mid-continent and south regions could be. Sir Bentier
realized that what he saw and experienced in Acreia was too limited.
What he thought was the world was only a very small part of something
much bigger.
His realization began at Koemong River. From there, he continued on
with the emperor, and Sir Bentier was able to see the end of the
continent. Lucius the First kept his promise. Sir Bentier was there at the
edge of the cliff as the knights and the soldiers cried out the emperor’s
name in admiration and joy.
The emperor did not have to keep his promise of freeing the people of
this continent. He did not have to make their lives better. He was the
emperor of the entire continent, so he could’ve done whatever he
wanted, but Lucius the First kept his promise. He was a good honest
ruler, which was a rarity. The emperor was also lucky to have so many
amazing and loyal people who followed him, and this was why Sir
Bentier decided that he had no choice but to help the emperor achieve
his dream.
Sir Bentier replied to Marquis Seeze, “You would not understand even if
I explain it to you, Grandfather.”
Sir Bentier could not understand Marquis Seeze and the elders. Sir
Bentier did not ask Marquis Seeze to confess, because as the leader of
all the traitors, there was no way Marquis Seeze would not be executed.
This was going to be the last private conversation they will ever have.
Marquis Seeze refused to stop condemning his grandson. Sir Bentier
remained quiet and respectful like a dutiful grandson.

Chapter 241: Chapter 241

Chapter 241
Poliana went to the royal doctors as ordered by the emperor. She was
the only one that crazy day who got injured. It wasn’t really that she was
unlucky; it all happened partly due to her sense of duty. When she
entered the room, the doctors gathered around in shock. The doctors
were already feeling confused and fearful because they witnessed
soldiers and knights running around the castle. The entrances and exits
of the castle were all closed, and several frightening rumors were
spreading already. Some believed that Lady Tory had gone crazy while
others heard that the Acreian nobles started a rebellion.
The royal doctors have been too scared to leave their clinic, especially
because one of the royal guards warned them not to roam around the
castle without a good reason.
The doctors were also dying of curiosity. What the heck was happening
outside? And when Poliana, who must have the answers to their
questions, appeared, they were beyond excited.
But as soon as they saw her injury, the doctors’ fears grew even more.
‘Marquess Winter is injured… Why?’
‘She isn’t even one of the guards on active duty… She is one of the
heads, so why is she injured? What happened?’
‘Are there other injured out there?’
The leader of an army unit was not supposed to be a dangerous job. It
was more of a desk job since the main duty of the head of a division was
to train and control the royal guards. This was why there was no age
limit to when the division leader needed to retire. An old person of over
60 years could do the job.
So the fact that Poliana was injured… The doctors became scared.
‘Is there really a rebellion going on?’
‘But I thought none of the guests were allowed to carry weapons inside
the banquet hall.’
Then, the doctors noticed Poliana’s outfit. Instead of her usual uniform,
she was wearing a dress. This fact meant that she must’ve been off duty
during the party. Yes… she became injured. This could mean only one
thing; something very bad has happened that endangered the wives of
the emperor!
Poliana’s beautiful green dress, which was the same color as the
emperor’s eyes, was soaked in her blood. The doctors were used to
treating wounded noblemen. There were odd times when they helped
some maids who cut their hands with scissors or a piece of glass, but
they have never seen a noble lady bleeding profusely.
Thankfully, one of the doctors who participated in a war as a military
doctor, had the sense to help Poliana. He yelled, “What do you think you
are all doing?!” He ran towards Poliana with the necessary tools. He was
frustrated at his colleagues, but the military doctor himself was also
shocked by seeing a lady hurt so badly.
When he got closer, he realized that it was Poliana Winter, which was
someone he knew before.
“Marquess Winter, how does your injury feel?”
“Oh, you. Long time no see. My wound isn’t so bad this time. Only a
flesh wound. And thankfully, I am the only one injured today. But you
should get a couple of the doctors to go visit the emperor’s wives to
make sure they are doing okay.”
Poliana ordered the doctors and began to chat with the military doctor.
When she kept trying to take her dress off, the doctor stopped her.
“If you keep moving like that, you are going to make your wound bleed
even more. You know this, Marquess Winter, so why do you keep doing
it?”
“I guess I am a little shocked myself too.”
Today, Poliana was given the opportunity to watch a battle as an
outsider. Until now, she had entered all of the battlefields as Lucius the
First’s knight. She had never expected to be a bystander of war,
especially a war that was started by a woman. Poliana felt excited as if
she came from a battle herself. She felt like she just experienced a great
victory.
‘Maybe this is why the man goes crazy about illegal dog fights?’
Poliana hated unexpected situations, but today, she didn’t feel upset.
Was it because she wasn’t in the middle of this war? The military doctor
used his scissors to cut into Poliana’s dress to get to the wound. It had to
be done as quickly as possible before the blood dried; the doctors
would’ve ripped her clothes off if this happened in the middle of a war.
Suddenly, one of the younger doctors asked the military doctor, “Should
you be doing that?”
“Huh?”
The military doctor became confused as the younger doctor pointed at
Frau, who was in the corner trembling. The younger doctor explained, “I
mean… I know it isn’t official, but Marquess Winter is to marry Frau
Sneke, right? S-so… shouldn’t Doctor Sneke be the one treating her
wound?”
“Oh, that’s right!”
The military doctor remembered that Marquess Poliana Winter indeed
was a noble lady. A lady who was going to get married next year!
When a noble lady needed treatment, the room needed to be cleared as
much as possible. Only the necessary people were allowed to stay and
the curtains were also prepared just in case.
The military doctor realized that one of his bad habits from the war times
remained with him. Poliana also forgot that she was a noble lady.
Since her future husband was a doctor, there was no need for the
military doctor to treat her. He apologized, “Oh, I am very sorry. Please
forgive me, Marquess.”
‘Oh, that’s right!’
Poliana nodded seriously, acting like a proper and generous
noblewoman. She and Frau moved to a private room. As Frau grabbed
his tools, he looked upset.
“Marquess, are you sure you’re really ok?”
“It hurts, of course.”
Her bone was fine, but a knife pierced through her flesh, so of course,
she was in pain. Because Poliana looked so calm, everyone assumed
she was feeling just fine, but she was only pretending out of pride. All
knights were like this. Those who endured pain well were considered the
greatest knights. Poliana was raised this way as well. She was taught
never to show how much pain she was in. If she did, she would be
criticized and reprimanded.
But now, she was a noblewoman and it was her right to tell people if she
was in pain. When Poliana tried to take her dress off again, Frau
covered his face in embarrassment.
“N-no, Marquess! You needn’t do that! I can just cut into your dress
around the shoulder area to expose the wound!”
When her wound was revealed, Frau cleaned it with a clean wet piece of
cloth. He was sweating the entire time as he stammered, “T-thank god
you aren’t hurt too badly.”
“Yes, I agree.”
“So did an arrow get you?”
“No, it was a knife.”
‘Damn that old man.’
Poliana gritted her teeth. She learned a valuable lesson today thanks to
Marquis Seeze. This must be why they say young people have so much
to learn from old people.
A hidden knife inside his cane! From now on, she will have to check the
older noblemen’s canes and umbrellas too.
Frau asked, “So what happened?”

Chapter 242: Chapter 242

Chapter 242
Poliana said to Frau, “Something extreme and crazy happened alright.”
“Extreme and crazy?!”
“That’s right, it was incredible.”
Poliana gazed at Frau. Now that she thought about it, Poliana realized
that Duke Sneke was one of the nobles that were arrested tonight.
‘Hmm, I will have to tell them not to arrest Frau.’
The royal guards were busy arresting the guilty nobles as well as their
family members, who were scattered all over the castle. Frau was kicked
out from his family, but his name was still Frau Sneke. Even if he was
most likely going to be released later, it wasn’t going to be good for him
to be arrested. Poliana was powerful enough to do this for her future
husband.
‘It’s good to have power.’
When she didn’t have it, she used to hate those in power, but now that
she had it, she loved it.
Frau carefully sewed up her wound. He offered her sedative, but Poliana
refused.
The power she enjoyed right now came from her position, and she could
maintain her position only by doing her job well. As the head of the
Second Division, there was something Poliana needed to do after getting
this medical treatment.
Frau murmured, “I am so glad that you weren’t hurt too badly. Thank
god.”
It was clear he was concerned because his face was now filled with
relief.
“Were you worried about me?”
“Yes. I was worried about what might happen to me if you died,
Marquess… Oh, I misspoke, didn’t I? S-should I sew up my mouth?”
Frau brought his needle and thread close to his lips. He was sometimes
too honest. Poliana patted his shoulder sympathetically and replied, “It’s
fine. I like your honesty.”
She could understand why Frau must be concerned for himself. He was
now known to everyone as the poor weak man who proposed to a
wealthy powerful woman for her money. His reputation could not get any
worse, so what would happen to him if his future bride died? He would
most likely have to file for bankruptcy at the very least. All of Poliana’s
wealth would be taken back by the kingdom and Frau would be left with
nothing.
Frau did his best to treat Poliana’s wound gently. He was so focused on
her injury that his mouth was slightly gaping, making him look funny. His
shoulders, which were usually slumped weakly, were tensed. Every time
the needle pierced Poliana’s skin, Frau murmured quietly, “It’s going to
sting a little…. Sorry… A little pinch…”
It was more than a little pinch. In fact, most patients would’ve jumped in
pain. But what Poliana felt was a little different. Instead of the needle,
her focus was on the warmth from his fingers and his breaths. Poliana
didn’t know, but her cheeks were flushed a little.
‘Wait a minute… Could this be what people call a ‘romantic moment?”
A healthy man and a woman in a private room… Two people promised
to be wed soon… A little bit of nudity and their skins touching…
Was this moment going to lead to a successful romance? Or will it be a
failure?
Until now, Frau and Poliana did not engage in any physical intimacy.
They were proper nobles after all. They could become intimate after their
marriage. It was especially not hard for them to refrain since they were
no longer young kids. They weren’t in their teens anymore.
Poliana thought logically, ‘But a light kiss would be fine during this
engagement period.’ It would look too awkward if they kissed for the first
time on their wedding day. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to kiss from time to
time, so they get used to each other? Poliana’s heart began to beat fast.
She was about to get closer to him when Frau stepped back and
announced, “It’s all done, Marquess. Please make sure to take your
medicine. Oh and please, do not move your shoulder.”
This was the first time Frau treated Poliana as a doctor, but he heard
many things from the other doctors, including the military doctor, about
Poliana as a patient. Apparently, she made the worst patient because
she was too stubborn. She never listened to a doctor’s advice and she
did not take care of her body. Frau wondered if he should somehow put
a restraint on her so Poliana could not move her arm and shoulder. He
could not trust her at all.
‘I wish she would be more careful.’
Frau wished she would be more careful with herself, at least until they
got married. What was the point of having a skincare regime if she was
going to keep getting these awful scars?
Until her wound healed, her skincare was going to stop. Frau also didn’t
know what happened, but if it was bad enough that a division leader was
injured, it had to be something big enough to keep Poliana very busy for
a long time.
“Marquess, please take care of yourself.”
Frau begged and Poliana nodded with a grin.
***
A few days later.
“What?”
The emperor exclaimed in shock after Baron Redikal reported his
findings. The royal doctor bowed deeply. It was shocking news, but it
was the truth. Baron Redikal repeated himself, “Both Lady Tory and
Lady Stra were poisoned.”
“So the security of my castle has been that weak?”
Lucius the First could not help his anger and it was understandable. Any
ingredients that enter the castle were examined thoroughly. Only those
from the designated farms could send their products and everything was
harvested and processed by a designated noble family and its servants
and workers.
Even if the quality of the ingredients was not the best, the safety of the
royal members was always the priority. This was the same for all highranking
noblemen since there was always a risk of poisoning.
The emperor knew that his royal guards were excellent. The Second
Division, led by Marquess Poliana Winter, boasted of its air-tight
security. From first glance, it looked like the Second Division was
unorganized, but the guards followed very strict rules. Poliana also often
did surprise checks to make sure all of her men always remained alert.
Thinking about how hard the guards worked, the emperor began to calm
down a little. He could guess when the poisoning must’ve begun. His
guess was confirmed by the royal doctor’s explanation, “It doesn’t look
like the ladies were poisoned for a very long time. Their symptoms are
very mild…”
“Fine, fine. I guess if this thing began around that time, it couldn’t have
been helped.”
The poisoning had to have begun when the emperor and most of the
nobles were away to Yapa. The emperor returned alone much earlier
than expected, and so many things happened around that time. It was a
very confusing period, especially because the head of the Second
Division along with many of the royal guards were absent as well.
It was during this very time when many of the maids were replaced.
There were also quite a number of new hires inside the lady’s quarters.
Many strangers from the mid and southern regions entered the castle
because of the birth of the new princess as well as the funeral of Lady
Rebecca. At the time, the emperor was also not in his right mind and
Lucius the First suspected he may have made some mistakes during
that time.
After Baron Redikal left, the emperor asked for the second-in-command
of the Second Division. Unfortunately, the answer he received was
unexpected.

Chapter 243: Chapter 243

Chapter 243
“Your highness, he’s on probation.”
“What?”
“His wife belongs to one of the noble families that have been arrested
recently. He put himself on probation, so he is off duty now.”
Lucius the First touched his forehead in frustration. Perhaps this was
one of the main reasons why he didn’t want to go on the snake hunt.
Acreia was a huge land but its population was very small. This meant
that the aristocratic population was even smaller. Most, if not all, Acreian
knights were closely or distantly related to one Acreian noble or another.
This was especially the case because most Acreian nobles married
other Acreian nobles. Everyone was somehow related to everyone.
The emperor ordered, “I do not doubt the second-in-command’s loyalty.
Just order him to come.”
“Yes, your highness.”
After the guard left, Lucius the First began to tap his desk with his
fingers.
“Things are going very interesting…”
He was, of course, being sarcastic. Things were not interesting at all.
“I wonder who did it…”
Was it the elders? It was a fact that the head of the elders’ Marquis
Seeze has been using Lady Tory to infiltrate the lady’s quarters. There
were also others who made attempts, but they were never this bold.
Was it the southern regions that poisoned his wives?
The southern regions were still grieving the death of Rebecca, so if it
was them, Lucius the First would be very impressed with them for
accomplishing such a complicated mission. But no matter how much he
thought about it, the emperor did not think that it was the southern
regions.
Then the only people he could think of was the mid-continent region.
Since both Stra and Tory were poisoned, his initial thought was that it
couldn’t have been the mid-continent. Why would they hurt their own
lady? But then… The royal doctor stated that the ladies were only mildly
poisoned with slight symptoms. It seemed that the poison used in this
case was not a life-threatening kind. Instead, it was supposedly very bad
for women. It could cause irregular periods and miscarriage during
pregnancies. The doctor stated that there was an antidote that could
easily neutralize the poison, so it was very possible that someone was
poisoned along with the culprit’s target and was given the antidote later.
This couldn’t be Stra’s doing. This belief wasn’t from the emperor’s wish
to trust his wife. It was from his belief in his judgment of characters. Stra
was a very emotional woman who didn’t have the nerves to pull
something like this off. This meant that it had to be the mid-continent
colonies themselves, not Stra herself.
‘I guess they got me this time.’
The mid-continent region was much more sophisticated than Lucius the
First believed. He realized that there was still so much he could learn
from the region he currently resided in. If it wasn’t for Tory’s outburst, no
one would’ve known about the ladies’ poisoning until the symptoms
became more severe.
Everyone’s time is precious, and the emperor’s time was even worth
more. After a short wait, the second-in-command of the Second Division
arrived. Poliana also arrived; she was no longer wearing her green
dress. She was in her uniform, as usual, making Lucius the First feel
disappointed.
‘I didn’t even get to compliment her properly.’
The emperor did compliment her abundantly, but it seemed that he had
forgotten all about it. Poliana and her second-in-command both looked
stiff. Before they entered the emperor’s room, they passed by Baron
Redikal, who told them about the poisoning. Poliana kneeled before
Lucius the First briefly before telling him, “Your highness, please forgive
me for my rudeness, but I will beg for your forgiveness for what
happened later.”
“Of course. I love the fact that you are so efficient.”
Lucius the First sighed and continued, “Some bastard poisoned my
wives and I would really like to catch this person.”
“You will, your highness.”
Poliana gestured to her second-in-command to bring out the documents,
which included the list of people who entered the lady’s quarters during
Poliana’s absence. This list was made by Poliana, who has been going
around to talk to her guards to figure out who has been frequenting the
castle when she was away.
Poliana has been already busy enough with planning her marriage,
teaching Tory about the law, and doing the work she missed during her
self-punishment, yet she somehow found the time to make this list as
well.
Poliana said to the emperor, “As you know, there is a rumor in the lady’s
quarters that Lady Stra may be pregnant.”
‘Oh, I didn’t know that.’
He was the husband, yet he had no idea that one of his wives may be
pregnant. This was because Sir Deke, who was the main source of
information for Lucius the First especially regarding the lady’s quarters,
was gone on a mission in the south. Poliana didn’t know this and talked
as if the emperor already knew everything. Lucius the First decided to
pretend that she was right.
Poliana continued to explain, “Because of how Lady Stra suffered from
the phantom pregnancy in the past, no one has been talking about this
out loud. This means that one of the maids began this rumor on purpose.
I believe that maid needs to be investigated. Apparently, she was a
newbie that came in during my absence. At that same time when she
was hired, there was also a cookie maker that was newly employed.”
Poliana clenched her fists and her teeth. The emperor could see that she
was shaking in anger. She added, “At the time, I thought it was strange,
but since these two people were sent by Lady Stra’s homeland, I let it
pass. On top of that, whatever this cookie maker made was served to
both ladies equally, so I didn’t think there was an issue. I now realize that
I made a huge mistake.”
If Poliana’s guess was right, this meant that she has been watching her
own ladies being poisoned right in front of her eyes. It was no wonder
that Poliana shook with fury. Lucius the First ordered the maid and the
cookie maker to be arrested immediately. The second-in-command left
quickly, but Poliana stayed behind.
“Do you have something else to say, Sir Pol?”
“I know it isn’t my place, but…”
“Sir Pol.”
Lucius the First sighed and interrupted Poliana. Ever since that night
when he yelled at her, Poliana has been treating him differently. It was
all his fault, and it was time for him to tell her how he felt.
“Sir Pol, there is nothing you can do or say that I would consider ‘not
your place.’ The people I trust the most in this world are Duke Luzo, Sir
Rabi, and you, Marquess Winter. I would never want you, my loyal
knight, to feel that you can’t say things to me.”
Poliana couldn’t help but ask, “But what about Sir Ainno?”
“Inno is…”
Lucius the First frowned and continued, “Lately, I noticed that he is
blinded by love.”
“Yes, I agree.”
Poliana nodded enthusiastically and tried her best not to laugh. Sir Ainno
was her secret rival and at least at this moment, it seemed that she won.
In addition, the emperor trusted her at the same level as Sir Rabi, who
she respected greatly. It seemed that she was one of the top three
people in the emperor’s life.
Of course, the secret truth was that she was actually number one in
Lucius the First’s heart.

Chapter 244: Chapter 244

Chapter 244
Lucius the First said to Poliana firmly, “So, you may say anything you
want to me, Sir Pol. As long as it is not something that will hurt you, I am
happy to hear whatever you want to say to me.”
Poliana’s smile turned into a serious expression. What she was about to
ask wasn’t something to take lightly.
“Your highness, what will you do to Lady Tory?”
‘Oh, that.’
It was no wonder Poliana hesitated. She was asking about a family
matter as well as a national matter. It made sense that she felt like she
was overstepping. Lucius the First leaned against his chair and
answered, “When I first took you in…”
It has been a while since they talked about the past. Realizing that this
was going to be a long chat, Poliana sat down. The emperor continued,
“At the time, I was such a lacking ruler. I didn’t know much. It was the
first time I left Acreia. It was my first war and I worked so hard to make
everything so perfect. Now, I know that it was all unnecessary. I was
very naïve.”
“Your highness, you were perfect even then!”
It was not a good idea to over-flatter Lucius the First. When he waved
his hand at her, Poliana kept quiet. The emperor continued, “To be
honest, the reason why I took you in at the time was to be different than
everyone. I wanted to see and show people what I could be. I wanted to
be the one who was generous and charismatic enough to take in the
knights from my own enemy kingdoms. I wanted to be an emperor who
could even accept a knightess. Therefore, there is no need for you to
thank me. I was not, and still am not, a great man. In fact, I should be the
one thanking you. I have learned so much from you, Sir Pol.”
It was true that Poliana showed Lucius the First how strong and
determined a woman could be. She also taught him the importance of
working hard and never giving up.
At the time he took her in, Lucius the First had no idea what an important
Poliana was going to become to himself as well as to his kingdom. A
woman to become a knight in Acreia… And to accomplish this without
bribing anyone or having a powerful family… There were still days when
Lucius the First could not believe how far Poliana had come.
And the day he realized what he felt for her was “love…” His whole world
changed.
“As I said before, I learned from you, Sir Pol, that a dead woman’s
vengeance is no match for a living woman’s determination. Of course,
now I know that I was wrong about that too. It isn’t a woman’s
determination; it is a person’s determination.”
In this world, when someone referred to a person, they were referring to
a man. A man was a person while a woman was specifically called a
“woman.” This was ridiculous since both men and women were people.
Lucius the First muttered, “Sometimes, Rebecca would say something
like that.”
“Lady Rebecca?”
Poliana was shocked because such a topic was taboo in this world. And
to say something like this to the emperor… Poliana’s eyes widened.
Lady Rebecca promised her that they would not keep secrets between
them! Poliana felt a little betrayed, but a dead lady would remain forever
silent.
Lucius the First reminisced his memories of his dead wife, who had a
fragile body but the biggest ambition he had ever witnessed. The
emperor replied, “She sometimes asked me if I would hire another
woman who is as talented as you, Sir Pol.”
Lady Rebecca asked this question many times, and the emperor’s
answer was always the same.
“Every time she asked me this, I said no. I am sure you understand
why.”
“Of course, your highness. Until this newly expanded kingdom
experiences long term stability, it would be unwise to introduce any big
and controversial changes.”
“That’s right, and besides, I was so young when I took you in. At the
time, I had nothing to lose since I was only a young boy emperor of a
small kingdom. But now, I am the emperor of the entire continent. I
cannot afford to make significant mistakes anymore.”
“Of course, your highness.”
“And at the same time, I thought that it would be impossible for me to
meet another woman like you, Sir Pol. You are the gift from heaven, so
how can there be another woman as talented and intelligent as you?”
Lucius the First was certain of this at the time. He continued, “But I was
wrong again. I was naïve and stupid. Recently, I witnessed it again. The
power of a woman’s… no.”
Lucius the First shook his head. His golden hair shined beautifully as he
corrected himself, “A person’s determination.”
Poliana had to stop herself from kneeling in front of him and swearing
her loyalty to him again. As usual, her emperor gave her an answer that
exceeded her wildest expectations. This was why she trusted him. This
was why she would follow him anywhere. The path Lucius the First set
out for himself was going to be a tough one, but Poliana was willing to
fight for him.
The emperor said to her, “This is my answer to your question.”
“Your highness, having the chance to honor you is the greatest honor of
my life.”
“And having you as my knight is the greatest luck in my life, Sir Pol.
Haha, and since Tory is so smart, I am not sure if she would be willing to
accept my plan.”
“Oh, she will.”
Poliana’s eyes widened with certainty. Poliana knew that she and Tory
were different. Poliana wasn’t given any other option other than the path
she was given while Tory could choose. But even so, Poliana seemed
certain of how Tory will react, making the emperor curious.
“Is this some kind of a woman’s sixth sense? Is that how you know?”
“No, I know because I trust my friend.”
The emperor’s greatest knight and love used to be his dead wife’s best
friend. Now, it seemed that she was also a great friend with his other
wife. The emperor laughed awkwardly, unable to describe what he was
feeling. His late mother once told him, “If you are unsure how to react or
feel, just laugh.”
Poliana saluted solemnly and left the room. Still feeling strange, Lucius
the First grumbled, “I can see that the kingdoms that believe the women
are inferior have been using their women very effectively. The midcontinent region
especially.”
After thinking quietly for a while, the emperor suddenly thought of a
person he has been forgetting.
‘I wonder where Sir Deke is and what he is doing…’
He should’ve returned from the south by now, but the emperor hasn’t
heard any news from him yet. As the main member of the Intelligence
unit, Sir Deke should’ve heard of what happened at the Yapa castle by
now and be here. Yet, he was still absent and nowhere to be seen.
Lucius the First couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

Chapter 245: Chapter 245

Chapter 245
At the same time when the emperor was thinking about Sir Deke, the
said knight was stuck in the southern region. The three men, Sir Howe,
Sir Donau, and Sir Deke, left the viceroy’s home on a mission given by
the lady of the house. They were to save Poliana, the “unfortunate lady”
who was about to be “used” by a gold digger.
As soon as they set out, a heavy rain began to fall. The rain itself was
not enough to stop these three brave knights, but another problem
appeared because of it. The Gora River began to overflow, making it
impossible to cross it without risking their lives.
Sir Donau and Sir Howe, who were on a mission to stop the wedding,
looked anxious. They didn’t know what to do. At first, they tried to cross
the river, but the locals stopped them immediately.
“Sirs, you will die trying to cross this river!”
“But we must go on! We can’t be stuck here!”
“That’s right! We can’t be stopped just because of the rain! How could
this be?!”
The brothers looked devastated.
Because of the dangerous weather, there haven’t been any messages
crossing between the capital and the southern regions. Oddly, the only
one calm among the three men was Sir Deke, who was the head of the
Intelligence Unit. He was the one who should’ve been most worried, but
it looked like he was very calm.
It was true that he should be on top of all news and intelligence in the
kingdom, but Sir Deke felt relaxed. This was because he knew that
Lucius the First was a reasonable man who would never fault a man due
to bad weather.
Of course, what Sir Deke didn’t know was the fact that he was in serious
danger of being fired.
Perhaps it was better that he didn’t know. Ignorance was bliss.
***
Tory was alone. A royal doctor visited her to make sure she was ok and
one of the emperor’s personal maids came by to help her bathe and
change. Other than these two visits, Tory was left alone. No one came to
see her.
Tory has always been surrounded by her maids. They functioned as a
shield and a wall for her, as well as a prison that jailed her, but now, she
was all alone.
All alone.
Tory felt strange, delighted, and fearful of this new loneliness.
Tory no longer stayed in the lady’s quarters. She was isolated in a safe
place and she was served by the emperor’s personal maids. Since most
of Tory’s own maids, provided by Marquis Seeze, betrayed her, this was
a necessary step. Tory did not blame her old maids; she would’ve done
the same thing if she was in their place.
Tory was not curious about what might happen to her now. Perhaps it
was because by making the recent public accusation, she proved to
herself that she was brave enough to risk her own life. Rather than
feeling scared or anxious, Tory felt proud and satisfied with what she
accomplished.
Unfortunately, she also felt too empty to feel happy. She felt too exposed
and she felt like she didn’t belong anywhere anymore. There was
nowhere for her to go, which made her feel helpless. The amount of
powerlessness she felt… Only those who went through a severely
traumatic event would know what it truly felt like.
This was why she was pleased when Lucius the First finally visited her.
Whatever future she may have, Tory was ready to accept it. Not knowing
was worse than the actual punishment.
The emperor looked much more tired than when he was at his birthday
feast. Of course, his fatigue could not diminish his beauty. Sometimes,
his incredible beauty scared those around him. As soon as he walked in,
Lucius the First joked, “Thanks to your birthday gift, I haven’t had the
time to rest at all since that day.”
As always, his jokes were awful, especially because half the time, he
was being sarcastic. Tory’s accusation didn’t just affect those noblemen
directly accused. A nobleman belonged to a noble family, who was
always associated closely with various government workers. There were
many associated figures who were arrested even though they might be
innocent. This was necessary and after an investigation, they were going
to be released. However, this meant that many of the high-ranking
government officials were missing from their works. Many government
projects and plans were placed on hold because of the current situation.
Lucius the First continued, “This was one of the reasons why I didn’t
choose to go on the snake hunt…”
“…”
Tory looked down without a word. Lucius the First shook his head and
said to her, “I am not trying to blame you. In fact, you captured all of the
snakes and gave them to me. I haven’t done it myself since I felt lazy
and you ended up doing it for me; you’ve accomplished a lot.”
“…”
When Tory didn’t say anything, Lucius the First added, “Listen. I am not
planning to punish you. You have unburdened me greatly and for that, I
will be rewarding you.”
“I…”
After a long hesitation, Tory opened her mouth. It was clear she wanted
to say something, but when she couldn’t go on, Lucius the First gently
encouraged her, “Is there something you want?”
“How could I? I wouldn’t dare, your highness.”
Tory shook her head. Marquis Seeze raised his own personal army,
which was considered treason; he would have to execute three
generations of his family for that. If Sir Bentier secretly sided with the
emperor, the Seeze family would’ve fared much worse.
Originally, Tory was a distant relative of Marquis Seeze, but this was not
enough for her to be forgiven for his crime.
Oftentimes, women and children were forgiven, but they also lost their
nobility. If a man lost his status, there were ways he could make it again
in this world. For example, Sir Bentier and a few noblemen, whose
crimes were minor at best, were forgiven by the emperor. These men
were going to do well in their careers, but there were no women who
were pardoned like this.
A woman belonged to a man. Her husband, her father, or her brother…
She was not an independent being.
Tory said to the emperor, “Your highness, I know my place. I am a
woman and therefore a silly useless being. Even if you tell me I have
unburdened you and helped you, it doesn’t change the fact that I
betrayed my own family. Therefore, how could I be rewarded when I am
someone who brought ruin to my people? I cannot feel happy about this
situation.”
Tory was ready to die if necessary. She didn’t beg for forgiveness. Since
Marquis Seeze was a traitor, she was most likely going to lose her noble
status and become a commoner, and since a commoner cannot marry a
royal member…
Tory and Lucius the First’s marriage was going to become invalid.
So when she becomes an unmarried lady who loses her noble status
and is known to have betrayed her own family… Her future, no doubt,
was bleak.

Chapter 246: Chapter 246

Chapter 246
A woman could not own lands. This meant that the most Lucius the First
could give Tory was money, which would be only too easy for someone
to take if Tory did not have a male guardian. Perhaps the emperor would
find her a male guardian, but she was the woman who betrayed her own
family. Who would be kind and selfless enough to take care of her with
good intent?
If she wasn’t executed, Tory could imagine what kind of horrid and
shameful life she would lead. Thinking of her future, Tory couldn’t be
sure if she would not regret her decision to betray her life.
Lucius the First said to her, “If you wish to remain, my wife, I will make it
happen somehow.”
“I would never dream of it. Please don’t even mention it.”
“If you leave, then this castle will no longer have a mistress.”
Tory flinched and asked in shock, “Did something happen to Lady Stra?”
Lucius the First smiled awkwardly and replied, “The truth is… she asked
for a divorce.”
“…?!”
Tory became confused and speechless. Lucius the First was also
shocked when he first heard this. Within the last few days, it seemed that
he was going to lose one of his wives because his marriage was going to
become invalid while the second wife wanted a divorce from him.
Perhaps his original guess was right. Maybe he really was unlucky with
women.
Tory said to the emperor, “There is a chance Lady Stra may be
pregnant.”
“She isn’t. She was poisoned. You as well, Tory.”
Poisoned? Tory tried to remember if she has been feeling different and
the answer was no. Hearing that there were another spy and conspirator
in the castle… Oddly, this news made her head become much clearer. It
was as if she woke from a long sleep.
Lucius the First continued, “It was Stra’s new maid and the cookie
maker. Stra is innocent; it was her father who ordered it. I tried to do my
best to investigate this situation without Stra learning about it, but it
seems that she found out. Before coming here, Stra came to me crying
with a signed divorce application form.”
Stra, who used to be a princess of her own kingdom, could not endure
this situation. She told Lucius the First that she was responsible for her
maid’s crime and therefore, she will take the burden for her family. Stra
also stated that this was the only thing she could do for Tory.
This was unpleasant and unexpected. He has been contemplating what
to do with the mid-continent colony when his wife asked him for a
divorce. No man ever expected to hear such words from his wife, let
alone the most beautiful man in the kingdom. He has never been unkind
to his wives. Sure, their marriage was arranged for a political reason, but
their relationship was amicable. The emperor never expected Stra to ask
for a divorce.
Stra explained that she was doing this because it was the polite and
responsible thing to do. Unlike in the north, a woman in the midcontinent region
could ask for a divorce from her husband.
This was Stra’s own personal decision and it was going to cost her
family dearly. Stra, however, didn’t care. She refused to change her
mind. Tory gave up everything for her friendship with Stra. Stra felt that
she must do the same thing. Lucius the First was so shocked that he
couldn’t say anything. He just took the divorce papers from her and left.
It wasn’t that the emperor loved Stra. It was just that his pride was hurt.
This was a selfish and complicated man. Their marriage was an
arranged one, but Lucius the First made an effort to be kind to his wives.
He couldn’t help feel a little disappointed and betrayed by Stra’s request.
What a selfish man he was.
Tory said to him, “Lady Stra is probably very emotional right now. She
asked for a divorce out of impulse, but in time, I am sure she will regret
it. Your highness, please do not divorce her.”
“Will you feel the same way about what you did? In time, will you regret
reporting your family?”
Tory didn’t know how to answer this question. The emperor continued in
a kind voice, “Don’t be like that, Tory. I like to think I am a good judge of
character, and the Tory I know is a good person who knows what is right
and wrong. You can’t claim that Stra made this decision out of emotions.
I mean, we are all humans, which means we all have emotions. You did
what was right even though you knew it was going to harm you. It was
one of the bravest things I have ever seen.”
Lucius the First opened up his palm. It was time to make his offer. It was
going to be up to Tory to accept it or refuse it, and the emperor hoped
that she would say yes. Tory didn’t notice how his expression became
expectant.
“If you and Stra leave, this castle will be without a mistress for a long
time. I thought about it and remembered that this isn’t the first time
Acreia will suffer such a time. I lost my mother at an early age and I left
Acreia for a long time to conquer the world. The only recent time this
kingdom had an official royal mistress was when I married you, Stra, and
Rebecca. So I thought about it. Will Acreia become ruined if it no longer
has a mistress? No, it won’t. Do you know why?”
“Because there will be plenty of people who can take over the tasks.”
“Exactly. That is the right answer. Even if a landlord is absent, the land
will continue to be maintained by his vassals. A store will continue to be
run by the hired help even if the owner takes a break. Even the noble
ladies… They do not actually do the work. They have maids for the
housework, the nannies for their children, and cooks for the cooking.”
Tory has been listening dutifully when suddenly, she gasped. She
usually looked down when the emperor talked to her, but she looked up
at him with her eyes widened. Tory realized what this conversation was
about.
The emperor was offering her a job!
He continued, “If the mistress is missing, one needs to hire someone to
do the job. This is what I am offering you. I won’t lie to you; it is going to
be very hard. You will have to live among those who detest what you did.
They will not trust you. For you, remaining in Yapa alone will be very
difficult to endure. Even if you refuse my offer, I will understand. In fact, I
think you should refuse if you know what is good for you. So, what would
you like to do?”
Lucius the First looked at her seriously. Tory knew he was right. She
began as the emperor’s wife and now, she was the woman who
betrayed her own family and whose marriage was no longer valid. So for
her to remain in the castle… Tory could imagine how she would be
treated. People will disrespect her and hate her, but…

Chapter 246: Chapter 246

Chapter 246
A woman could not own lands. This meant that the most Lucius the First
could give Tory was money, which would be only too easy for someone
to take if Tory did not have a male guardian. Perhaps the emperor would
find her a male guardian, but she was the woman who betrayed her own
family. Who would be kind and selfless enough to take care of her with
good intent?
If she wasn’t executed, Tory could imagine what kind of horrid and
shameful life she would lead. Thinking of her future, Tory couldn’t be
sure if she would not regret her decision to betray her life.
Lucius the First said to her, “If you wish to remain, my wife, I will make it
happen somehow.”
“I would never dream of it. Please don’t even mention it.”
“If you leave, then this castle will no longer have a mistress.”
Tory flinched and asked in shock, “Did something happen to Lady Stra?”
Lucius the First smiled awkwardly and replied, “The truth is… she asked
for a divorce.”
“…?!”
Tory became confused and speechless. Lucius the First was also
shocked when he first heard this. Within the last few days, it seemed that
he was going to lose one of his wives because his marriage was going to
become invalid while the second wife wanted a divorce from him.
Perhaps his original guess was right. Maybe he really was unlucky with
women.
Tory said to the emperor, “There is a chance Lady Stra may be
pregnant.”
“She isn’t. She was poisoned. You as well, Tory.”
Poisoned? Tory tried to remember if she has been feeling different and
the answer was no. Hearing that there were another spy and conspirator
in the castle… Oddly, this news made her head become much clearer. It
was as if she woke from a long sleep.
Lucius the First continued, “It was Stra’s new maid and the cookie
maker. Stra is innocent; it was her father who ordered it. I tried to do my
best to investigate this situation without Stra learning about it, but it
seems that she found out. Before coming here, Stra came to me crying
with a signed divorce application form.”
Stra, who used to be a princess of her own kingdom, could not endure
this situation. She told Lucius the First that she was responsible for her
maid’s crime and therefore, she will take the burden for her family. Stra
also stated that this was the only thing she could do for Tory.
This was unpleasant and unexpected. He has been contemplating what
to do with the mid-continent colony when his wife asked him for a
divorce. No man ever expected to hear such words from his wife, let
alone the most beautiful man in the kingdom. He has never been unkind
to his wives. Sure, their marriage was arranged for a political reason, but
their relationship was amicable. The emperor never expected Stra to ask
for a divorce.
Stra explained that she was doing this because it was the polite and
responsible thing to do. Unlike in the north, a woman in the midcontinent region
could ask for a divorce from her husband.
This was Stra’s own personal decision and it was going to cost her
family dearly. Stra, however, didn’t care. She refused to change her
mind. Tory gave up everything for her friendship with Stra. Stra felt that
she must do the same thing. Lucius the First was so shocked that he
couldn’t say anything. He just took the divorce papers from her and left.
It wasn’t that the emperor loved Stra. It was just that his pride was hurt.
This was a selfish and complicated man. Their marriage was an
arranged one, but Lucius the First made an effort to be kind to his wives.
He couldn’t help feel a little disappointed and betrayed by Stra’s request.
What a selfish man he was.
Tory said to him, “Lady Stra is probably very emotional right now. She
asked for a divorce out of impulse, but in time, I am sure she will regret
it. Your highness, please do not divorce her.”
“Will you feel the same way about what you did? In time, will you regret
reporting your family?”
Tory didn’t know how to answer this question. The emperor continued in
a kind voice, “Don’t be like that, Tory. I like to think I am a good judge of
character, and the Tory I know is a good person who knows what is right
and wrong. You can’t claim that Stra made this decision out of emotions.
I mean, we are all humans, which means we all have emotions. You did
what was right even though you knew it was going to harm you. It was
one of the bravest things I have ever seen.”
Lucius the First opened up his palm. It was time to make his offer. It was
going to be up to Tory to accept it or refuse it, and the emperor hoped
that she would say yes. Tory didn’t notice how his expression became
expectant.
“If you and Stra leave, this castle will be without a mistress for a long
time. I thought about it and remembered that this isn’t the first time
Acreia will suffer such a time. I lost my mother at an early age and I left
Acreia for a long time to conquer the world. The only recent time this
kingdom had an official royal mistress was when I married you, Stra, and
Rebecca. So I thought about it. Will Acreia become ruined if it no longer
has a mistress? No, it won’t. Do you know why?”
“Because there will be plenty of people who can take over the tasks.”
“Exactly. That is the right answer. Even if a landlord is absent, the land
will continue to be maintained by his vassals. A store will continue to be
run by the hired help even if the owner takes a break. Even the noble
ladies… They do not actually do the work. They have maids for the
housework, the nannies for their children, and cooks for the cooking.”
Tory has been listening dutifully when suddenly, she gasped. She
usually looked down when the emperor talked to her, but she looked up
at him with her eyes widened. Tory realized what this conversation was
about.
The emperor was offering her a job!
He continued, “If the mistress is missing, one needs to hire someone to
do the job. This is what I am offering you. I won’t lie to you; it is going to
be very hard. You will have to live among those who detest what you did.
They will not trust you. For you, remaining in Yapa alone will be very
difficult to endure. Even if you refuse my offer, I will understand. In fact, I
think you should refuse if you know what is good for you. So, what would
you like to do?”
Lucius the First looked at her seriously. Tory knew he was right. She
began as the emperor’s wife and now, she was the woman who
betrayed her own family and whose marriage was no longer valid. So for
her to remain in the castle… Tory could imagine how she would be
treated. People will disrespect her and hate her, but…

Chapter 247: Chapter 247

Chapter 247
What Lucius the First offered was something Tory couldn’t refuse. She
straightened up slowly. With her lady-like posture and bright eyes, Tory
didn’t have to say a word. The emperor said to her, “I cannot give you a
title that is inheritable, but instead, I will give you a status that is fit for
your position.”
Tory did not have to ask the emperor how a woman could be given a
position and an official status. This was because both of them knew that
it was possible. It has already been done. There was already a woman
who achieved an official government position and a landlord.
Marquess Poliana Winter.
Because it was already done once, it could be done again; it was
actually going to be much easier.
For an easier and more comfortable life, Tory knew she should refuse
this offer. But if such a boring life was what she truly wanted, Tory
would’ve never betrayed her family. And if she didn’t make the public
accusations, she would’ve never been given this offer.
Tory kneeled and kissed the back of Lucius the First’s hand. She will
never get to kiss his lips and be in his arms, but she wasn’t disappointed.
There was never love between them, and in fact, Tory preferred this
working relationship much better.
Tory put her forehead on the emperor’s, no longer her husband’s, hand.
She then finally burst into tears.
***
Lucius the First offered the same thing to Stra, who refused. She
would’ve preferred to work as a volunteer maid; Stra knew she wouldn’t
be able to handle a position that never existed before. It was a new
position people will have a hard time accepting and therefore, she didn’t
want it.
Stra asked, “Is Tory ok?”
When she learned that Tory was poisoned by her own people, Stra was
shocked. She began to cry again and Lucius the First waited patiently
until his “ex-wife” calmed down.
When he asked if she really wanted a divorce, Stra nodded. Lucius the
first never had to make an effort for a woman, yet here he was, being
rejected by his own wives.
‘Life can be so funny.’
It was true. Life was so full of unexpectedness. The emperor, however,
was glad that he was given the chance to learn from so many people
around him, including his ex-wives and his knights.
Stra asked, “A-are you going to g-get married again?”
“Well, yes since I don’t have an heir yet.”
“Oh, then are you going to propose to Marquess Winter?”
“W-why are you suddenly mentioning Marquess Winter?”
“Because you love her, right?”
Cough cough!
Lucius the First began to cough in shock. Stra, with a sympathetic
expression, patted his back gently. The emperor thought nervously, ‘I
made a mistake.’
He shouldn’t have coughed. He should’ve pretended ignorance and act
normally. Lucius the First thought that it still wasn’t too late. He could just
say he had a tickle in his throat…!
But then, when he looked at Stra’s face, he realized that she was certain
of his love for Poliana. There was not an ounce of doubt in her face.
‘How did she know?’
Lucius the First sighed and decided against lying at this point. He
recently lost a wife to childbirth, he lost the second one to a divorce and
the third one on a technicality. He lost all three wives recently, and
suddenly, he began to wonder, ‘C-could it be that all of them knew about
it…? That they were just keeping silent for my sake?!’
This was the worst situation he could imagine. Lucius the First shook his
head, wanting to hide somewhere. After a long silence, he finally asked,
“How did you find out?”
Only the emperor’s closest friend Sir Ainno knew this secret. It was true
that love was the hardest emotion to hide, but Lucius the First was born
a royal. He had enough training since childhood to keep a poker face.
This was actually his specialty.
He was so confident that he hid his feelings for Poliana perfectly. He was
always very business-like around her, so how did Stra find out? Were
there more people who knew about this? Lucius the First needed to
know. His curiosity was killing him.
Stra replied, “I found out…”
Stra, the princess of a conquered kingdom, was secretly in love with the
emperor, who invaded her land. So many people died from this war, but
all Stra could think about was how generous the young emperor was to
those who surrendered. And when she finally met him, he was more
beautiful than she could ever imagine. She fell in love instantly.
She continued, “I found out when I saw your expression after the
marquess got kicked by the deer.”
This was a lie. The truth was, Stra knew for a very long time. Perhaps
from the very beginning. Was it because she was in love with him? Or
was it because she was lucky? For a long time, Stra learned that Lucius
the First’s gaze always somehow found the knightess.
Just like the rumors, the infamous knightess was an unusually ugly
woman. And unlike the rumors, there was no romance between the
emperor and the marquess. The emperor’s love was one-sided and the
knightess was definitely unaware and not interested.
Lucius the First asked, “Was I that obvious at that time?”
“I’m sure that I’m the only one who noticed. It could’ve been only seen
from my position at the time.”
Stra had the emperor’s weakness, but she wasn’t happy about it. She
always tried desperately to hide her true feelings for him, and it was a
coincidence that she found out how he felt. She wasn’t jealous because
the knightess was an amazingly kind woman. Stra admired Poliana
greatly.
Poliana was a completely different kind of friend than the other wives of
the emperor. Poliana was very understanding and lovely, so how could
Stra be angry at her?
Thankfully, Stra’s love for the emperor cooled quickly when she found
out his love for Poliana. Instead, her interest in his love life intensified.
The emperor who was secretly in love with his knightess! How will this
exciting story end?
What Stra felt for the emperor was real, but it took less than a year for it
to cool down. As far as she knew, Lucius the First has been feeling the
same way about Poliana for years, and it seemed that his love refused to
lessen. Just how long has he been in love with her? And when will it
end?
Will it ever end?
Stra felt sympathetic towards Lucius the First day and night.
Then one day! She learned that the biggest obstacle between Poliana
and the emperor’s potential marriage disappeared! It was the day when
Poliana’s period returned.
And now! Lucius the First was no longer married. He was single, and
although he was technically a divorce with a newborn baby, who cares?
He was the emperor after all! If Poliana and Lucius the First were in
love… They could be together!
‘Oh, maybe his highness doesn’t know that the marquess is no longer
barren.’
Poliana’s change in condition was not a well-known fact. It was a private
and personal knowledge, so those who knew did not talk about it openly.
And so many things have happened since Poliana returned that Stra
doubted she had time to talk about it with the emperor.
Stra firmly believed that the reason why Lucius the First did not propose
to Poliana was because of her perceived infertility. Once the emperor
learns that this was not the case, then he would be thrilled!
At least that is what Stra thought.
She said to him, “Your highness, if it is the problem of her infertility…”

Chapter 248: Chapter 248

Chapter 248
Lucius the First shook his head, “No, that’s not why I haven’t proposed to
her. Well, first, I have to admit that it was one of the main reasons, but
not anymore. Stra, the moment I marry Marquess Winter, she will lose
everything she had achieved so far.”
Her honorable knighthood, wealth, lands, rank, and even her last name
“Winter…”
Lucius the First did not want the woman he loved to be unhappy. This
was why he gave her up. The emperor continued, “I really want the
marquess to be happy. For that, I am willing to give her up. I can also
wish her the best when she marries another man. I can even be okay
with her putting herself at risk to do her job…”
The emperor’s eyes darkened, making Stra feel sad as well. Now that
she heard Lucius the First’s reason, she could understand. He was right,
of course. The Poliana they knew would not be happy to hear the
emperor’s proposal. Poliana would probably become concerned that
Lucius the First was losing his sight and call the royal doctor
immediately.
Stra realized that the emperor truly loved Poliana; she felt both
impressed and jealous.
Meanwhile, Lucius the First remembered the times when Poliana put
herself in danger. She used her body to shield Stra from the deer and
Tory from the knife thrown by Marquis Seeze.
The woman he loved… She was a knight. This meant that when she
risked her own life to save her ladies, Poliana should be praised.
However, after the deer incident, Lucius the First was clear about his
order. He told her to never risk her own life again.
He asked her to live.
The woman he loved almost died in front of his eyes. It happened not
only once, but twice. Lucius the First truly wanted Poliana’s happiness.
Whoever she chose as her husband, he decided to accept it even if the
man was a gold digger.
But Poliana continued to risk her life, even though she was expecting to
get married. If she died… Nothing would matter anymore. Lucius the
First trembled before standing up suddenly.
“You are right, Stra. I do love Pol.”
Stra stared in surprise as the emperor continued to murmur. He looked
like he just had an epiphany.
“I have no luck with women. My mother died when I was young, and my
first girl died young too. One of my wives died from birthing my daughter
and the other two wives will no longer be my wives.”
Lucius the First’s eyes darkened as he continued, “And Marquess Winter
almost died twice already this year.” The emperor now looked
determined.
“I am a selfish bastard, so I won’t back down anymore.”
“Your highness?”
“I am going to go and propose to Marquess Winter now.”
The beautiful man declared in front of his soon to be ex-wife. He walked
out into the sunlight, blinding Stra’s eyes.
***
Poliana was not in the royal castle today. Lucius the First gave her some
time off because of her injury. Normally, Poliana would’ve insisted on
continuing to work, but after the upsetting night after Lady Rebecca’s
death, Poliana has been following the emperor’s order without arguing.
Lucius the First, without his guards, left the castle and headed to
Poliana’s mansion. Inside his pocket was his mother’s wedding ring he
forgot to leave in Nanaba.
When Poliana’s butler opened the door, he gasped, “Y-your highness! I
will let the marquess know immediately.”
“It’s alright. Don’t bother her. She is a patient after all.”
The butler’s eyes moved down to the wildflowers in Lucius the First’s
hands. They were obviously plucked from the royal garden. The emperor
was also holding the dainty ring that probably won’t fit Poliana’s finger.
These were the two things Lucius the First brought to propose.
Confidently, he walked in.
Whatever happened, he was going to do this today!
Lucius! He was the man! He will propose to Poliana!
‘I don’t care what happens anymore!’
Who cares if she was barren? Lucius the First had a very healthy
nephew who could take over his kingdom. Of course, he knew that
appointing his nephew as his heir was going to create a lot of
controversy and uproar, but he had a plan. Instead of his original hope,
which was to retire early, he was willing to work till his death.
If he could only have Poliana… He was willing to give up his lifelong
dream of retirement. He was ok with working until his dying day. He was
ok with working his entire life. Lucius the First loved Poliana Winter. He
was willing to give up his plan for her. He was going to make her his
empress so nobody could look down on her. No one will be allowed to
doubt his love and trust in her. If anyone protested, he was going to ruin
that person and his or her entire family!
Lucius the First was serious about this situation. He has been behaving
like a perfect gentleman, but this was now not the time to be patient.
This needed to be done now.
Standing in front of Poliana’s bedroom, he inhaled the flowers deeply.
The sweet scent made him feel wonderful.
‘This is it! I am going to do this! I swear I will make her happy!’
The emperor opened the door and walked in confidently.
“Your highness, what a nice surprise.”
Poliana was shocked to see the emperor walk into her bedroom
unannounced. But she knew how to look calm when she felt surprised.
Poliana put on a relaxed smile and greeted the emperor.
Unfortunately, Lucius the First could not smile himself. This was because
there were two people in the room. In addition to Poliana, there was a
man beside her. On top of that, Poliana had her top off.
Frau jumped in shock and stammered, “Y-y-your highness!” He kneeled
before jumping again the second time. Frau looked around in confusion
before grabbing the nearby tablecloth to cover Poliana’s upper body.
Poliana smiled quietly and said to him, “His highness has seen me
naked many times before, so there is no reason for me to cover up. Oh,
wait, am I not supposed to say things like this to you?”
“Oh, I-I-I-I guess, Marquess Winter.”
“The doctor is right, Pol. And I shouldn’t have walked in like this.”
Poliana said to the emperor, “Oh, you needn’t worry, your highness.”
When she tried to get up, Lucius the First took a step back and said to
her hurriedly, “Don’t move, I came here just to see how you are doing.
Oh, and this is a gift for you.”
When the emperor opened the door, Frau was in the middle of
examining Poliana’s recent injury. Just seeing them together was
enough to diminish Lucius the First’s confidence. The biggest problem
was how happy Poliana looked. While he was falling more and more in
love with her, it seemed that Poliana was beginning to fall for another
man.
Poliana exclaimed, “Wow! Flowers! You love flowers, your highness. Did
you know that every time you give me something, it’s always flowers?”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, your highness, but the thing is, I prefer food! Hahaha.”

Chapter 249: Chapter 249

Chapter 249
Poliana put her shirt back on and stood up. Thankfully, Fra stopped
trembling and Lucius the First smiled. He already took a step back and if
he lost his smile now, this would mean he lost this round completely.
From the moment he walked in, Lucius the First barely noticed Frau. His
eyes were filled with the woman he loved. Poliana was smiling in
happiness. She didn’t look like she was filled with an overwhelming
sense of joy, but it was obvious that she was pleased.
Her smile once made Sir Donau fall in love with her and now, it was
working the same way on the emperor as well. Quietly, the emperor
handed her the flowers, which no longer looked as fresh and lively. Was
it the flowers that wilted or Lucius the First’s confidence?
“Sir Pol… You look happy.”
“Oh, is that right? Hmm… I guess it’s alright. Hahaha.”
“… Yes, you look good. I guess you are happier about your upcoming
marriage than I thought.”
“Hahaha.”
Poliana brought the flowers to her nose to enjoy its scent. This was one
of the changes that occurred in her life. Lucius the First hid his sadness
and smiled for her.
“Alright, that’s all that matters. As long as you are happy, I am happy too,
Sir Pol. Rest now.”
The emperor walked out the door. Frau asked Poliana, “Shouldn’t you
ask him to stay for a while longer?”
“Well… I think he is actually running away because he is afraid I might
begin to nag him. He’s probably tired both mentally and physically, so I
better let him go.”
Frau and Poliana chatted quietly. Meanwhile, Lucius the First’s eyes
began to water. He realized the sad truth, which was that it was finally
and truly time for him to give up on Poliana.
If marrying Frau was going to make her happy… The emperor knew it
was the right thing to do. If she wanted, he was even willing to sing at
her wedding. He would give her the most expensive and luxurious
wedding gift. He would give her the wedding of her dream. Perhaps he
would hire the best makeup artist in the kingdom to make her the most
beautiful woman…
“…”
Lucius the First bit his fist, trying hard not to cry. It was too difficult.
‘I am no longer a young man, yet here I am… Crying over a woman…’
He swore he was going to confess his love to her today, but he failed
again. What was he supposed to do? Inside his pocket, his mother’s
wedding ring rolled around all alone. His fist began to bleed a little from
him biting when suddenly, the emperor heard some noises towards the
stairs. He didn’t want any disruptions, so he asked Poliana’s butler not to
let anyone upstairs, so this was strange.
The emperor could hear the butler yelling, “You can’t go upstairs!”
“Do you know who we are? How dare you!”
Some men were arguing with the butler, annoying Lucius the First
greatly. He was trying to deal with his loss and sadness, and the
continued noise finally made him roar, “There is a patient in this house,
so how dare you make such noises!”
When the emperor walked down the stairs, the two men, who were
arguing with the butler, looked up. They were very familiar faces.
“Your highness!”
“Your highness!”
Sir Howe and Sir Donau bowed deeply to the emperor. Lucius the First
was surprised to see the two brothers back in Yapa. It was even more
surprising to see them looking like hobos. The emperor asked, “What the
heck happened to you? Why are you here? Did you get kicked out from
your family or something?”
The two young men’s father-in-law was the viceroy of the southern
region, which means they should be doing very well for themselves. But
here they were, covered in dirt and looking like they haven’t eaten in a
while.
The only reason Lucius the First recognized them was thanks to the 10
years they spent together on the battlefield. How the two brothers looked
right now actually was worse than when they were in the war. The
brothers’ father was a firm believer in good hygiene and always made
sure his sons kept themselves clean.
Just as Lucius the First was curious about what happened to the
brothers, Sir Howe and Sir Donau had many questions. They asked
speedily, “Your highness, is it true that you have imprisoned all of the
elders?!”
“Your highness, is it true that Sir Bentier has been arrested as well?!”
“Your highness, we came straight here after arriving in Yapa, so we have
no idea what happened during the last few weeks in the capital!”
“We are so confused!”
They didn’t seem embarrassed about their appearance or lack of
information. The emperor could guess that the brothers led a comfy life
in the south. He didn’t like seeing them looking this ridiculous and being
so loud. He ordered them to quiet down, “You need to be quiet. There is
a patient upstairs.”
“Sir Pol got injured?!”
Sir Donau, shocked, began to run upstairs. The butler tried to stop him
but Lucius the First nodded to let him come up. Sir Donau tried to run
straight to Poliana’s bedroom, but the emperor grabbed him.
“Stop, Sir Donau. She is having a nice time with his fiancé, so you
should not disturb them. Besides, you are filthy; you need to wash up
first before going to see her anyway.”
“But there is no time, your highness!”
Sir Howe jumped in, “That bastard is here right now?!”
Sir Donau also glared at the bedroom door, and Lucius the First realized
that something strange was going on here. The brothers, normally so
calm and kind, looked like they were ready to commit a murder.
Why were Sir Donau and Sir Howe here looking so horrible? Why
haven’t they heard about the imprisonment of the elders, which
should’ve shocked the entire kingdom? Why were the brothers looking
so furious?
The emperor asked, “What happened? Just tell me first.”
“Your highness! That bastard… Is it true that our adopted sister is
marrying that dog?”
“If you are referring to Frau Sneke, then yes.”
This was the sad truth, but it was too late to change it. The wedding plan
was going well and everyone knew by now about it. Of course, most
people weren’t interested because they thought it was a strange and
unsuited match. The public was more interested in the wedding between
Sir Ainno and Cekel.
Sir Donau and Sir Howe argued, “We are against this marriage!”
“It can’t happen!”
The emperor thought silently, ‘Me too. I don’t want it either.’ Lucius the
First hid his feelings well. He put on a bland smile, knowing why Sir
Howe and Sir Donau were against this marriage. Lucius the First
remembered Poliana’s happy smile just a moment ago. If this was what
she wanted… The emperor would do anything for her.
Lucius the First said to the brothers, “Stop, boys. Calm down. I know
very well that they aren’t well matched, but Sir Pol… She… She seems
to like that man Frau, so… If you saw her, you would understand.”
“What?! Pol likes that bastard?!”
“That makes it even worse! She can’t marry him!”
“Your highness, did you know that that bastard got kicked out from his
family because he married a servant?!”

Chapter 250: Story 19. Destroy the Gold Digger –

Chapter 250
Story 19. Destroy the Gold Digger
Chapter 250
Sir Howe repeated his brother’s words, “That’s right! That bastard was
married, your highness!”
“Married?”
This was the first time the emperor heard about this. But the reality was,
without the emperor’s permission, Frau, as a nobleman, could’ve never
been officially married. This meant that at most, he lived with a woman
for a while, but nothing more. As a man himself, Lucius the First did not
think too much of Frau’s past experience with women. This was within
the norm of any young nobleman. Besides, the maid was dead. If she
was still alive, it would’ve been a problem.
Lucius the First said to the brothers, “But the servant died, didn’t she?
So just calm down.”
Ironically, it was the emperor who was trying to convince Sir Howe and
Sir Donau to let Poliana marry Frau. What a strange and ridiculous
situation. The woman he loved was about to marry another man, and he
was trying to convince the opposers otherwise.
“How can we calm down, your highness?!”
Sir Howe protested angrily as if he forgot he was in the presence of the
emperor. Sir Donau seemed to agree with his older brother. These two
young men were beginning to be rude, so Lucius the First was about to
say something when Sir Donau said, “He even has a child!”
Oh, that changed everything.
Lucius the First did not know about this. Slowly, he began to feel his
burning fury engulfing his entire body. He has never been this angry
before. If the brothers were telling the truth, Lucius the First swore to
destroy Frau in the most painful way possible.
“Tell me everything.”
The emperor’s instinct told him that the snake hunt was not over yet.
There was still the most dangerous and disgusting snake to be
destroyed.
Frau Sneke.
***
Poliana’s three closest male friends left Poliana’s home. Lucius the First
ordered Sir Howe and Sir Donau to calm down. This was a critical
situation and at a time like this, one needed to remain calm and collected
in order to fix it.
The brothers, who just arrived from the south, were confused at the
current political situation in Yapa. They needed to rest and learn what
happened during their absence.
Meanwhile, Lucius the First called for a meeting of the knights. Most, if
not all, knights that gathered before to discuss Poliana’s marriage came
together once more. These were the men who truly cared about Poliana.
Sir Mahogal, unfortunately, was away on business in Acreia so he could
not attend.
The atmosphere in the room was tense. This was mainly because Lucius
the First, who called for this meeting, was looking furious. It was obvious
that he was ready to kill someone. The amount of hostility in the room
was similar to when they were in the middle of a war.
Sir Deke, who went his separate way from Sir Howe and Sir Donau as
soon as they arrived at Yapa, joined in as well. This was a good thing
since Sir Howe and Sir Donau were too upset to explain what they knew
calmly.
Apparently, Frau Sneke, who was the fifth son of the former Duke
Sneke, fell in love with a servant in his own house. The couple wanted a
life together and dreamt of getting married. Of course, Frau’s family
refused to allow this. In the end, Frau and the servant got married
secretly by themselves and eloped.
Their escape was a complete failure. No matter where they went, it was
obvious that they were from very different classes. The couple hid in the
servant’s hometown. The entire town, including the servant’s family, did
not welcome them. Just as the nobles were against marrying a
commoner, the commoners were also against marrying up.
In her own hometown, the servant became known as the wh*re who
seduced a naïve nobleman. Frau became known as an idiot young
master who would soon realize his mistake and abandon the servant.
The fact that Duke Sneke was the landowner of the servant’s hometown
didn’t help either.
Everyone was thinking the same thing. Why didn’t Frau just take in the
servant as his mistress or concubine? There were plenty of noblemen
who did this. Frau could make her his concubine and allow her to live a
comfortable life. Why was he being so stubborn and stupid?
The Sneke family gave Frau an ultimatum. Either he abandoned the
servant and returned home or he would be disowned. Frau chose the
servant and the couple left to live in Nanaba.
Frau had no money and no skills. He needed a job and thankfully, not
many people in Nanaba knew about what happened to Frau since the
Sneke family did its best to hide this embarrassing event.
Baron Redikal, who didn’t know what happened to Frau, accepted him
as his student. Baron Redikal assumed that Frau was just an unlucky
young man who got kicked out from his family for a minor disagreement.
This was how Frau learned to become a doctor. The career as a doctor
was considered lowly compared to being a knight or a government
official, but it could still be a profitable job.
Besides, Frau and the servant believed that as long as they were
together, it would be okay. That is all they wanted.
Then, the maid became pregnant. Frau wanted to learn to become a
doctor as quickly as possible and live with his wife happily ever after.
But… The servant died during childbirth. She bled to death.
Frau learned to treat people, but he didn’t learn much about treating
women. Just like many of the doctors, he believed that treating women
was a job for the gynecologists and the midwives. Unfortunately, the
midwife in the town they lived in refused to help the pregnant servant
because she did not want to anger Duke Sneke and his family.
In the end, Frau was left with a newborn baby. He could not endure the
sadness and hardship, so he decided to return to his family. When he
walked back to his house, his parents demanded that he abandon his
baby or at least declare the baby a bastard.
Frau refused. His new baby, his son, was his heir. His son was born
between himself and his legal wife. Duke Sneke screamed at Frau,
“Then don’t even bother coming to my funeral when I die! You are no
longer my son!”
Frau asked his wife’s parents to raise the baby temporarily. To raise his
son properly, Frau realized that he better learns to be an excellent
doctor. Although the career as a doctor was considered lowly in the
noble society, it was a rich position to the commoners. During his
studies, Frau also diligently researched the difference between the
medical knowledge of the commoner doctors and the doctors that only
treated the noblemen. Frau learned that there were situations when the
simple home remedies used among the commoners worked much
better.
Frau, of course, suffered from depression after he lost his wife. He knew
he needed to do more to raise his son well, but it was difficult. Everyone,
both the noblemen and the commoners, treated his son like an
unwanted bastard.

Chapter 251: Chapter 251

Chapter 251
One thankful thing for Frau was that his son wasn’t treated too poorly in
the town where his late wife’s parents lived. The grandparents were firm
believers in leading a quiet, almost hidden, life and Frau understood
them. Frau himself was born into a wealthy noble family. He grew up as
a young master with a comfortable life. When he gave up this for love
and became a father, Frau finally could understand how his parents
must’ve felt. His parents were adamantly against Frau marrying the
servant because they loved him; they knew that if Frau did this, the rest
of his life would become a difficult one. Any children of Frau would end
up living even harder lives because they would be considered
commoners.
When one of the vassals from Frau’s home visited him, Frau’s son
bowed to him deeply. The same vassal that used to bow to Frau… Frau
told his son not to do this, but it couldn’t be helped. His son’s maternal
grandparents wanted to raise their grandson as a commoner.
This was the first time Frau regretted having a child with his late wife.
This must’ve been why his own parents were so against the idea. Frau
became contemplative. He gave up everything for love, but even after
his downfall, no one dared to treat him like a commoner. But his son… It
was a completely different story. His son that was born out of love was
going to live as a commoner. It was impossible for Frau to accept it, but
this was the way of the world. Frau’s siblings refused to forgive him and
acknowledge him as their family. If Frau abandoned his son, perhaps he
could be accepted back into the family. Either way, Frau’s son was never
going to become a nobleman.
Frau refused to give up on his son. He was willing to live as a commoner
rather than abandon his child. His son was everything to him. The best
thing Frau could think of for his son was to make enough money to
educate his son so he could become a government official. Of course,
would this be possible? Would his family somehow prevent this from
happening?
Frau didn’t know what to do.
It was around this time when he first heard about Marquess Winter.
“Dammit. A woman getting such a high noble status?”
“Marquess? Is this a joke? I mean… This means that woman is going to
outrank all of us!”
“I get that she did a lot during the war, but isn’t this too much?”
“And I heard she’s barren too…”
“Then will the title go to her husband when she gets married?”
“No, it isn’t going to work like that. I heard only the heir can inherit the
title, but since she is barren… She will probably just adopt a son.”
“I heard she is basically an orphan herself. So that means that she
doesn’t have anyone she can adopt from her distant relative, right? So
that means her title will end after her death.”
“Unless a widower with a son marries her, then the son would get
everything. What a lucky bastard that would be!”
“Are you crazy? Who in the right mind would marry an ugly woman like
that?”
The cowardly and ignorant men were gossiping while Frau listened
quietly nearby. Frau was fascinated and from that day, he began to do
his research on Marquess Winter.
In Aehas, a daughter could inherit the family title if there was no male
heir in the family. In Acreia, where a woman could not hold a title, a male
heir needed to be adopted, usually from a distant relative.
So what would happen to a barren woman with no relatives who ends up
marrying a man with a bastard son? It was going to be possible for the
man’s child to become the official heir.
This was exactly what Frau Sneke wanted. This was his goal.
***
The other knights and the emperor had no idea about the details of
Frau’s past. And in truth, they didn’t even want to know. The problem
was the fact that Frau intentionally hid the existence of his child. If
Poliana knew about it, would she have decided to marry him? No,
Poliana was not that naïve.
Lucius the First could not hide his anger. Poliana Winter was incredibly
wealthy and powerful, especially for a single person. There were plenty
of people in the world who approached her, hoping to get something out
of her, but these men who proposed to her were honest about
themselves. They disclosed to her about their marriage history and let
her know if they had any children. Some even told her about their
mistresses and concubines.
It wouldn’t be too hard to fool Poliana about certain things since she was
not originally an Acreian noble. It was very hard for her to know the old
rumors about the Acreian noblemen, but despite it, those men who
proposed to her still were honest. This was because Poliana was a close
acquaintance of Lucius the First, and if anyone tried to fool her, it would
be followed by the emperor’s fury. Poliana herself also was a scary
woman. People who knew her knew enough not to disrespect her.
So the conclusion was, Frau was an idiot. Was he just stupid or was he
crazy to do something so risky and dangerous?
For nobles, marriage was a business contract; there were unspoken and
common-sense rules that needed to be followed. This was the basis of
the noble society. Someone like Frau, who tried to fool another fellow
noble… He was considered the worst of the worst.
All the men in the room, including Lucius the First, panted in anger.
“This is the worst kind of gold digger. The worst! I have never seen such
a horrible man before! Going after her wealth… That was bad but
understandable, however, to sneakily go after her title… To attempt to
make his bastard the next Marquis Winter… How dare he! He has been
pretending to be innocent and dumb, but he is clearly a skilled conman!”
Lucius the First never gave Frau permission to marry a servant. Duke
Luzo, who was in control of Acreia during the war, also would’ve denied
this request. A nobleman could marry only if he received permission
from the ruling figure. Any marriage without it was considered invalid.
This made Frau’s son a bastard.
If Frau wanted to keep his noble status, then there was no way for his
son to avoid being called a bastard. But if he became a commoner to
make his son legitimate, then he would never be able to marry Poliana.
So Frau chose to marry Poliana as a nobleman and make his bastard
son the next Marquis Winter.
“This is the biggest scam of this century!”
Sir Donau, who cared deeply about his adopted sister, shook with anger.
Sir Howe, standing next to his brother, muttered about different ways to
torture Frau. The brothers were not making much sense, but they both
had a clear message; they wanted to kill Frau. What made them the
angriest was the fact that Frau must’ve thought it would be easy to use
Poliana because she didn’t have an extended family or relatives, but this
was not true; she had Sir Donau and Sir Howe as her brothers!
Frau Sneke must die!

Chapter 252: Chapter 252

Chapter 252
One of the knights suddenly asked, “But what if Marquess Winter
already knew about the existence of Frau’s bastard? Or what if she still
wants to marry him even after we tell her?”
Sir Donau replied indignantly, “My adopted sister would never do such a
thing!”
Sir Howe nodded, “That’s right! Pol would never be that stupid!” Lucius
the First agreed with the brothers. He has never been this angry in his
life. He wouldn’t have been as angry as right now even if Duke Luzo
betrayed him during the war. The emperor declared, “Frau Sneke has
made a mockery of the marquess, which means he has also ridiculed
me, his emperor! How dare he! How dare he do this to my Sir Pol!”
Lucius the First was so angry that he could not hide his feelings for
Poliana. Thankfully, no one caught on. Everyone knew that Poliana was
the emperor’s favored knight. Even when people knew they were
together naked, no one had any doubt that the two were involved
romantically.
Everyone in the room was furious. They were all wealthy and powerful
men, and they were ready to avenge their fellow knight.
“Let’s go kill him right now.”
“Let’s burn him alive.”
“Should we cut his limbs off first and then hang him upside down in the
city hall for people to throw rocks at him?”
“No, we should cut his limbs off and then put his body in a barrel so we
can roll him in public and shame him.”
“My fellow knights, you are being too kind! Why not rip his limbs off
rather than cut them off?!”
“He lied, so the first thing we should do is cut off his lips!”
“Let’s do that!”
“And light his tongue on fire!”
“Excellent!”
The man threw gruesome suggestions excitedly. If they worked this hard
during the war, perhaps they would’ve been able to accomplish the
conquest in 5 years rather than 10.
These were the knights who killed countless soldiers on the battlefield.
They would show no mercy when torturing a guilty man, especially a
man who tricked their fellow knight.
“Let’s go grab him first before he runs away.”
“Can’t we just order the guards to arrest him?”
“No, that might begin an ugly rumor and harm the marquess’s reputation.
Let’s do it ourselves. We need to do this quietly and discreetly.”
“That’s right. For Marquess Winter’s reputation, we need to do this
ourselves. I can do it.”
A few of the knights stood up, ready to go. Sir Donau gritted his teeth
and stopped them.
“We can’t arrest him right now!”
“Why not?!”
“If we get him right now, it will harm my adopted sister. Everyone in the
continent knows that she is marrying this bastard. They aren’t officially
engaged, but they are in reality. So what do you think will happen if we
grab him right now and torture him? Everyone will know that something
bad happened. They will know that Marquess Winter was tricked by him.
People will know that she was fooled by that snake!”
This made sense. No one could argue with Sir Donau’s sound logic.
Lucius the First nodded slowly and gestured Sir Donau to continue.
“What is most important at this point is how things are going to be
perceived by the public. As I said, everyone knows that my sister is
planning to marry that bastard. Thankfully, Marquess Winter has all the
control over this wedding and that man has nothing. If Sir Pol decides to
break up with him and discontinue the wedding plan, people are going to
believe that she changed her mind. They will not think she was fooled by
him.”
The head of the Second Division and a doctor, a Marquess and a barelynobleman… This
wedding involved two people who lived in completely
different worlds. Even if Poliana changes her mind before the wedding,
no one was going to think it strange. In fact, it was going to make sense
to many people.
Lucius the First gestured to Sir Donau to come closer. When the young
man did, the emperor patted his head affectionately.
“Our Donau has always been such a bright boy, and now I can see that
he has become an even more intelligent man after he got married.”
“Thank you, your highness.”
Both brothers, Sir Donau and Sir Howe, were very smart, but generally,
people believed Sir Howe was smarter because he was quicker and
slyer. Sir Donau was known to be more of a boring but consistent man.
But things have changed. Under his father-in-law, the viceroy, Donau
learned a lot. He worked more as an official than a knight, which meant
that although he lost a lot of his muscles, he gained much knowledge
and wit. They used to be called the witty older brother and the slower
younger brother, but now, Sir Donau and Sir Howe were known as the
clever brothers; it was a nice change.
“Then the first thing we should do is let Marquess Winter know about
this.”
“That’s right, she needs to know about Frau immediately…”
Sir Donau offered, “I will go visit her and tell her today.”
Lucius the First shook his head, “No.”
Now that they had a plan to protect her reputation, Lucius the First’s
priority was to protect her heart. Sadly, it seems that Poliana has fallen
for Frau Sneke. When she finds out she has been betrayed… This news
was going to sadden her greatly.
The emperor declared, “I… I will tell her myself.”
With this plan, the men left the room. Sir Howe and Sir Donau returned
to Poliana’s home, which was where they were staying. Their official
reason for visiting Yapa will remain as a business trip for information
collection.
***
After the knights left, there were only two men left in the room. The one
who cared the most about Poliana and the man who didn’t care much.
Sir Deke and the emperor.
Sir Deke kneeled in front of Lucius the First and began with begging.
The emperor’s eyebrows furrowed as he roared, “This is Marquess
Winter we are talking about! The greatest woman in this kingdom! So
how can this happen? How is it that the head of the Intelligence Unit did
not know about what a snake her future husband was! How could you
not have known everything about him?”
“Your highness! This is all my fault. I deserve to die! There was a huge
flood in the south, which prevented me from knowing what happened in
Yapa! I am responsible for everything!”
Lucius the First was angry about one thing while Sir Deke was
apologizing about something completely different. When the emperor
was about to roar again, Sir Deke continued, “I’m so sorry, your
highness! The truth is… My sister asked me to investigate Frau in the
past. I didn’t know the importance of her request at the time so I only
looked into him in Yapa. If I have extended my research to Nanaba and
find out more about the Sneke family, I would’ve learned about this…
This is all my fault.”
Lucius the First tilted his head curiously. This was news to him and he
wanted to find out more. The emperor asked and Sir Deke explained
how Cekel was his main source of information regarding the lady’s
quarters. Instead of a salary, she asked for information on Frau.
The emperor asked, “So Lady Ingreter was against this marriage?”
“Yes. She said for some reason, she detested Frau. She said there was
something not right about him.”
“Hmm… A woman’s instinct perhaps?”
Lucius the First thought for a second before turning towards Sir Deke
again.
“Anyway, it is indeed all your fault. You didn’t do your job and you didn’t
take your sister’s request seriously either!”
“I’m so sorry, your highness!”
“I will give you one last chance! Find out everything about Frau Sneke!”
“I will!”

Chapter 253: Chapter 253

Chapter 253
The knights and the emperor made sure Poliana didn’t know about their
plan. The emperor extended Poliana’s vacation on purpose. When she
protested, the emperor told her that her time off was a form of
punishment. He told her never to risk her life again, and she disobeyed
him. Poliana nodded in understanding.
Poliana was overjoyed to see her adopted brothers Sir Donau and Sir
Howe. She hugged them tightly. They wrote to each other often, but it
was not the same as seeing them in person. Poliana smiled widely.
While the brothers distracted her, Lucius the First made sure Frau could
not visit Poliana. Meanwhile, the Intelligence Unit worked tirelessly. Sir
Deke needed to find out where Frau’s child and his maternal
grandparents lived and how much money Frau was sending them.
Frau sent letters often to an “acquaintance” in the small Acreian town. In
reality, he was sending money to his child and his in-laws. The reason
why Frau lived so poorly wasn’t that he was frugal. It was because he
sent everything to this child.
Since he moved to Yapa, he visited his son a few times. But
unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to travel to Nanaba during the last 6
months because the work has been so busy.
Frau had to miss his son. He had to miss him a lot. Lucius the First was
sure of it. The Intelligence Unit spread a false rumor regarding the Sneke
family. Duke Sneke and his family were one of the many Acreian nobles
who were arrested due to the recent scandal. The false rumor stated that
a few of the town people living in the Sneke’s land were hurt during a
scuffle.
Within a few days, Frau became noticeably anxious. Just as Lucius the
First predicted, Frau asked for some time off. Frau apparently told
Poliana that he was worried about a few close acquaintances in his
hometown. He was lying again to Poliana since it was obvious that he
was going to visit his son and his in-laws.
Poliana asked him, “Will these acquaintances of yours be invited to our
wedding?”
“Pardon? Oh-n-no. It would be too difficult for them to travel that far.”
“Oh, how disappointing. If you are going to visit them, they must be very
close to you.”
Of course, they were. One was his own son and the other two were his
ex-in-laws.
“Y-yes, Marquess.”
Those who knew the whole story found Frau despicable, but Poliana had
no idea. Frau was sweating heavily and stammering, but Poliana thought
he was just scared of her.
Sir Howe and Sir Donau didn’t stay long in Yapa. They left within a few
days and thanks to Lucius the First, Frau was kept busy and unable to
meet with Poliana. Poliana felt disappointed, but this was a good thing
for Frau. If Sir Donau and Sir Howe spotted him, they wouldn’t have
been able to control their anger.
Frau, Sir Donau, and Sir Howe all left Yapa. Stra left Yapa to visit her
homeland to take care of the divorce papers. Tory was still in isolation
for her own safety.
Poliana was a powerful woman, but she was still on her vacation ordered
by the emperor. Poliana took this order very seriously and did not
consider it a vacation. However, she also didn’t trap herself inside her
home like the last time. Instead, she worked hard on her wedding, which
frustrated Lucius the First.
A few days after Frau left Yapa, Lucius the First visited Marquess
Winter. Poliana was contemplating what kind of stone she should use for
her wedding ring. When she saw the emperor, Poliana greeted him. She
was especially glad to see him because Lucius the First had a much
better taste than she did.
“Your highness, I am so happy to see you. What kind of stone do you
think I should use for my wedding ring?”
“Pol, that is not important at all. Let’s talk about that later. For now,
wouldn’t you rather go on a picnic with me?”
How could he say her wedding ring wasn’t important? Poliana has been
pondering about this matter very seriously, and when the emperor
answered her so nonchalantly, she felt shocked. Lucius the First, on the
other hand, felt frustrated at how hard Poliana was planning her
wedding.
“Sir Pol, I am just worried that you have been working too hard when you
should be resting. This is supposed to be your vacation. Why don’t you
go on a picnic with me?”
“Sorry, your highness, but I’m busy.”
Poliana refused, not because she was truly very busy, but because this
wasn’t the time. The kingdom was in turmoil, so for the head of the
Second Division to go on a picnic with the emperor like nothing was
happening… It wouldn’t look right.
Lucius the First begged her desperately, “I really would like you to go
with me. I am asking you for a favor.”
Poliana’s resolve weakened quickly. She heard about the emperor’s
divorce, which meant he was now going to be a divorcee with a newborn
baby. She felt bad for him, so she asked, “How many guards were you
planning to take?”
“The two of us.”
“You mean me and Sir Ainno?”
“No, just you and me.”
“No, that’s not possible.”
Poliana closed her lips and looked away. It was rude of her to act like
this, but it couldn’t be helped. No one would fault her for acting this way
because after all, she was one of the few who were responsible for the
emperor’s safety. She had no choice but to refuse the emperor’s
request. For his safety, it would be better for Lucius the First to go alone
with Sir Ainno rather than her.
“Inno is too busy dating and enjoying his love life nowadays that he
abandoned me. If I go on a picnic with him, he is going to annoy me with
all his romantic stories.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t do that.”
Lucius the First recently lost all of his wives, so what man in his right
mind would talk about his own romance. But then… Sir Ainno wasn’t just
an ordinary man. He was a jerk, and everyone knew it.
Despite the recent political chaos, the stories of Cekel and Sir Ainno’s
romance continued to be popular. Poliana asked curiously, “Is it really
true that things are going well between them?”
“Apparently.”
Poliana snorted. It was so unexpected, and she was surprised. She
remembered giving her love luck for this year to Sir Ainno.
“I gave him my love luck because I thought my love luck was in fact bad,
but I guess I was wrong. Perhaps my luck in love was actually pretty
good.”
‘Oh, that must be why Sir Pol’s own love life is in such a horrible
situation…’
Lucius the First could tell that Sir Ainno had the greatest luck in love this
year. If he pushed on to marry Cekel by force this year, the emperor
didn’t doubt that their relationship would’ve been unrepairable, but
because of Rebecca’s death, their wedding had to be delayed, which
gave them a year to get to know each other better. Sir Ainno was very
smart in wooing his lady and it seemed that things were going very well
for him.

Chapter 254: Chapter 254

Chapter 254
It was rumored that things were going well between Sir Ainno and Cekel.
They became closer thanks to frequent conversations. Both Sir Ainno
and Cekel’s marriage and Poliana and Frau’s marriage involved two
people whose social statuses did not match. However, people laughed
when they talked about Poliana’s wedding while they found Cekel and
Sir Ainno’s union very romantic. Women, especially, talked about it with
dreamy eyes.
Sir Ainno’s parents, Duke and Duchess Seki, knew they had no
influence over their first-born son, so they didn’t bother objecting or
voicing any kind of opinion. They approved the marriage without a word
and Cekel’s parents also did the same. Their marriage was blessed by
everyone in the kingdom.
Lucius the First thought in annoyance, ‘He is such a jerk.’
The happiness Sir Ainno enjoyed right now should’ve been Poliana’s. It
was her love luck, not his. It was only a superstition, but the emperor
firmly believed that this was why Poliana’s love life didn’t work out.
Lucius the First was a superstitious man, after all, and Poliana’s current
situation was the worst. There were plenty of decent men in this world,
so why did Poliana have to be fooled by the worst man possible? The
more he thought about it, the angrier Lucius the First became.
The emperor also felt sad for Poliana. His sadness showed on his face,
but Poliana mistook it as sorrow for losing his three wives, and it
sounded like his best friend Sir Ainno was no help at all. Although he
was the emperor, Lucius the First was still a man who got lonely. Poliana
felt sympathetic towards him and in the end, she nodded.
‘I mean, he won’t go too far, right? He probably just wants to go hunting
in the nearby forest…’
Lucius the First knew how important he was. Poliana believed that he
would never put himself in danger on purpose. The emperor smiled
awkwardly when Poliana agreed to go on a picnic with him. Suddenly,
Poliana realized that there was something more to this outing.
“Your highness… a-are you planning to do an overnight trip?”
“Hahaha! I love how quick and smart you are, Sir Pol. I will have all the
preparation done, so all you have to do is show up. See you later!”
Poliana yelled after him, but Lucius the First ran away laughing.
What was her emperor planning?
***
The next day, the emperor and Poliana were ready to leave. The high
ranking government officials became worried about this unexpected trip.
After all, Lucius the First had a history of secretly moving the capital city
without telling his own government.
The men begged Poliana, “Marquess Winter, if you find out that he is
planning to move the capital again, you need to stop him. You need to
do whatever is necessary. If you need to tie him down with a rope, just
do it.”
Poliana snorted, “What are you talking about? It has only been a few
years since he moved the capital to Yapa, so why would he move it
again? Don’t be so ridiculous!”
“But he has done this before! He might do it again!”
“It’s just you people who didn’t know about his plan! At the time, those
very close to the emperor knew about his plan to move the capital.
We’ve known about it for years actually.”
The men’s eyes widened in shock. They could not believe what they just
heard; all of them felt hurt.
“What! You knew! And others too! But why not us!”
Poliana could see the men’s eyes tearing up, so she quickly ran away.
‘Why do people say women cry a lot? It’s the men sometimes who can
be much more emotional.’
The emperor and Poliana rode their horses. Because Lucius the First did
not tell Poliana where they were going, Poliana followed without a word.
Her recent injury wasn’t too serious, so she didn’t have any problem
riding.
Poliana grumbled, “You should’ve brought more guards for your
protection, your highness…”
She learned that morning that the rumor was true, Sir Ainno was indeed
so distracted by his love life that he didn’t seem to care at all about the
fact that the emperor was going on a trip with only one knight. Normally,
Sir Ainno would’ve insisted on accompanying them, but this time, he
didn’t look interested. He just waved at them, which shocked Poliana.
‘This is so strange… Something doesn’t feel right.’
Why did Sir Ainno look at her so oddly? He was looking at her like she
was a prey about to be caught. Poliana couldn’t understand. It wasn’t
like the emperor was going to sell her off as a slave somewhere. So why
was Sir Ainno looking at her like that?
The emperor replied confidently, “I’m going to be fine, Sir Pol. I am very
strong, you know. I am actually more worried about you, Sir Pol. How is
your injury? Does it hurt to ride?”
“My bone didn’t get injured, so I’m fine, your highness. I just have to
keep the wound clean so it doesn’t get inflamed. By the way, Sir Bentier
is still in prison, right? So, who is in control while you’re absent, your
highness?”
The emperor didn’t tell Poliana how long their trip was going to be either.
She guessed that it was going to be at least an overnight trip, and it was
very possible that it could be several days before they returned home.
So if the chancellor and the emperor were missing… Who was going to
rule the kingdom?
Lucius the First smiled happily, “Oh, I have a wonderful cousin named
Duke Luzo.”
“…”
Poor Duke Luzo. Poliana prayed for the poor man, who was going to be
overworking again for a while.
The emperor rode fast even though he knew Poliana was recently
injured. They have a history of crossing the continent, so this felt easy
for both of them. Besides, there weren’t any battles they had to win on
their way, so both Poliana and Lucius the First felt relaxed.
Poliana asked, “Your highness, just where are we going?”
She could tell that the emperor had a clear destination in mind. The fact
that she didn’t made it frustrating. It was definitely not Nanaba. They
definitely weren’t going to Duke Luzo’s castle. No matter how hard she
studied the map, Poliana couldn’t figure it out.
Just then, she saw a familiar name on the map.
Duke Sneke’s land.
‘It can’t be this place…’
But it was. Thinking it was finally time to tell her, Lucius the First told her,
“We are going to the Duke Sneke’s land.”
“Is there a very rare animal you want to hunt in the area? Or is there
something fun to watch there…?”
“Yes, I guess it’s both. I need to hunt down something there and I also
want you to see something.”
Lucius the First wanted to hunt down the gold digger and he wanted
Poliana to witness the fact that she was marrying a fraud. The emperor
technically did not lie, but he let Poliana misunderstand. Poliana thought
that they were going into a forest to hunt, but this wasn’t the case. The
emperor was going to hunt down Frau Sneke and he wanted Poliana to
see the truth. Poliana, ignorant of what was going to happen, looked
excited.

Chapter 255: Chapter 255

Chapter 255
The town they arrived at was a small rural one in the rough Acreian
mountain. Poliana never imagined the real reason why she was brought
here; she just looked around the area and enjoyed the small village. Its
landlord, Duke Sneke, was currently arrested and in jail, but the town
was still running as usual. It was not overly big or small; it was an
average-sized village and its main industry seemed to be hunting. There
was a well-built inn often used by the hungry, which was fortunate. This
meant that Poliana and Lucius the First did not have to sleep outdoors.
Poliana walked around leisurely. At first, the villagers watched with
suspicion at the sudden appearance of strangers, but when they realized
that it was a woman, they relaxed a little.
“She looks pretty rich, right?”
“A woman traveling alone?”
“No, I saw that she came here with a man.”
A woman rarely traveled alone. The villagers watched with interest as
Poliana roamed the town. They weren’t looking at her with suspicion
anymore; they stared at her with interest and curiosity. The reason was
simple; Poliana was ugly. If a beauty suddenly appeared in town, people
would’ve been suspicious.
“Yeah, she looks wealthy, but what’s with the scar on her face?”
“I know, right? Did she got mauled by a wolf or something?”
“Or maybe she got hit by a wagon when she was little.”
Ugly women were more common than beautiful ones. Poliana wasn’t
beautiful, but people could tell that she was obviously a wealthy noble
lady. But to have a rich lady with so many scars… It was a rare
combination. It was one thing for her to be unattractive, but it was quite
another for a woman to have such a large scar on her face.
The villagers stared and whispered, “Remember how my neighbor’s
youngest daughter got poked in the face by an arrow when she was
little? It happened a few years ago. She was playing around and ended
up getting hurt.”
“Yes, but her face looks fine now, right? How come?”
“She was lucky because Master Frau was there at the time. He gave her
some medicinal cream and she didn’t end up with a scar on her face.”
“Really? Wow. Her father actually dared to go to Master Frau for a
favor? He must’ve been really desperate.”
“Well, she is his only daughter and if she was scarred, she would’ve
never been able to get married. He was very worried, so he was willing
to risk being beaten. He visited the master and begged him.”
“Hmm… My feet have been draining pus for a while now… Should I go
visit him too? Master Frau is still here, right?”
“Don’t you dare. You are going to get in trouble.”
For the first time, the villagers began to talk about a person Poliana
recognized. She couldn’t help but get closer to listen. When the people
stopped talking, Poliana called for them. At first, the men didn’t realize
Poliana was talking to them, but when she called out to them again, they
replied, “Oh, did you need something, Ma’am?”
The villagers approached her respectfully. Poliana was a foreigner with
an odd scar, but there was no doubt she was someone wealthy and
important. People suspected that she was either a high-ranking noble
lady or a wife of a very wealthy merchant.
Poliana asked, “You were talking about this man named Frau. Are you
referring to the Master Frau of the Sneke family?”
“Huh?! Yes, Ma’am! Do you know the master?”
“I am his acquaintance. So it’s true that Frau is currently visiting this
town?”
“Yes, yes! It’s true!”
The people became even more awed and respectful when they realized
that Poliana was acquainted with Frau, who was a nobleman. Poliana
learned where Frau was staying in the village. She couldn’t help smiling
as she walked.
‘Wow, what a coincidence.’
She came here with Lucius the First as a random outing, so what were
the chances that she would meet her fiancé here? Poliana secretly loved
it; she hummed quietly.
‘Maybe this isn’t a coincidence. Maybe it’s fate.’
It was such a corny thought that Poliana giggled. Thankfully, there was
no one around her to witness her odd behavior. Within a few minutes,
Poliana arrived at the small house, which seemed empty. She could,
however, hear people talking behind the house. There was also a faint
sound of a child laughing, making Poliana smile as well.
Then, she heard the conversation.
“… even if you say that…”
“It can’t be helped now. It’s too late to change.”
It was Frau’s voice.
Poliana thought in relief, ‘I guess I found the right place.’ She smiled
happily. Wanting to surprise her fiancé, Poliana walked towards the
backyard quietly. The conversation continued and as she got closer, she
could hear it more clearly.
“Please, Master Frau, you must rethink your decision. You, as well as
the child, could get hurt from this. Please just forget about us and the
child and live your life freely.”
“How can a father abandon his own son! I could never do something like
that, so don’t even say it!”
Poliana, suddenly realizing this was a very serious conversation,
stopped on her tracks. She was no longer smiling. Instead, she gritted
her teeth. Her jaws clenched painfully as she made sure to keep herself
hidden. She moved slowly and carefully walked towards Frau and an old
man.
“Master Frau… If your lady finds out about this, she is going to be
furious.”
“I won’t tell her so she will never know.”
“But how…”
“This rule doesn’t apply to you commoners, but us nobles had a strict
law about inheritance. That woman I am about to marry cannot have her
own children. When she dies while I am her husband, everything she
has will be inherited to my son.”
The old man didn’t know the law, so he could not argue with Frau.
However, it was clear that the old man did not like this situation.
Normally, a commoner like him would never dare to argue with a
nobleman like Frau, but…
The old man knew what an honor it was for a man like Frau to have
loved his daughter, but in the end, the result was not a happy ending.
“But Master Frau, if you end up dying before the lady…”
“I will make sure that never happens.”
Poliana inhaled sharply. The sound of a child laughing got closer. A
young boy ran up to Frau and hugged him tightly.
“Father!”
“Hahaha! How have you been, my son?”
Frau lifted up the boy and kissed his cheeks several times. The boy
laughed happily and hugged Frau even tighter. It was a beautiful scene
of a father and son, but Poliana could not smile at them.
The boy was an average-looking child. Just like his father, the young
child had round shoulders, and considering he grew up in a small village
with an old couple, the boy looked well-fed. Other than that, there was
nothing special about this boy. He was just one of many village boys and
nothing more.
Poliana shivered as she thought angrily, ‘He wants to give my title to that
boy?’

Chapter 256: Chapter 256

Chapter 256
The left side of her lips jerked in shock and anger. She was wealthier
than most small kingdom’s rulers used to be. She had the best piece of
land on the continent. Her position as the head of the Second Division
was the highest any knight would hope to achieve in his life. She was
still beloved and trusted by the emperor of this entire kingdom.
Poliana had everything. There were many in this world who envied her.
But of all the things she treasured in her life, the one that was most
valuable to her was her name.
Her name “Winter” was her greatest treasure in life. It was given to her
by her emperor so she would never forget that amazing winter day when
she was reborn. The freezing weather that froze her to her bones… The
cruelty she experienced… And then the moment that made her forget all
of her pain… When she swore to be Lucius the First’s knight forever…
It was the happiest day of Poliana’s life. She would never forget that
fateful day.
Poliana made sure that everyone knew her intention. She said many
times that if she found a worthy child, she would adopt him and give him
her name. She would make him her heir. Her name would be gifted to
the one who was special and worthy.
Her acquaintances often joked that they would train their sons to just get
the chance to become her heir. Poliana trembled in anger, ‘And he
wants to give it to his son? Just like that? Without my permission?
Without even letting me know?’
Poliana was the head of the Winter family. It wasn’t uncommon for a
bastard child or a stepson to inherit the family title, but Poliana had no
intention of doing something like this. If she knew Frau had a child, she
would’ve never considered him a potential husband.
The only reasons she thought well of him were his honesty and ambition
about wanting her wealth and the fact that he was the same age as her.
If she knew he had a son, she would’ve beat him up the moment he
proposed to her.
Poliana continued to tremble. It took everything in her to control her
anger. Still unaware of her presence, Frau announced to his son
proudly, “Don’t worry, my son. I will turn you into a nobleman.”
Grit.
Poliana clenched her molars hard. Suddenly, she felt someone’s hand
on her shoulder. It was a gentle touch and without turning around, she
knew who it was.
It was Lucius the First.
Poliana turned around slowly, and when she saw his face, she knew why
he brought her here.
He was here so she would learn the truth. This was what she was
supposed to see.
Her face crumbled the moment she realized her reality. Poliana couldn’t
stand how idiotic she has been. She was so stupid that she got fooled by
a gold digger. Poliana murmured to Lucius the First, “I am so sorry, your
highness, for making you worry… If I haven’t been so stupid…”
“This isn’t your fault, Sir Pol. It’s that man’s fault. All of it. Don’t blame
yourself for this, you mustn’t. ”
The emperor tried to console her, but it was no use. Poliana’s face
became filled with grief.
“Haha…”
She laughed quietly, not knowing how to react. Because she could not
lose her control in front of the emperor, Poliana clenched her teeth
again. She tried to remain calm, but she couldn’t help but keep laughing.
The truth was… Poliana was embarrassed. She was so mortified that
she wanted to die. She wanted to cry but she kept laughing.
She wanted to kill Frau. She wanted to run away. She wanted to burn
the entire village. Nothing in the world could make things better for her.
She wanted to die. She wanted to kill.
All her life, Poliana lived with her sword. She killed to live. She killed for
her dream. She had to kill to achieve her goals. Poliana was not afraid to
draw blood. She did not hesitate. If necessary, she did not hide from
killing.
‘This is the worst.’
She wanted to kill Frau, but more than that, she wanted to kill herself.
How did this happen? All she did was to see one doctor positively. He
was her age and she thought he was a good man. She ended up liking
him, and Poliana wondered if what she did was so wrong. If her only
fault was to misjudge a man… The punishment for it was too cruel.
Just how much pain did she have to go through to get over it?
Poliana looked down in shame. She could not bear to look at the
emperor. He must’ve thought she was a complete idiot. She was so
stupid that incompetent that her emperor had to bring her here himself to
fix the situation.
Poliana understood why the emperor did this. If he just straight out told
her, she would’ve been mortified. If he punished Frau himself, Poliana
would’ve felt guilty and incapable. This was why the emperor took the
time and effort to bring her here.
What a kind and generous emperor he was.
Lucius the First didn’t have to do this. He could’ve just taken care of the
situation himself. All he had to do was not allow the marriage to take
place. So the fact that he brought her here for her to see in person…
The emperor knew her very well. He understood her.
Lucius the First knew that Poliana was beginning to fall for Frau. She
wasn’t deeply in love with him, but it was obvious that she liked Frau
very much. This was why the emperor did this. It was all for her.
Poliana thought bitterly, ‘I was so stupid, feeling excited about the
wedding…’
It was true. She has been excited about the upcoming marriage. She
was so happy about getting married, forming a family, and becoming
part of someone’s life. The process of preparing her wedding was a joy.
She was happy.
It was so rare for a man to approach her as a woman. She was secretly
happy about Frau’s proposal. She was dreaming of a life with Frau.
Laughing together… Eating together… Talking before going to bed
about their days…
Some women found it stressful to plan a wedding, but Poliana loved it.
Picking out the invitation design was fun. Choosing the venue and the
food… All these things were enjoyable for her. She was so excited about
her wedding day that she became blinded. She didn’t see clearly what
was most important in a marriage. She didn’t see what kind of man she
was marrying.
She has been stupid beyond reasons; she had no excuse for her
mistake.
She was lonely and this man used her weakness against her.
‘I… I should’ve just gotten a puppy…’
She was offered great puppies by many people. A dog would’ve never
betrayed her like this. A dog would’ve never made her sad like this. A
dog would’ve never infuriated her like this.
If she just got a dog, something like this would’ve never happened.

Chapter 257: Chapter 257

Chapter 257
Poliana realized the big and stupid mistake she made. The moment Frau
revealed that he was after her money, she should’ve walked away from
him. She should’ve known that he had an ulterior motive. Even if she
didn’t suspect this, she should’ve never accepted him. He was clearly
unethical and rude, so she should’ve dumped him.
Why? Why did she go on like she did? Why did she believe him? Why
did she trust him? Why did she act so foolishly?
Poliana thought he was a naïve innocent man. She thought he just didn’t
know how to converse properly. But the truth was… If he was truly a
good man like he thought, he would’ve never married for money. The
only excuse Poliana had was the fact that she was so shocked by his
proposal, she didn’t think clearly and logically. Looking back, there were
so many warning signs, but she was blinded at the time.
Poliana was so embarrassed. She was ashamed and mortified. She
wanted to die, especially because she made her emperor go through this
much effort for her. She felt guilty and she didn’t know how to express
her regret. The emperor recently lost all of his wives one by one, and
with the current political turmoil, Poliana was well aware of how busy he
was with his work. Unfortunately, it seemed that Poliana created even
more work for him, which was the worst thing a knight could do.
‘Why? Why is this happening to me? Why me?’
All of her colleague knights got married without any problems. They
married well and they lived normal lives, so why did Poliana have to go
through such a hardship like this? Everyone got married easily, so why
couldn’t she?
Poliana didn’t know what to say to the emperor. She was ashamed that
she still wasn’t married. She was ashamed that she provided a reason
for people to ridicule her. She was ashamed that she created a situation
where her emperor had to come to her rescue. She was embarrassed
that she was such a bad judge of a character. She would’ve rather lose a
battle than going through this right now. She could not be any more
mortified.
Poliana murmured, “I… I will… make sure… s-something like this…
never happens again… Your highness…” It took everything she had not
to cry. During the last few years, Poliana ended up being nude in front of
the emperor many times. But this incident… It was much worse. She felt
more embarrassed and humiliated now than when he saw her naked
body.
Lucius the First, watching how tormented Poliana was, swore to himself
silently, ‘I will not let that bastard die easy.’ The emperor said to her,
“You can cry, Sir Pol.” He reached out, trying to hug her, but Poliana
stepped back. The shock and sadness quickly became replaced by fury.
She was now a hunter and her prey needed to be punished. She was
ready to hurt Frau very badly.
“Die!”
She ran towards Frau with all the strength and speed she had. She
swung her scabbard as hard as she could, making Frau fall to the
ground with his son still in his arms. The child began to cry, and Frau
looked around in confusion. When he finally spotted Poliana, he
stammered, “M Marquess… This… This isn’t…”
“You bastard! How dare you con me?!”
“Marquess! This isn’t what it looks like…!”
“What! You will make your son into the next Marquis Winter? Do you
think you have the power to do that?! To make a bastard son of a
servant the next Marquis Winter? You have lost your mind, haven’t you?
You are a nobody pretending to be a nobleman!”
She didn’t need to hear his excuse or explanation. She heard everything
she needed to hear. Poliana kicked Frau’s chin hard, disappointed that
she wasn’t wearing her usual metal-studded military boots. Poliana then
used the back of her sword to hit Frau’s mouth, making his lips bleed
and breaking his front teeth.
The child, who got up from the ground, ran after Poliana.
“Why are you hitting my dad! You are a bad person!”
“It’s your father who is a bad person; he has done me wrong.”
Poliana thought about kicking the child away, but in the end, she just
pushed him away gently. The child tried to attack her again, but the old
man grabbed him. This woman, who appeared suddenly, was clearly no
ordinary woman. The way she moved… Her fighting skills… The old
man immediately realized who she was and became pale.
Poliana put her foot on Frau’s chest. His face and mouth were now
covered in blood, and when she stepped on him, Frau coughed. The
blood splattered onto her dress, but Poliana didn’t notice. She took out
her dagger from her pocket and placed it on his neck. Frau trembled in
fear as Poliana said to him, “Marquis? You were going to make that
bastard of yours a Marquis after me? Did you really think you could get
away with this? Tell me, Frau Sneke. How stupid did you think I was that
you planned something like this? Me! The head of the Second Division
and the emperor’s close acquaintance! Have you forgotten that I am
Marquess Winter?!”
“P-please… Just spare my son…”
“I hate liars.”
Poliana moved her dagger from his neck to Frau’s mouth. Frau could
taste the bitter taste of the blade as it hit his broken front teeth. When
Gali the Third lied to the emperor, Lucius the First ripped his mouth open
and killed him. The king of Kopi ended up losing his genitals. What Frau
didn’t know was that the one who cut off the Kopi king’s genitals wasn’t
Lucius the First; it was Poliana who did it. Poliana was a woman who did
not show mercy, even to a king. This meant that she would have
absolutely no mercy for a conman.
Poliana contemplated for a second before removing the dagger from his
mouth. Frau sighed in relief but Poliana quickly stepped on his nose for a
second before coming down. Poliana threw the dagger on the ground
beside him.
“Cut it off.”
“…?!”
“Cut it off.”
Frau stood up, shaking uncontrollably. When he picked up the dagger
and brought it to his mouth, Poliana shook her head. Frau was only a
nobody, which meant that he did not deserve the same kind of
punishment as Gali the Third, who was a ruler of his own kingdom. Frau
deserved much worse.
Poliana pointed at his crotch and said to him, “Cut it off.”
Frau’s eyes widened in understanding. The child continued to wail loudly
while the old man was on the ground, kneeling and begging desperately
for mercy. The villagers, by now, surrounded them and watched
curiously. Then suddenly, one of the brave bystanders yelled, “Hey, that
man over there is Master Frau. He is the son of the former Duke Sneke.”
The villager could see that Poliana was no ordinary woman, but Frau
was the brother of the current Duke Sneke. The man thought that if he
saved Frau, perhaps he would be rewarded later.

Chapter 258: Chapter 258

Chapter 258
“So?”
“Master Frau is a family member of our landlord, so you can’t do this…”
Poliana glared at the villager, making him flinch. She said to him, “Duke
Sneke and his family are no more. They will not be returning here. If you
are so worried about this man being related to your former landlord, then
I will become your new landlord.”
She looked around, and the villagers didn’t have to question whether she
could do this. It was clear, based on her behavior and the way she
spoke, that Poliana was a woman of great power. She continued to
announce, “I am the most loyal knight of the greatest emperor Lucius the
First. I am Marquess Winter! This man here has brought shame to my
name and my reputation! He has abused my trust and he has wronged
me greatly! Worst of all, by doing this, he also has brought shame to his
highness’s name and reputation! This crime cannot go unpunished! He
can only repay his debt with his life! But this bastard is a nobody! He is
not a nobleman! He isn’t a knight! He is nothing, and therefore, his life is
not worth anything! He cannot pay for his crime with his life and that is
why I am punishing him myself!”
The villagers kneeled as Poliana revealed her identity. Everyone has
heard of the infamous marquess, and no one doubted that Poliana was
the one. Claiming another noble’s identity was considered a crime, after
all. Besides, the way she acted indicated that Poliana was obviously a
very high ranking noble.
Someone as high-ranking as Marquess could kill any innocent
commoner without being punished. So how could anyone blame her or
try to stop her when she was about to punish someone who was guilty?
Poliana turned back to Frau and ordered again, “Cut it off.” She looked
down at him like he was an insignificant bug on the ground. This was
why she loved power. She was no longer a young powerless knight from
Aehas. She did not have to endure people’s rudeness or insults. She
now had the power to punish anyone she wanted.
Cruel punishment was necessary for her to maintain her authority. She
needed to make good examples of those who committed crimes so
others would think twice before doing something stupid to her or to those
around them. There was no room for mercy in this situation.
Lucius the First did not usually rule by fear and violence, but there were
certainly times when he used them when necessary.
“…”
Frau kneeled with his head on the ground and begged for compassion.
This was useless, however. Only those who deserved mercy would get
it, and Frau certainly was not one of them.
Poliana said to him coldly, “Do it now before my anger turns towards
your child. Cut it off.” This threat was enough to make him move. Frau
finally got up and pulled down his pants with shaking hands. Poliana
stared at his manhood which was shriveled from pain and fear.
Frau begged, “Please… Not my son… Please forgive him…”
“Daddd!”
The boy, who was still held firmly by the old man, cried out. He was
annoying, but Poliana stopped herself from hurting him. Although the
boy was the original source of this situation, he was innocent. It was
Frau’s greed that started all this, not the child. The boy didn’t deserve to
be punished.
Poliana wondered bitterly, ‘Why am I the one looking like the bad guy
here?’
All the villagers were kneeling on the ground in fear. In the middle was
the man who was bleeding and crying. A young boy was nearby crying
after his father. The only person standing here was Poliana, who was
screaming at the man to cut his genital off.
This wasn’t fair. The current situation made her look like a nasty witch.
She was certain she was a horrible person when in truth, it was Frau
who was the villain! She waited patiently and watched as Frau, still
shaking, brought the dagger to his manhood. After a short hesitation, he
cut himself. A stream of bright red blood spurted out.
“Arrgg!”
Frau screamed and slumped forward in pain. Poliana watched coldly and
walked towards the piece of flesh on the ground. Without any emotion,
she stepped on Frau’s penis and crushed it.
Frau now was a eunuch. He would never be able to have sex again. He
might even die today from bleeding.
‘Well, he is a doctor so I’m sure he will be fine.’
Poliana felt like he should be thankful to her. She planned on killing him,
which was what he deserved, but she spared his life because of his
young son. She said to him, “If I ever see you or your son again, I will kill
both of you. If a rumor starts from this about me that makes me look bad,
I will come after you and kill you. If I find out my reputation has been
damaged from this, I will kill you. If you ever shame my family name
again, I will kill you. I am Poliana Winter. My name was a gift from the
emperor. If this name becomes blemished, I will kill you. I won’t kill you
kindly or painlessly. If and when I kill you, it won’t be pretty. I will make
sure to kill your child in front of you before I kill you.”
Frau cut his own genitals off to save his son, but this fatherly love did not
impress Poliana. After all, it was from this love that started this whole
ugly situation.
‘He already has a son so it should be fine for him even if he can’t sire
another child. It’s all good.’
Poliana turned towards the villagers and announced, “I am sure all of
you know what to do and what not to do from this day! I meant it when I
said I will become your next landlord. Make sure you do not anger your
new lord!”
Poliana felt much better. She walked towards the place where the
emperor was standing. Whatever happened in the village now wasn’t her
problem anymore. They already reserved the room at the town inn, but
she didn’t want to stay in this village anymore. Poliana decided that they
should ride to the next town before the sun sets.
‘But before that…’
Poliana bowed deeply to the emperor and apologized, “This will never
happen again your highness.” Lucius the First looked at her sadly and
replied, “Sir Pol… I keep telling you that this isn’t your fault…”
“Because of my mistake, I have caused you unnecessary grief, your
highness. I sincerely apologize.”
“No, Sir Pol. You didn’t do anything wrong. You did everything right
today. You did it excellently. I am proud of you.”
Lucius the First hugged Poliana tightly. Poliana didn’t fight and in fact,
she rested her head on his shoulder. The emperor caressed her head
gently and murmured, “You did very well. You were amazing. You didn’t
do anything wrong.”
He decided quietly, ‘I better deal with the Sneke family myself.’
The whole Sneke family had to know what was going on, yet they didn’t
say anything. It was obvious why. They were jealous of Poliana, who
was a foreign woman with more power and wealth than them. They
clearly wanted her to suffer.
If Lucius the First punished Duke Sneke harsher than he deserved
based on his official political crime, people were going to talk.
Fortunately, the Sneke family was very close to Marquis Seeze, which
meant that there had to be many more secret crimes involving Duke
Sneke.
Finally, the snake hunt was over. The political snakes were all in jail and
the gold-digging snake, the worst kind, was punished. Lucius the First
would’ve preferred much harsher torture for Frau, but he decided to
respect Poliana’s decision.
Now, the only thing left for him to do was….
‘I need to propose to her!’
He was going to do this right. Instead of some flowers he picked, he was
going to give her the whole garden full of flowers when he proposed. He
was going to give her his mother’s ring and make Poliana the next
empress of Acreia. He was going to tell her how he felt about her for a
long time.
Lucius the First swore to himself that he would propose to her, even if
she refuses him. He wanted to let her know that he loved her with all of
his heart.
He needed her to know that he loved her desperately.

Chapter 259: Book 4. Story 20. If you make trouble, I

will take care of it – Chapter 259

Book 4.
Story 20. If you make trouble, I will take care of it
Chapter 259
Poliana and Lucius the First grabbed their things from the inn. It was
getting late and the nearest town did not have an inn. This meant that
they would have to travel to a farther village and if they wanted to get
there before the sunset, they had to move fast.
The sun set fast in the mountainous areas. The villages in the area built
walls around themselves for protection against wild animals as well as
strangers. The entrance to the different towns closed at night.
The nobles could enter the villages even after the doors closed if they
could prove their nobility. However, it was time-consuming to do this, so
it was best to get to the town before it got too dark.
The emperor rode his horse quietly. It wasn’t just because he needed to
ride fast; it was more because his companion was not interested in
having a conversation. Lucius the First did not have to see Poliana know
how upset she was. He could feel it on his skin.
When was the last time Poliana was this upset and defeated? Never.
Lucius the First could not remember the time when Poliana wasn’t robust
and confident. The emperor knew what he had to do first as soon as he
returned to Yapa.
Revenge!
Poliana’s punishment for Frau was too mild. It was not even close to
being enough to satisfy Lucius the First. He wanted to do much more,
but the emperor needed to respect Poliana’s wishes. If he did something
back in the village, it would’ve made Poliana look weak. If he punished
Frau further in the future, this would also make Poliana look soft.
However, he could still punish others involved in this scheme.
Thankfully, there were people back in Yapa he could hurt.
The Sneke family didn’t do anything to stop the marriage between
Poliana and Frau even though they must’ve known the truth about Frau.
A decent nobleman would’ve let Poliana know what kind of man Frau
was. After all, the Sneke family itself disowned Frau. However, Duke
Sneke didn’t say a word. If someone from the Sneke family said
something, would the situation have gotten this bad? It wouldn’t have
been hard to let Poliana know. Just one word… That would’ve been
more than enough.
‘I am going to make them regret it.’
Lucius the First gritted his teeth quietly. He could tell that his knightess
was in pain and knowing how hard she must be trying to hide her
sadness was killing him. He swore to himself that someone would pay
for this.
Lucius the First’s emotions changed from anger to sadness over and
over again. His face showed what he was feeling while Poliana’s
expression remained emotionless. Knowing how much pain she must be
going through… The emperor’s heart ached.
Poliana Winter has always been strong and confident. Even when she
was about to be raped by the enemy soldiers, Poliana never gave up
fighting. So to see her so defeated like this… It was hard to watch.
‘She must be extremely upset, which means…’
At this moment, who would be able to understand how Poliana felt? Just
thinking about her made Lucius the First want to cry. He desperately
wanted to hug her, but he stopped himself. He wasn’t sure about what
he should do.
Should he hug her? Should he not?
While he contemplated, Poliana was feeling hopeless.
‘Dammit. I want to kill myself.’
The emperor was the most important person in the world to her. She
always wanted to look good in his eyes, yet what happened today ruined
everything. It made sense that she was suicidal. Of all people, why did
something like this happen in front of his highness?
No one could be perfect all the time, but everyone wanted to look perfect
in at least one person’s eyes in the world. To some, it could be their
parents. To others, it could be their spouses. To Poliana, it was Lucius
the First.
Her emperor took her in and changed her life forever. To him, Poliana
wanted to always remain a good knight. Just like a child wanting to be
praised, her motive was pure yet obsessive.
‘Sh*t… Should I just really kill myself?’
Poliana really wanted to die at this moment. She wanted to drown
herself or hang herself. If she didn’t do something, Poliana suspected
she might die from embarrassment.
Only yesterday, she was smiling and giggling while planning her
wedding. Now, Poliana was humiliated about the small happiness and
joy she felt for her future. Was she being punished because she desired
something she didn’t deserve? Something that did not suit her?
Unable to endure the overwhelming humiliation, Poliana suddenly
slapped herself.
Slap!
It was such a loud sound that Lucius the First jumped in shock.
“W-w-what was that?!”
“I’m sorry, your highness. I was falling asleep, so I slapped myself to
wake up.”
“You are an excellent rider who can ride in your sleep, Sir Pol, so don’t
ever do that again.”
“Yes, your highness!”
Poliana replied emphatically. The slap actually helped because she
really did feel awake.
‘What the heck am I thinking? Punishment? What punishment! F*ck it!
It’s that bastard who conned me! I didn’t do anything wrong!’
Poliana gritted her teeth, and the emperor told her to stop or else she
would hurt her teeth. He was right, of course. Poliana was missing a
molar, which meant that she should take extra good care of her
remaining teeth. But right now, she was so furious that she couldn’t help
gritting her teeth again.
She has been wrong. She shouldn’t have to feel embarrassed. She
wasn’t being punished for anything. The universe was on her side.
Poliana realized this because first of all, she was Lucius the First’s
knight. On top of it, she was a powerful noble. Power was justice and
since she had all the power in the world, justice was whatever she
decided it to be.
Poliana didn’t do anything wrong. All she wanted was justice and nothing
more. But despite this truth, Poliana still couldn’t help feeling
embarrassed. She has never been this humiliated in her life. It would’ve
been less humiliating to enter the training hall naked. Poliana wondered,
‘Did highness feel like this that night?’
She remembered the night Lucius the First rejected her. It was after she
returned from Nanaba. Sir Ainno explained that the emperor told her to
leave because he didn’t want her to see him in distress. At the time,
Poliana didn’t understand what this meant, but now she realized what Sir
Ainno was talking about.
She understood perfectly because, at this very moment, Poliana wanted
to reject Lucius the First! If she wasn’t the head of the Second Division…
If she wasn’t the only guard present to protect the emperor… If there
was just one more royal guard with them… She would’ve run away from
Lucius the First.
It wouldn’t have been as bad if what happened today occurred in front of
anyone else in the world. But of all people… She never wanted her
emperor to see her humiliated like that. Of all people… Why did it have
to happen in front of her emperor?

Chapter 260: Chapter 260

Chapter 260
Lucius the First was Poliana’s emperor and master. She was a knight
that swore to hold her sword until her dying day to protect her sovereign.
Poliana would jump into the fire for him. She would fight a vicious tiger
for her emperor.
Lucius the First was the very first person who recognized her as
someone worthy. He accepted her as a knight and treated her with the
utmost respect. He was her savior, which meant that she could not help
but be loyal to him.
To Poliana, Lucius the First was a hero. He was her god. She, however,
did not think her loyalty for the emperor was overdone. She believed that
every knight in the kingdom felt the same way about Lucius the First as
her. Of course, she was mistaken. Sir Ainno and Poliana were notorious
for their unusual devotion to the emperor; most people thought it was
more like an obsession.
The point was, Poliana finally thought she could understand how Lucius
the First must’ve felt that night when he told her to leave his room. She
felt exactly the same way at this very moment.
The person you trusted and treasured the most… Even if this person
was the most important person in your life, there were things you
wouldn’t want to show about yourself. Poliana wanted the emperor to
see only the best side of her, the side he helped her to achieve.
Poliana was a close friend of Rebecca. They talked about everything,
including things that were raw and ugly. They shared their worst sides to
each other. This was possible, not because their friendship was deep,
but because their relationship began this way. Because Poliana was in
awe of her emperor, she wanted to show only the best side of her to him.
She wanted him to be proud of her. She wanted him to think she was
perfect.
Of course, there were times in the past when he saw her drunk, but…
That was insignificant.
‘What happened today… This isn’t right.’
Poliana was afraid that the emperor would now see her as a woman who
was desperate for men. At this very moment, she wanted to be alone.
She wanted everyone in the world to leave her alone. She needed to be
by herself.
And if she couldn’t be alone in this world… At the very least, she wanted
Lucius the First to leave her. It wasn’t that she was rejecting him or
hating him. She still loved him more than ever. She just didn’t want him
to see her like this. She was so humiliated, and she felt guilty.
Poliana found it difficult to look Lucius the First in the eyes. If she hadn’t
been feeling so lonely, especially after that night when the emperor
asked her to leave… None of this might have happened.
Trying to snap out of her thoughts, Poliana slapped herself again.
Slap!
‘How dare I try to blame his highness for this mess! I am the worst.’
Lucius the First jumped again. He was used to seeing her assaulting
various plants and buildings, but never herself! This was not acceptable!
“Sir Pol, you must stop.”
“I’m sorry, your highness.”
Poliana’s cheek reddened. She knew that it would swell or bruise by
tomorrow morning. Hesitantly, she asked, “How… How did you know?”
Her voice was weak. Lucius the First was conflicted. Should he tell her
the truth? That her adopted brothers rode nonstop through the bad
weather to tell him about it? Or should he tell her that he found out by
coincidence during his own investigation? If he told her the truth, Poliana
would feel grateful to Sir Howe and Sir Donau, but it would also make
her feel guiltier and more embarrassed. If he lied to her, then at least,
she would think that not many people knew about her embarrassing
situation.
The emperor decided to lie for her feelings.
“Sir Pol, you know how important you are to me. I did my own research
on that man to make sure he was worthy of you.”
“I did too…”
Poliana was impressed with the Intelligence Unit once again.
‘Wow, the Intelligence Unit must be a powerful organization.’
The emperor replied, “It is obvious that the Sneke family purposely kept
this a secret. The older members of that family would know all about
what happened to Frau, but the younger ones obviously wouldn’t
remember.”
“…”
“Don’t feel too upset. There aren’t that many people who know about
this. Your breakup won’t result in bad rumors.”
“It’s not the rumors I am afraid of.”
Ugly and strange rumors followed Poliana everywhere since the
beginning. She was used to them and she expected them to be with her
always. The important things were whether or not these rumors were
true and if people would dare to speak of them in her presence. If these
rumors weren’t true, Poliana didn’t mind them.
What bothered her the most in this situation was the fact that the
emperor had to get involved to fix it. How does he feel about this mess?
Until this afternoon, Poliana had no idea about the truth about Frau. It
seemed that Lucius the First made sure his own investigation and the
findings remained hidden from the public. By doing this, he allowed
Poliana to be able to punish the criminal on her own terms.
Poliana felt so thankful and ashamed.
And now… She began to regret her decision. Poliana asked, “Do you
think I was too kind to him? Was that punishment too light?”
Should she have ripped all of his limbs off and hang him in the public
square? Poliana provided a weak excuse, “I didn’t rip his limbs off
because of the child there.”
“No, Sir Pol. You did very well.”
“Should I have sent the child away and ripped his arms off?”
“Well, I must admit that you were indeed very generous back there…”
Initially, Poliana planned on beheading Frau to be kind. Her life has been
filled with blood and she did not hesitate to kill when necessary. The
elderly Sir Bika once told her that not all murderers are knights, all
knights are murderers; Polina knew that this was very much true.
She was a murderer. In fact, she studied and was trained to kill. It was
her job and her career, which meant that anyone who hurt her reputation
needed to pay with their life. The only reason why she didn’t kill Frau
back in the village was because of the child. She thought that killing a
child’s father in front of him was too cruel.
Lucius the First said to her again, “I do think you were a little too kind,
especially considering what he did.”
Poliana laughed bitterly and replied, “I guess I will now have another
nickname, a eunuch maker.” She bit her lips, making Lucius the First’s
heart jump. She added, “I apologize again, your highness, for being such
an idiotic knight…”
“Stop, Pol. You need to know that I like you the way you are. I like you
because you are the way you are.”
Who cares if the woman he loved was a professional eunuch maker? It
just meant that the other men would be too afraid to approach her. Less
competition for him.
Who cares if the woman he loved was a knight? If for some reason, she
gets kidnapped, she would be able to survive on her own until he
rescued her, this was a good thing.
So what if the woman he loved was ugly? Again, less competition for
him!
Lucius the First smiled kindly at her. He was a youthful beauty before,
and now, he had matured into a gorgeous man. Poliana’s cheeks
reddened as she stared at his smile. It wasn’t from slapping herself; it
was from something different.
‘I swear, I will never even think about getting married again.’
Poliana thought in determination. She had no idea how sad her thought
would make her emperor.

Chapter 261: Chapter 261

Chapter 261
In the end, Poliana and Lucius the First arrived at their destination
shortly after the sunset. They entered the village right before the
entrance closed for the night. The two headed straight to the town inn
and thankfully, there were empty rooms available. The innkeeper, who
thought she wasn’t going to get any guests that day, greeted Poliana
and the emperor happily. But when she noticed the appearances of the
two, she seemed shocked and confused.
‘Hmm… Is he a gold digger who seduced a wealthy lady and they are
eloping?’
But this scenario didn’t make sense since the “lady” looked too scary. It
was one thing for a lady to be ugly, it was quite another for a
noblewoman to have so many noticeable scars. At first, the innkeeper
wasn’t even sure if Poliana was a woman, but she saw Poliana’s
breasts. Yes, this was definitely a woman.
‘Maybe she is the mother and she is taking her runaway son back
home?’
The innkeeper decided that this must be the case. It seemed that the
lady was very wealthy. The inn had two rooms and she took both of
them. Before entering the rooms, Poliana made sure the hallway and the
stairs were secure. It was a long traumatic day, but she was still a knight.
She would never forget to do her job.
The more she studied them, the more confident the innkeeper felt that
the lady was the mother and the young man was her son. The “son” was
very tall, but the “mother” was tall as well, so it made sense. Poliana
didn’t care what the innkeeper was thinking. After Lucius the First went
into his room, Poliana turned towards the innkeeper and asked, “Do you
sell alcohol here too?”
“Of course.”
“I need quite a lot.”
“How many bottles do you need?”
“A lot.”
She needed enough to make her forget that day. Poliana’s eyes burned
in determination.
***
As the lead of Acreia’s Second Division, Marquess Winter received
various privileges from Lucius the First. There were so many that it now
made no sense to list them all. Poliana was allowed to be armed and
draw her weapon in his presence even during the peaceful non-war
times. She was allowed to lie down in front of him even when she wasn’t
ill or injured.
Poliana could also enter his room and meet with him even without his
permission. During a conversation between the emperor and another
person, she had permission to interrupt in order to speak to his
highness. She was allowed to enter his personal space and even argue
with him.
In the past, Lucius the First enjoyed drinking with his men. During the
wartime, he often invited his knights to drink in his tent. This pastime,
however, became a rare occurrence after he moved the capital to Yapa.
It was because Lucius the First became too busy.
During the last few years, only Sir Ainno had the privilege to drink with
the emperor from time to time. Besides, there were plenty of official
feasts which made it unnecessary to invite his knights for private
drinking.
On a rare occasion when he did decide to drink, Lucius the First made a
point of not inviting Poliana. The time of the emperor seeing his
knightess’s naked body without an incident was now over. If he saw her
naked now… Lucius the First knew he would not be able to control
himself. He was a healthy man in love and his desire couldn’t be
stopped.
“…”
This was why the emperor hesitated to allow Poliana to enter his room
when she knocked on his door.
Poliana was standing in the hallway. Lucius the First noticed that she
had something beside her. It was a large barrel about half her size.
‘How did she carry that up here? This is the second floor.’
Based on the size of it, it was obvious the barrel wasn’t something
Poliana could carry up the stairs by herself. The emperor asked her,
“What is this?”
“It’s alcohol, your highness!”
Poliana answered proudly. Lucius the First already knew what it was,
since it obviously looked like a barrel that held liquor. He clarified his
question, “I meant how did you get it.”
“I purchased it from the town hall. Apparently, they have been storing
some of these for the upcoming town festival.”
“No, what I meant was, how you got such a large barrel up here.”
Poliana clenched her fist proudly and replied, “I rolled it!”
She was telling him that because it was so heavy and she could not
carry it, she rolled it upstairs. Lucius the First could understand that the
seller might have helped bring it from the town hall to the inn. So she
rolled it up the stairs from the first floor to the second?
‘Wow. It couldn’t have been easy to do that. It looks really heavy.’
If she had her men with her, she would’ve ordered them to do it for her.
She could’ve ordered someone from the town to do it, but it seemed that
she did not trust any of them to do it right.
“Umm… Sir Pol, you must be very tired. Do you really think drinking is a
good idea?”
Suddenly, Lucius the First stopped himself, realizing he was making a
mistake. He remembered the last time he pushed her away, trying to do
the gentlemanly thing. It turned out that what he did that night was the
completely wrong thing for him. It might have helped in pushing Poliana
towards that bastard Frau.
He failed himself once, but now, he learned his lesson. He needed to do
better this time. He needed to take the chance when it presented itself to
him.
Hesitantly, Lucius the First let Poliana enter his room. She began to roll
the barrel towards the door when she stopped, realizing that the width of
it on its side was too wide to fit through. Before she could do anything,
Lucius the First helped her. He put it upright and carried it easily into the
room.
It took all of her strength just to roll it, but the emperor carried it easily.
This was the difference Poliana had to remember between the emperor
and herself. Lucius the First asked her, “Are you telling me we should
drink all of this?”
“I will drink it all and die, your highness.”
“Well, I like drinking too, but don’t you think it will hurt your injury?”
“No, your highness. Alcohol is great for wounds.”
“I think it’s good for a wound when it is poured on top of it to prevent
infection. I don’t think drinking it is the same thing.”
Poliana ignored him and began to set up the table. She opened the
barrel and took out two cups. She also brought out the pieces of deer
jerky she purchased along with the liquor.
“Umm… Pol.”
“Yes, your highness. I am ready.”
She sat down on the chair and filled the cups. Poliana looked
determined for some reason, making Lucius the First feel uncertain.
‘What should I do…’
He allowed her to enter his room, but now… The emperor could not
guarantee her safety from him. His desire for her was so great and
Lucius the First did not think he could control himself if an opportunity
presented itself to him. Any other woman would’ve been safe with him,
but not Poliana.
Only Poliana, she was the only one for him.

Chapter 262: Chapter 262

Chapter 262
Lucius the First was a dangerous beast when it came to Poliana. Ever
since the day at the cliff after he conquered the world, his desire for her
has been growing nonstop. He could no longer trust himself to leave her
alone if she became naked again. The emperor no longer saw himself
and Poliana as the emperor and his knight. Their relationship was no
longer a business one, at least not to Lucius the First. Of course, Poliana
was unaware of this significant change in the emperor’s mind. Since she
didn’t know about it, it wasn’t her fault that she acted the same way as
she always has been around him. It was the emperor who changed. It
was him who needed to maintain control over his feelings and needs.
But a wild beast was impossible to tame. His love for her was about to
explode.
He decided silently, ‘I will just send her away to her room after a few
drinks.’
His love for her was one-sided. Poliana still saw their relationship as a
pure emperor-knight one. It was only Lucius the First who coveted and
desired her secretly. He thought to himself, ‘I just need to remain calm
and in control.’
It didn’t matter if Poliana got drunk as a skunk. As long as the emperor
didn’t make a mistake, this night could stay innocent. Lucius the First
was so distracted by his impure thoughts that the alcohol dribbled down
from the corner of his lips. He wasn’t focused at all.
‘I will just drink a few glasses and send her away.’
Thankfully, Poliana was a heavy drinker. She drank just as well as any
other knights he knew. He suspected that she would probably feel very
tired in a little while and voluntarily return to her room.
***
Unfortunately, Lucius the First’s guess was wrong. After finishing her
second cup, Poliana stared at the table blankly.
“This is a pretty strong liquor, isn’t it, Sir Pol? …? Pol? What’s wrong?”
“…”
Suddenly, her face crumpled, making the emperor tense. Was she going
to throw up? But she only had two cups so far. She did, however, have a
history of vomiting after drinking, so perhaps…
Secretly, Lucius the First hoped that Poliana would really throw up. That
way, his impure thoughts would disappear, and he would spend the night
taking care of her. In addition, Poliana would feel so guilty about
throwing up in front of the emperor again that if he asked her, she would
return to her room without a fight.
But the emperor did not get what he wanted. Poliana ended up doing
something much worse than throwing up. Large drops of tears began to
roll down her eyes. Lucius the First almost dropped his cup. He would’ve
much preferred her vomit over her tears.
Poliana Winter was someone who did not show tears lightly. The
emperor knew her tears were more meaningful than anyone else in his
life. Even when every knight was crying at the cliff, Poliana remained
dry-eyed. There were times when she was hated for smiling or crying
just because she was a woman. That difficult time was now over, yet
Poliana still remained stoic. Poliana Winter was the woman who did not
cry when she was in danger of being raped. She did not cry when she
betrayed her own country. She still didn’t show any tears when there
were so many awful rumors about her. People believed she was a cold
woman.
Yet here she was, crying her eyes out. It was obvious she was extremely
upset; Poliana bit her lips not to wail out loud. Her lower lip looked like it
was about to bleed.
Lucius the First stammered, “D… Don’t cry…”
What should he do?
He tried to console her awkwardly and when she realized there was
someone in the room ready to listen, Poliana burst into sobbing.
“Buaaa!”
“Pol? Sir Pol? Poliana?”
“Buaaaaa!”
“Sir Pol… Please don’t cry. Why are you crying? It’s that bastard who did
you wrong. You did everything right. You didn’t do anything wrong. You
were great. Please don’t cry.”
“Buaaaa! I… I wanted to get marriedddd!”
“Yes, yes, I know. I know you were happy to get married. I know it very
well.”
“I… I trusted himmmm!”
“You should not trust anyone in this world. I am the only one you can
trust. Trust me and no one else. No, wait, don’t trust me either.”
While planning her wedding, Poliana felt excited. It felt like a dream to
her and now, she was clearly in a nightmare instead. She felt miserable.
Poliana didn’t do anything wrong. The only mistake she made was
becoming lonely. She was so lonely that she made a rash decision. She
chose the wrong person. She decided to get married even when she
didn’t have to.
Was this mistake so horrible that she deserved to feel this horrible?
Poliana couldn’t accept this situation. She was well aware of the fact that
in this world, there are things that can’t be done even if she tried her
best. It was just the way it was in this world. This didn’t just apply to
Poliana; it was the same for everyone. For example, no matter how hard
Poliana trained, she would never be able to carry this large barrel like
Lucius the First could.
Poliana learned to give up at an early age. She learned that dwelling too
much time on something impossible was a waste of time and effort. She
took this lesson very seriously. It was part of her life and no one could
change this. Some people said that Poliana was born without enough
ambitions, desires, or wishes, but this wasn’t the truth. Poliana knew that
this was a learned behavior. She learned to give up on things she knew
she couldn’t have. Poliana realized this when she became Lucius the
First’s knight. It was then that she discovered that she did have
ambitions and wishes.
Poliana didn’t need anyone’s sympathy. She didn’t have any sympathy
for herself either. She worked hard when necessary and she got what
she wanted. She achieved much in life. She was a knight because she
earned this position.
The point is, Poliana did not wish for things that could not be had.
However, she did wish for things that everyone else had. She wanted a
family who would greet her when she returned home. She wanted a
partner who would respect her and spend his life with her. Poliana didn’t
expect love, but she hoped for a companionship.
Everyone in her life had this, and therefore, Poliana did not believe
wanting the same wasn’t being greedy. Anyone should be able to form a
family if one tried hard enough. Some people were lucky enough to be
born into a loving family, to begin with. Others who didn’t have this could
still get it if they made an effort. It should’ve been easier than becoming
a knight.
This was why Poliana was so upset. Why was getting a family so hard
for her? It was so easy and simple for everyone else to form a family, so
why did it seem so impossible for her?
Why?

Chapter 263: Chapter 263

Chapter 263
Poliana wailed, “I didn’t do anything wrongggg!”
“Of course, you didn’t. Sir Pol, you clearly didn’t do anything wrong. If
anyone says otherwise, I will kill him!”
Lucius the First sounded like a tyrant, but he didn’t care. He swore to
never become one, but at the moment, he felt like he could really kill
whoever dared to hurt Poliana.
“I wanted to have a familyyy! I didn’t even do anything wronggg!”
“That’s right, Pol, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
Poliana filled her cup again. Lucius the First considered stopping her,
since it seemed that she had more than enough, but he let drink. If he
stopped her now, he suspected that she would cry even harder.
‘I’m sure she will get tired soon and just fall asleep.’
It would be best for her to just fall asleep. Lucius the First remained
patient and continued to listen to her complaining.
“I wanted to have children tooooo!”
“Of course, of course. If you get married, of course you would want to
have children too.”
The emperor wanted to cry. He didn’t know about how Poliana’s period
returned. He still thought she was barren and so he had no idea that
Poliana was hoping to have children with Frau. In the past, Poliana
smiled and said that she didn’t care if she didn’t have any children.
Lucius the First now believed that Poliana liked Frau so much that she
dreamt of having his children.
“I liked himmm!”
The emperor became frustrated and swore loudly, “Dammit!”
‘So she really liked him!’
He despaired. Perhaps her feelings for Frau weren’t as deep as the
emperor’s, but still… It was obvious she liked that jerk. It now made
sense that she was so upset right now. She must’ve felt like she was
betrayed. Just looking at her in pain made Lucius the First’s heart ache
painfully.
‘I need to kill him! Rip his limbs off!’
He didn’t care if people called him a tyrant. It was very unlike him to want
to punish someone for a personal reason, but Lucius the First couldn’t
help it. Besides, it was Frau who started this mess. It was him who hurt
his Poliana.
The moment Frau decided to fool Marquess Winter, he must’ve known
that the punishment for such a crime would be harsh. Everyone knew
how close the emperor and Poliana were. Scamming Poliana was the
same thing as scamming the emperor himself.
Poliana was his. Poliana was the woman the emperor loved. It just so
happened that he didn’t have the courage to confess his love to her, but
still, she was precious to the emperor.
And it seemed that Frau made his woman cry.
Lucius the First had to admit that this situation was partly his fault. He
was too weak to do anything about his feelings for her. He had been
keeping his distance, thinking it would keep Poliana safe, but in the end,
he ended up pushing her towards a gold digger who hurt her badly.
Poliana continued to cry as she muttered, “That bastard.” Her tears
refused to stop, so she kept drinking and ate her jerky to keep herself
hydrated.
“That bastard!”
“Yes, yes. He’s a very bad man.”
“He’s a jerkkk!”
“Yes, I agree, Pol.”
One cup, two cups, three cups, four cups, five cups, six cups… Before
she reached the tenth cup, Lucius the First stopped her.
“Pol, I know how you must feel, but don’t you think you are drinking too
much…”
Her tearful angry eyes looked up to him. If he made a mistake here,
Lucius the First would become the “bad guy” in her eyes. Poliana was so
drunk that she wasn’t thinking clearly. Poliana slowly began to point at
Lucius the First and murmur, “You are the bad gu…”
“Here, drink. You can drink all you want. Here you go.”
Lucius the First handed her a cup filled with the liquor. He already gave
her his heart, so why not more drinks too?
Poliana snorted and giggled. She was crying a moment ago, but now,
she was smiling. She picked up the emperor’s cup and filled it too. When
she offered it to him, Lucius the First knew that tomorrow, he would
experience the worst hangover in his life.
‘But I need to keep my mind clear…’
When he hesitated to take the cup, Poliana glared and murmured, “You
are the bad gu…”
“Alright, alright! Let’s drink!”
If he didn’t drink with her to humor her, Poliana was going to hate him.
Lucius the First had no choice but to do as she wished. He hurriedly took
the cup from her and announced, “Alright! Let’s get drunk! Like I told you
before if you get in trouble from drinking, I will take care of you, Pol!
Don’t worry about a thing and drink!”
“Hahaha!”
Poliana clumsily wiped away her tears and replied, “You are the best,
your highness!”
“I need to remain awake and sober… I need to remain sober…”
Lucius the First kept telling himself to not get drunk, but it was an
impossible task.
***
The barrel was now half empty. Both Lucius the First and Poliana’s eyes
looked blank. They were both very drunk, and this was no wonder. The
alcohol they were drinking was a typical Acreian liquor, which was
considered the strongest on the continent. Some people watered it down
because they found it too strong, but Poliana and Lucius the First drank
it raw.
Slap!
Poliana slapped Lucius the First’s chest with her wet hand and she cried.
She buried her face in his chest and kept murmuring what a jerk Frau
was. This went on for a long time before Poliana finally became tired.
The emperor did not push her away; in fact, he hugged her and patted
her back soothingly.
“That bastard!”
Pat, pat.
“Hahaha… You are so great, your highness. I like you a lot.”
Pat, pat.
“That jerkkk!”
Pat, pat.
“Hahaha, your highness is the best.”
Poliana was going through a rollercoaster of emotions. She kept going
back and forth between swearing at Frau and complimenting the
emperor. Meanwhile, Lucius the First continued to pat her back while he
kept repeating himself, “Poliana! I love you!”
He was obviously just as drunk as Poliana was. He was so intoxicated
that he confessed his love for her loudly. It was quite a sin as the two
talked without listening to each other.
“Buaaa! That jerk!”
“Poliana! I love you! I love you! I love youuuu!”
Poliana’s speech was slurred while the emperor was speaking very well.
However, he was very drunk himself and he had no idea that he was
telling her his secret out loud.
“I love you, Poliana.”
“You are the best, your highness!”
“I love you. I’m in love with you. You are the love of my life. I love you. I
have been in love with you for a long time. I don’t care about the
kingdom! I don’t care about what a proper empress is supposed to be! I
love you and that is all that matters! I love you, Pol!”
The problem was that Poliana, who was too drunk, wasn’t even listening.

Chapter 264: Chapter 264

Chapter 264
“Yourrrr highnessss… You’re the hotestttt man in the worldddd.”
Poliana loved beautiful people! She was still in Lucius the first’s arms
when she looked up at him happily. Seeing him up-close like this… He
was indeed so very handsome.
He was beautiful and handsome. It was such an honor to serve such a
gorgeous emperor. Lucius the First replied, “That’s right! I am very good
looking! I really am the ‘handsomest’ guy in the world! So why is it that
you don’t see me as a man? Is it because I am too good looking? Is it a
turn off because I am too handsome? Can you not see me as a man
because I am prettier than you? Would you like me better if I had a scar
on my face? Would I look more manly that way? Is that it? I mean, even
if I had a scar on my face, I would still look beautiful. It’s something you
will have to accept, Pol! It is such a curse, Sir Pol! Why am I so
handsome? After I fell in love with you, I became even more magnificent.
It is all your fault, so you must take responsibility! You must take me as
yours!”
“Hahaha… You are so hot! Your highness, I like you so so much. I will
follow you everywhere!”
“Love me, Sir Pol. I made a mistake. It is all my fault. I should’ve
confessed my love for you when I first realized it. I was scared. I
shouldn’t have asked you to follow me from behind. I should’ve asked
you to stand beside me. You need to be by my side. I should’ve asked
you to be mine!”
Lucius the First sounded like a little boy as he drunkenly confessed his
love for her. Unfortunately, Poliana was not listening at all, as she was
intoxicated as well. She stared at him blankly, feeling amazed at how
beautiful her emperor was. He was so handsome that she began to
drool.
‘Dammitttt! His highness is so hot!’
When she was captured by his men and brought to him, this was her
very thought. She was happy at least that she got to see such a beautiful
man before dying. Lucius the First became even more beautiful as he
became older. His mature look made him more masculine. His beauty
was so perfect that it blinded her eyes. It didn’t matter that she has been
with him for over a decade; his look still amazed her to this day. And
today, she got the opportunity to be in his arms and enjoy his face up
close. This was the greatest gift anyone could ever receive.
“Your highness, you are so handsome.”
“Poliana, please see me as a man!”
Poliana admired his loveliness and Lucius the First continued to beg her
to love him. They were both talking to each other yet none of them were
listening to one another. Lucius the First cried as he begged for a kiss
from her, “Pol! Please! Please love me! I am not just an emperor. I am a
man! Kiss me! Kiss my lips!”
Then… A miracle happened. Poliana followed his order.
“…!”
Poliana rubbed her lips against Lucius the First’s lips. The emperor, who
has been whining and begging, became rigid. Slowly, he put his hands
on her shoulders. Poliana thought in wonder, ‘This definitely feels
different than kissing the back of his hand.’ After the kiss, Poliana licked
her lips.
This wasn’t the first time her lips touched the emperor’s skin. She, as his
favored knight, had the honor of kissing the back of his hand countless
times. But the feeling of his lips on her own… It was a very different
experience.
More…
Lucius the First begged for more. His lips, slightly apart now, were
shaped perfectly. They were the most beautiful lips in the world, and
they were ready to be kissed. Poliana didn’t need any convincing. She
put her lips back on his lips again without hesitation. Because his lips
were apart, her lips opened a little as well. The man pulled her closer to
him and his tongue slid into her mouth.
The man and the woman kissed passionately like there was no
tomorrow. When they finally moved apart, they began to undress
immediately. Both of them were excellent undresses thanks to their
extensive time in the battlefields.
“Ahhh…”
Their passion was on fire. The only thing on their minds was the need for
pleasure; neither of them was thinking logically. They were both quite
intoxicated and it was unlikely that they would realize what was
happening until the next day.
Poliana kissed Lucius the First again as he hugged her hard. A man and
a woman who liked each other… They were alone in the room and the
night was deepening, which meant there was only one natural thing that
could happen.
Lucius the First was an experienced lover, but he moved awkwardly. He
kissed her desperately as if he was a child tasting something sweet for
the first time in his life. The strange thing was, Poliana didn’t wish to
push him away.
Ever since she first joined the Aehasian army, Poliana was in constant
danger of being raped. The risk of sexual assault did not lessen because
of her looks. Rape wasn’t about appearances; it was about power. This
was how Poliana understood it and she accepted the danger.
Now, Poliana was the highest-ranking knight in the kingdom. Some
accepted this fact easily because she was a noble. Others still found it
inappropriate because she was a woman. There were still many who
laughed at her appearance and behavior, but this did not change the fact
that she was a knightess; She was a woman in the military.
And in the military, men often fell asleep together after heavy drinking.
There were many times in the past when Poliana fell asleep among them
and more than once, men instinctively reached out to grope her.
Perhaps it was because her unattractiveness did not change the fact that
she was a woman.
People asked Poliana how she could fall asleep among other men so
easily. How could she sleep so well when she could be in such danger?
The truth was… She never slept well in these situations. Her body
intuitively knew not to relax completely and Poliana trusted her instinct.
Whenever she was touched while asleep, Poliana woke up immediately.
There has never been an exception. Even when she was so drunk and
Sir Ainno dragged her out of the tent to throw her out… Even when Sir
Donau carried her to her own tent… Poliana opened her eyes to check
who it was before falling asleep again.
If another soldier touched her by mistake while they slept after a wild
drinking party, Poliana’s reflex kicked in; she would punch or knee
whoever touched her in her sleep; This has been her habit her entire life.
But tonight… It was different. Their lips touched and their tongue danced
around each other. True, it was her who took her clothes off first, but
still… She could not understand what was happening, And most of all,
for some reason… Her heart was beating fast.
Chapter 265: Chapter 265

Chapter 265
Poliana’s reddened and swollen eyes looked into Lucius the First’s
beautiful green eyes. His eyes were filled with love, making her heart
swell up with affection as well.
What a lovely man this was!
This man was begging for her to love him. He was asking her to accept
his love. His body was burning with lust, yet he has been keeping his
distance because his love was greater than his desire for her. This
proved his respect for her and he was pleading for her permission to
continue.
Her emperor was the loveliest man in the world. His love for her was
true. Lucius the First felt that he wouldn’t mind drowning in his love for
Poliana.
Today has been such a traumatic and upsetting day, but Poliana, who
has felt the greatest betrayal she has ever felt in her life, was suddenly
able to regain a little bit of her faith in humanity.
At the very least… This man in front of her would never betray her. This
was a fact and she knew this very well. Poliana was hungry for love and
affection. She needed warmth. She needed someone… But not just
anyone. She didn’t need the prince charming on a white horse. All she
wished was a man who accepted her as she was. Someone who
respected her.
This man, who was standing in front of her and begging her to accept his
love… Poliana knew that he was the one man in this world who truly
understood her. Unable to fight her own emotions, Poliana hugged
Lucius the First tightly. This was the unspoken consent he has been
waiting for, and happily, the emperor continued to confess his love for
her.
His confession went on all night.
***
The sun rose brightly the next morning after a night of passion and
drunkenness. Poliana woke up early just like any other day. As soon as
she sat up, her hand reached for her mouth as she gagged. Considering
how much she drank the night before, this was actually a very mild
hangover. Her head was spinning, and her body spun with it. She closed
her eyes and waited for it until it finally stopped.
She gagged again, feeling like her head was hit by a hammer a few
times. There was a constant buzzing deep inside her ears and the
intense headache tormented her. She wasn’t sure if it was the ringing in
her ears that was causing her headache or the other way around. It
didn’t matter in the end, however. The end result was the same; she felt
like she was dying.
Her stomach felt awful, her mouth dry, and her throat scratchy. These
were all the signs that she most likely vomited a few times during the
night. She licked her dry lips, but they refused to moisten because her
mouth was so dry.
These were all typical symptoms of a hangover. Poliana looked around
in confusion. She was still not fully awake and because her eyes were
swollen, she could not see very clearly. Poliana could see, however, that
there were vomits all over the room along with pieces of clothes
everywhere. The barrel was still standing, but it was half empty.
‘I drank all that…’
She gagged again and regretted, ‘I shouldn’t have done that…’
Her headache was getting worse. She had no memory of what
happened last night. The last thing she remembered was rolling the
barrel upstairs into this room, but afterward… Things were unclear.
Poliana wasn’t worried because it looked like she stayed in this room all
night, which meant she didn’t create any major problem outside the inn.
‘Oh, wait! His highness…’
This wasn’t the time to think about herself. What if something happened
to the emperor while she was drunk? Her eyes opened fully, and she
suddenly felt wide awake. To her relief, Poliana found Lucius the First
sleeping beside her soundly. His hair, spread on the bed, shined like
pure gold against the morning sunlight. The most beautiful gold ring
could not shine like his hair did just now. Poliana grinned, admiring him.
She woke up to find herself beside a man on the same bed, but Poliana
wasn’t surprised. This wasn’t the first time something like this happened.
Besides, of all men in the world, nothing could’ve happened between
herself and her emperor. Poliana didn’t remember anything, but she was
certain of this.
“Argghh…”
Poliana stretched her arms and groaned. She felt even more awake
when she noticed that both herself and Lucius the First were naked. To
her credit, Poliana, again, was not surprised. There has been more than
one occasion in the past when they fell asleep drunk and naked. Both
Poliana and Lucius the First had a habit of taking their clothes off when
they’re too drunk. They fell asleep naked together before and every time
something like this happened, Sir Ainno would flinch in disgust. He
warned them more than once to be careful.
But what was there to be careful about? Nothing was ever going to
happen between them. Poliana and Lucius the First were in a pure
relationship free from the typical gender restrictions. They loved each
other as human beings, not as a man and a woman.
Poliana reached down the bed to grab her sword. She tried to stand up
when suddenly, she felt an odd sensation. Something was very different.
This feeling… This was not something she felt in the past after a wild
night of drinking.
Strangely, her back and waist ached. It felt odd between her legs as
well. Poliana also noticed that her body was covered in red marks.
‘Hmm… Maybe this inn is infested with bedbugs or fleas?’
This was a remote village inn where hunters frequented, so it couldn’t be
helped. It actually made sense. Feeling annoyed, she lifted the blanket
to check the bed.
‘Or maybe my period began? Dammit.’
If this was the case, she was going to feel so embarrassed. To have her
emperor witness her period… How awkward! It was one thing to be
naked in front of him; it was quite another to have her period in front of
him. Poliana looked around the room again and saw that there was no
blood. She sighed in relief but then she noticed something between her
legs. It was whitish, dry, and sticky… She knew what it was.
“…”
Poliana’s brain stopped working.
‘Wait a minute…’
Poliana brought her hands to cover her mouth. She breathed in and out
deeply a few times. It helped her headache a little, but the panic inside
her began to grow.
‘Wait, wait, wait…. Oh, f*ck! Wait a minute!’
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out…
Poliana tried to calm down by breathing slowly. Her body trembling
slightly, Poliana checked to see again who was sleeping beside her.
It was a man in his thirties with the most beautiful appearance in the
world. It was a man she knew very well.
“F*ck…” Her voice shook. She prayed and prayed, hoping she was
mistaken, but her prayer was not answered. The man sleeping next to
her naked was Lucius the First, her one and only emperor.

Chapter 266: Chapter 266

Chapter 266
Poliana rudely threw the blanket down the floor, revealing Lucius the
First’s naked body. He frowned in his sleep and grumbled, “No…” They
were in a mountainous village and the early mornings were still very
chilly. Poliana swore, “F*ckkk….”
Her eyes widened to their maximum size. Her entire body trembled.
Poliana left the bed quickly. When she was sitting down, she didn’t
realize it, but now that she was standing, she realized that her entire
body felt heavy like she was a piece of soaked cotton. Her limbs also
refused to work, and she ended up falling on the floor as they got
tangled on the blanket. Her fall wasn’t too bad; it didn’t make a loud
noise. She landed awkwardly, but it wasn’t bad enough to cause her
pain.
Poliana grabbed her scabbard and without hesitation, she hit her head
with it.
Bam!
First was assaulting the plants, then the buildings, and now her strange
habit progressed into hitting herself. She was already suffering from a
headache, so the hit made her head spin even more. The pain was
intense, making her roll on the floor in agony. Her body became tangled
in the blanket. Her mouth opened and she screamed silently.
Unfortunately, this was not a dream. No matter how hard she wished,
this was real. All the evidence pointed to one conclusion, and there was
no other explanation; she didn’t want to accept it, but her denial wasn’t
going to change that fact.
A man and a woman drunk in the same room… Spending the night on
one bed… The muscles of her legs, back, and waist aching… The
feeling of dried semen between her legs…
‘We slept together!’
They did. Not just sleeping in the same bed but “sleeping” together.
“Arrgghhh!”
Poliana pulled at her hair, trying to remember what happened last night.
Pulling her hair worsened her already-painful headache, but she had to
try. Just what happened? How did this happen? Why? She had to
remember. She must!
But just as she knew very well, there were things in the world that could
not be accomplished no matter how hard you tried. Unfortunately, this
was one of them. Poliana could remember small useless bits and pieces,
but not the whole picture.
Yesterday… She wanted to forget about Frau and what happened to
him. This was why she purchased the large barrel of alcohol and visited
the emperor. She planned to get drunk and forget about everything.
But it seemed that she had made a huge mistake. The result of her
actions last night was a nightmare. In addition, she meant to forget what
happened yesterday, but she ended up forgetting what happened last
night.
Bam! Bam!
Poliana hit herself again a few times, and miraculously, she was able to
remember a little bit more.
Poliana remembered giggling as she buried her face on Lucius the
First’s bare chest. She remembered touching him everywhere. His bare
skin on her hands… She kept giggling and touching him. Poliana
remembered feeling happy and excited for some reason.
The feeling of another person’s warmth was pleasant. Lucius the First
smelled nice and his skin was smooth. The feeling of his hard muscle
underneath was enough to melt her heart. She especially liked his chest
because they were so smooth yet so hard…
“No! Not this! This isn’t what I need to remember! I need to remember
how it happened!”
Her face became pale. Just what was she supposed to do now? Would
she be able to remember more of what happened last night? Poliana
pulled at her hair again, and again, she remembered a little bit more.
Lucius the First was pulling back and Poliana remembered wrapping his
body with both of her legs and pulling him closer as she giggled…
No! She didn’t want to remember anymore. Poliana shook her head
vigorously and the dizziness was enough to make the memories
disappear for a moment. This was a big problem. If she heard that
something like this happened to someone else, she would’ve giggled
and gossiped about it for days. She would’ve wondered if the man and
the woman would end up getting married. If one of them was married,
would the cheater get divorced? She would’ve imagined the worst
possibilities and gossip about this with Lucius the First.
But now that it happened to her… She could not laugh about it. This was
not fun at all.
This was a huge accident.
“Y-y-your highness! You need to wake up!”
Her mouth was so dry that she could barely speak. Her voice sounded
unusually lower than usual. Poliana crawled towards the jug of water.
Thankfully, it was full.
“Your highness! Please wake up!”
Poliana desperately asked the emperor to rise. It was very rude of her to
do this, but this was an emergency.
“Your highness!”
“Hmmm…. Chail… Just five more minutes…”
Lucius the First kept grumbling with his eyes closed. He must’ve thought
that Master Chail was trying to wake him up.
“Your highness! It’s an emergency!”
“Chail… My entire body aches… I am tired… I think I might be coming
down with something, so I’m going to sleep for a little while longer…”
“Your highness!”
Cough! Poliana’s mouth was so dry that she kept coughing. She took a
sip of water and tried to wake up Lucius the First again.
“Your highness! We aren’t at the castle! It’s me, Poliana!”
“Wha…”
“Please wake up, your highness!”
Finally, the emperor’s eyes opened. He blinked a few times and his face
crumpled in pain. He still looked very sleepy so Poliana wet her hand
and wiped his face for him. She focused on his eyes.
“Your highness! This is an emergency! Your highness, please wake up!”
“Huh…? Pol? What’s happening? I want to sleep a bit more…”
“Your highness, I think I committed a crime.”
“Sir Pol, did you go rip the limbs off that snake last night?”
Lucius the First was still half asleep and confused, but despite it, his trust
in his knightess was still strong. He knew that Poliana would never do
something unreasonable and unethical, which meant that he couldn’t
think of anything she could’ve done that would be considered a “crime.”
“Arrgghh!”
Suddenly, he frowned as his handover headache overwhelmed him.
‘Just how much did I drink last night…?’
He rubbed his eyes and looked around. Just as Poliana did, the emperor
could also see that the barrel was half empty. The problem was, he
couldn’t’ remember much from last night.
Lucius the First felt weak and tired even though he slept till the morning.
He could understand why he was tired; it was a typical symptom after
drinking too much. Lucius the First, however, was not concerned. Even
though he was tired, he felt great. The reason why he grumbled about
wanting to sleep more was because he was sleeping so well. In fact, it
was the best sleep he has ever had. He almost felt like he didn’t want to
wake up at all…
Then suddenly, his blank face changed into that of a realization. His
eyes widened slowly as he saw the marks on Poliana’s naked body. He
looked around to see the room and the bed.
“…”

Chapter 267: Chapter 267

Chapter 267
Lucius the First rubbed his face, realizing why he was feeling so tired.
He tried his best to remember, but he couldn’t remember anything.
Although, one thing was certain.
‘I slept with her.’
He wanted to die at that moment. Lucius the First loved Poliana. He had
been in love with her for the past few years, and this is what he ends up
doing? He slept with her in a dingy inn… This was their first time, and it
wasn’t romantic at all… and the worst of it, he couldn’t even remember it.
How did it happen? Did he do well? Did she enjoy it? Was he able to
satisfy her? All these important things… The emperor couldn’t remember
any of it.
And what worried him the most was…
‘Did… Did I force her…?’
The last thing he could remember was him trying to console Poliana,
who was crying. He was certain that at that time, she was drunker than
he was. Did he sleep with an unconscious woman? If she was too drunk,
it was very possible that Poliana wouldn’t have been able to fight back.
Or perhaps she fell asleep and he… Lucius the First flinched in disgust.
‘I am the worst.’
To sleep with a lady who was too drunk to know any better… This was
not acceptable. Even if he didn’t sleep with the unconscious or asleep
Poliana, Lucius the First still felt horrible. To sleep with the woman he
loved before confessing his feelings for her… He was the worst! He
deserved to die!
The truth was, he did confess to her over and over again, but clearly, the
emperor did not remember this. Lucius the First wanted to die.
“Sir Pol… Did I…”
The emperor couldn’t finish his question, but it didn’t matter. Poliana
kneeled and lowered his face until it touched the floor hard.
Bump!
It was loud enough that the people on the first floor would’ve wondered
what was happening upstairs. Poliana begged, “Your highness! You
must kill me! I… I…!”
“You…?”
“I think I raped you because I was too drunk!”
“Huh?”
Lucius the First could not hide his shock and confusion at Poliana’s
confession. In situations like this, wasn’t it natural for everyone to think it
was the man who took advantage of the woman?
Of course, women had sexual needs too. Of course, it was possible that
a woman could take advantage of a drunk man. But normally… It was
the man who was considered at fault, not the woman. However, Lucius
the First did not question Poliana’s explanation since he had no memory
of what happened last night. If Poliana remembered… Then she must’ve
been right.
“Pol… I… I cannot remember much from last night because of all the
drinking… Do… Do you remember what happened?”
“I don’t remember either, your highness. Nothing at all.”
Poliana answered quickly. Her tone was a bit defensive as she
remembered her groping the emperor and wrapping her legs around his
naked body…
Touching him was one thing but to have her legs around him like that…
Poliana put on her best blank face. She could never tell him what she
remembered, so Poliana decided to pretend ignorance.
The emperor asked, “If you don’t remember either, then why would you
think…”
“I am sure of it! I took advantage of you!”
‘I don’t think you should be proud of that…’
Lucius the First was still feeling shocked. He didn’t know what to say to
her. Meanwhile, Poliana was certain of what happened last night. Her
logic came from many different facts.
Firstly, Poliana remembered very well what Lucius the First told her the
first time they met each other. That freezing winter day, he said to her, “I
would never sleep with an ugly woman like you. I would rather take a
dirty prostitute to my bed.”
Poliana has never forgotten his words. Not once! She remembered it
clearly because it was such a shocking day that day. His beauty and his
cruel words… It was an extremely memorable day.
Secondly, Poliana was certain that Lucius the First did not see her as a
woman. There have been many occasions when they got drunk and fell
asleep in the same bed. However, something like this never happened
before. It was obvious that he only saw her as his knight and nothing
more. The only time he would ever willingly sleep with her would be if
every other woman in the kingdom died and she was the only chance to
repopulate the world.
So the fact that something like this happened… There could be only one
explanation. Only one culprit… It had to be one of the two in the room,
and it had to be her. Yesterday, the emperor was perfectly fine. It was
Poliana who was emotionally fragile. On top of this, she could remember
herself groping him…
Her face became rigid. Poliana decided to give up on trying to remember
more from last night. No matter how hard she thought, there was only
one explanation.
She took advantage of the emperor last night. Her face reddened from
embarrassment and guilt. She was so dehydrated that no tears showed
from her eyes, but she was definitely crying on the inside. Her eyes were
very red.
Yesterday had to be the worst day of her life. Her emperor witnessed
how she was conned by a gold-digger and last night, she ended up
raping him. This had to be a nightmare… How could this happen? All
she wanted to do was to show him only the best side of her, but in the
end, she ended up doing the worst thing she could possibly do to him.
Poliana wanted to die.
The two people in the room were both feeling suicidal. Lucius the First
decided that he couldn’t let Poliana believe she was the one who took
advantage of him.
“Pol, it would’ve been me who took advantage of you, not the other way
around. It had to be me!”
“No, your highness! It was me!”
“But Sir Pol! You are a woman and I am a man!”
“A woman can take advantage of a man too, your highness! It’s very
possible!”
“Yes, of course… Yes, I know it’s possible, but…”
Lucius the First could not disagree with her too strongly. He was afraid
that if he did, Poliana would offer to show how it could be done. Poliana
kept insisting it was her and begged again, “Your highness! I deserve
death!”
“No, no, Pol… Get up… No matter how hard I think about this, I think
you got it wrong. It was me who took advantage of you, not me. It had to
be me. I know you very well and I know that you are not that kind of
person. I just know it.”
Lucius the First loved Poliana. Poliana loved him too but not as a man.
She loved him as a knight would love her emperor. This was why the
emperor was sure it was him who took advantage of her.
Of course, they were both wrong. What happened last night was
completely consensual. The man and the woman became drunk and
horny, and they ended up sleeping with each other. The problem was…
Neither of them could remember what happened.

Chapter 268: Chapter 268

Chapter 268
Poliana said to Lucius the First, “How will I ever be able to pay for such a
crime…” She looked determined to fix this situation one way or the other.
Poliana was ready to stab herself with her own sword if necessary. She
was suicidal, to begin with, so all she needed was an order.
Lucius the First began to focus on stopping her.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Sir Pol. Nothing at all. It is clearly all
my fault.”
“No, your highness! This is all my fault! If I didn’t bring that cursed barrel
of alcohol… If I didn’t get so drunk… I wouldn’t have committed the
heinous crime of taking advantage of you!”
“But hear me out. There is no proof that you did what you believe, Sir
Pol. I am sure it was me who took advantage of you.”
“Your highness! You once told me that you would rather sleep with a
dirty wh*re than with an ugly woman like me! You meant what you said
and I have never forgotten your words. So for me to do something like
this to you… I have broken your trust in me…”
Lucius the First shut his mouth. He didn’t remember the words exactly,
but it was obvious that Poliana did.
‘Gosh, she still remembers that? She has been thinking about that until
now? Dammit! Why can’t she just forget about things like that…’
If he could go back in time, he wanted to beat up his young self and
punch himself in the mouth. If only he knew at the time how important
this woman would become in his life! If he knew that he would fall in love
with this woman in 10 years, he would’ve approached it differently!
For some reason, there were so many things the emperor needed to
apologize for when it came to Poliana. Was this fate? Did this mean they
were meant to be?
Lucius the First flinched, feeling his body becoming cold. He could not
take back what he said in the past. If he told her now that she was
beautiful, Poliana would not believe him.
Poliana continued, “Your highness! I know very well that you will never
see me as a woman unless every other woman in this world dies! That is
the truth! Besides, you prefer fragile beauties than a sturdy woman like
me! I know this! So how dare I take advantage of you! I must’ve lost my
mind…!”
She continued and there was no way for Lucius the First to stop her. The
emperor wondered what would happen if he confessed his love for her
right now and asked her to marry him.
It wasn’t going to work.
Poliana’s self-esteem was already rock bottom because of that bastard
gold digger. She would never believe his words at this point. The
emperor knew that Poliana would think he was proposing just because
they slept together, and he was trying to be responsible. She might even
think he pitied her.
Lucius the First said to her, “Listen, Sir Pol. I was very young at the time.
I misspoke. I mean, you are very cute and pretty. I like the way you look.
To me, you look very lovely.”
Poliana shook her head emphatically. She already made up her mind
and she refused to listen to him. Poliana firmly believed that it was her to
take advantage of the emperor last night. She replied, “In the military
law, raping another member of the army is considered s serious crime. If
a knight sleeps with the lady he serves, he loses his title and is exiled to
a foreign land…”
“Poliana, snap out of it! You aren’t making any sense! First of all, this
continent is one single kingdom, which means there is no ‘foreign land.’
In addition, this isn’t the wartime anymore! So…”
Lucius the First suddenly figured out a solution to this situation. It wasn’t
a big plan, but he thought it might be the best one he has. The emperor
continued, “Remember what I told you before? I told you that if you
cause any trouble while drunk, I will take care of it! I told you many
times! And now, it is time for me to do this for you! I will fix it! I will take
care of this situation!”
Poliana couldn’t understand or accept the emperor’s offer. To her, this
situation had a clear victim and the attacker. So how could he say that
he, the victim, would take responsibility? It didn’t make any sense. It
didn’t follow any kingdom’s law. It certainly did not follow the Acreian
law.
Poliana rejected the idea, “Definitely not, your highness!”
“Sir Pol! You need to calm down! We both do!”
Poliana at least agreed with his last words. It was true that they needed
to remain cool and think clearly. She tried her best, even though her
heart was racing, and her breathing was uneven. Poliana took deep
breaths in and out to calm down, but it only made her feel even more
emotional.
“Your highness! I don’t think I should be forgiven!”
“Sir Pol, I am telling you that I do, so why do you keep trying to punish
yourself?! I am telling you that I am fine!”
“But even if you forgive me… It doesn’t change the fact that I have
committed a crime! Your forgiveness still won’t make it ok!”
“But I am telling you! Sir Pol! I forgive you!”
The situation was getting out of hand now. Neither of them was in their
right minds, and Lucius the First continued to babble. He was so
desperate that he ended up blurting out the truth. “Sir Pol! It’s all fine! It’s
fine because I probably liked it! I am sure I enjoyed it!”
“That can’t be! I forced you, your highness…!”
“All men enjoy these things!”
“That’s not true! Donau told me that it’s not always good for men!”
Poliana’s adopted brother was an outstanding and proper young man.
Knowing him allowed Poliana to believe that not all men were slaves to
lust. She has met plenty of men who could not control their sexual
desire, but there were exceptions in this world.
Lucius the First could not argue with her. If he told her she was wrong, it
meant that he was saying all men in this world were slaves to their lust.
He was the emperor of this entire kingdom and a man himself, and as
such, he could not make such a claim.
So in the end, the emperor had no choice but to claim it for himself only.
“I am like that!”
The situation was becoming stranger. The “victim” was claiming that he
enjoyed being “used,” while the “attacker” was rejecting the idea. In the
end, Lucius the First came up with logical proof. He said to her, “Look at
our bodies, Sir Pol. Does it look like we only did it once?”
Poliana thought for a moment. She did as he asked and examined their
bodies. Slowly, she realized that the emperor was making some sense.
“…”
“See, Pol? You have to admit that we clearly have done it more than
once. I mean, it looks like we’ve done it at least three times…”

Chapter 269: Chapter 269

Chapter 269
What an embarrassing and awkward conversation they were having right
now…
Lucius the First’s face turned red. Poliana felt her body becoming hot as
well. She fanned herself with her hands as she blushed.
‘I think it’s true that we were having a good time… I think it felt good…
I’m sure his highness was liking it too…’
She remembered him hugging her tightly. She remembered the
emperor’s body all over her own. If he didn’t like what was happening, he
wouldn’t have done that, right? Thinking about last night made her entire
body burn. Poliana looked down and when she became quiet, Lucius the
First pushed on, realizing that he was winning this argument.
“Pol, it was an accident. I am telling you that it was.”
He meant it when he said he wanted to think of last night as an accident.
To have slept with the woman of his dreams for the first time after getting
drunk… Lucius the First truly wanted to cry at the tragedy of it. It was
even worse because he didn’t remember any of it. If he did, he could
claim responsibility, but since he had no memory of what happened last
night, the emperor couldn’t.
If he tried to take responsibility at this point, he was certain Poliana
would try to commit suicide. She wouldn’t believe him, and her selfconfidence was
going to plummet even further. She was in a fragile
state, so Lucius the First decided that it was best to discuss last night in
detail at a later date. For now, it was important to move on. The emperor
said to her, “It was an accident, Pol. We made a mistake after getting
drunk last night. We are both responsible, which means no one is at
fault, Sir Pol. We need to forget about it and move on.”
“But your highness… It was me… I need to…”
“Stop! You need to stop blaming yourself!”
Lucius the First ordered firmly, interrupting Poliana. If he didn’t conclude
the incident as an accident with no one at fault, their relationship was
going to go nowhere in the future.
“Sir Pol, it was an accident.”
“Alright, your highness…”
Poliana disagreed, but she nodded. In a situation like this where two
nobles got involved, there were two possible conclusions. Either they
were forced to get married or they forgot about it and pretended as if
nothing happened. Lucius the First wanted the first option, but if he
offered it to her, he knew Poliana was going to kill herself. To prevent
this, he repeated himself, “It was an accident.”
“Alright, your highness.”
When the emperor said firmly, Poliana nodded as if she made a
decision. It killed Lucius the First to tell her that what happened between
them was just an accident, but it couldn’t be helped. This was the best
solution for now.
He said to her, “Let’s forget what happened. We will not talk of it again.”
“Ok, your highness. To do this for me… Your highness… I hope you
know how much I appreciate your kindness. My life is yours as always. I
will live the rest of my life to repay this debt.”
Lucius the First loved her declaration.
‘That’s right. We will get married and you will stay by my side for the rest
of our lives!’
But of course, the emperor felt upset after the conversation.
‘Shoot…’
He sighed, realizing again how he slept with the woman he loved from
drinking too much. This was not how he behaved. He wasn’t like this at
all. He wasn’t naïve enough to expect a perfect first night, but he at least
hoped for some romance. Was that too much to ask?
On top of that… There were so many things Lucius the First wanted to
try with Poliana. So many things he wanted to do with her… Even the
things he hated because they were too kinky… He would’ve loved to try
them with Poliana. Just thinking about them was enough to wake up his
lower half again. Lucius the First secretly pulled the blanket to cover
himself. He also turned away from Poliana a little, trying to hide his
excitement.
Meanwhile, Poliana was slowly gaining her mind back. Her eyes, which
have been looking confused, were beginning to gain their usual
intelligence. Lucius the First, stealing secret glimpses of Poliana,
clenched his teeth. He couldn’t look her straight in the eyes when he
said to her, “Well them, Pol…”
“Yes, your highness. What do you need from me?”
“You should really get dressed.”
They were completely naked during the entire discussion. Lucius the
First, still in the bed, at least covered his lower half, but Poliana, who
was on the floor still kneeling, had not a single piece of clothes on her
body.
Old scars, new cuts and injuries, black and blue bruises, and discolored
patches of skin… Yet to Lucius the First, Poliana’s nude body looked
extremely attractive. Was it because she has been taking care of herself
in preparation for her wedding? Either way, she looked magnificent to
him.
“Of course, your highness.”
Poliana began to grab her clothes and get dressed. Lucius the First,
feeling embarrassed, turned away. This was why he missed her
reaction.
Poliana, who has never been embarrassed to be naked in front of Lucius
the First, was turning red. Her face and her neck were blushing furiously.
Poliana hurriedly got dressed as she kept glancing at the emperor
secretly.
Beautiful face and perfect statue-like body. His perfect smooth skin that
was kissed by her last night…
‘Arrgghh!’
Something inside of her exploded. She told herself, ‘Stop it, you dirty
woman! You have lost your mind! Keep calm!’ Poliana bit her lower lip in
frustration. The emperor told her to forget about what happened last
night. He told her that it was just an accident. Poliana agreed to it, but
she knew deep in her heart that their relationship could never go back to
the way it was before last night. Even if they agreed to forget what
happened… Things will never be the same again between them.
When she realized this truth, her body became cold but not completely.
There was still a small fire left inside of her and if the right man came
into her heart… This small fire was going to grow into a full-blown
explosion.
***
They skipped their breakfast and left the inn early that morning. The
innkeeper, based on what she heard from their room, decided she knew
exactly what happened. At first, she thought Poliana was the mother who
came to the mountain to find her runaway son. But the innkeeper
realized that she had been wrong; the guests had to be a married lady
and her secret lover. She heard everything that went on in their room
last night, and… She concluded that they had to be lovers.
As the innkeeper watched them leave, she shook her head. This strange
couple was making love all night, and this morning, they got up bright
and early to leave without even eating their breakfast.
What a healthy and strong couple they were! What stamina they had!

Chapter 270: Chapter 270

Chapter 270
Their way back home to Yapa was filled with awkwardness. The first
uncomfortable moment was when Poliana got onto her horse expertly.
When she got on top, she remembered another piece of memory from
last night.
‘Gyaaa! I need to kill myself!’
It was a shocking memory; Poliana remembered being on top of Lucius
the First. This definitely proved that she took advantage of him. She
couldn’t bring up this new information to the emperor, however. If she
did, it would be like bringing up the painful discussion again when they
both agreed to forget about it. It didn’t feel right to go through the same
debate over again.
‘Gyaaa!’
Poliana screamed silently as her face became pale. Thankfully, the
emperor did not notice anything since other than a subtle flinch, Poliana
looked perfectly normal. The truth was that the lower half of her body
was feeling especially tender, most likely due to last night. But even
when she suffered from the worst hemorrhoid of her life, Poliana silently
rode her horse to the war. Compared to that time, the discomfort she felt
right now was minimal. It wasn’t like she was bleeding. It wasn’t like she
was injured. There was no reason why she shouldn’t be able to ride her
horse. Of course, she couldn’t help the extreme embarrassment she felt.
Poliana found it difficult to face the emperor, so she purposely rode
slightly in front of him and looked straight ahead. They were close
enough that silence shouldn’t have been uncomfortable between them,
yet Lucius the First felt a distinct unease in the air. He tried to focus on
the beautiful scenery around him. The sky, the birds, the ground, the
wind, and… the beautiful backside of Poliana who was riding ahead of
him. She was part of the scenery, right? So why couldn’t he enjoy the
view of her?
‘I can’t remember anything from last night!’
No matter how hard he tried, it was useless.
‘What a waste!’
He tried and tried, but his brain remained blank. The only thing he could
remember was the vague feeling of pleasure.
‘Yes, it was good. It had to be great! I am certain it was amazing!’
The emperor had three wives and even before he got married, he had
plenty of bedmates in the past. But compared to all of those
experiences, Lucius the First firmly believed that last night must’ve been
the best night of his life.
It had to be because he was with the woman he loved.
To every other man in the world, Poliana might have been an
unmarriageable woman, but to Lucius the First, she was the most
precious person in his life. She was the woman who made the emperor
of this entire kingdom lovesick.
He liked it. It had to be good. His body felt thoroughly pleasured. To
have had her and fall asleep next to her… Just thinking about it made
the emperor feel relaxed and satisfied.
‘I think I might even remember how her breasts felt like…?’
Lucius the First reached out to the air and squeezed. Poliana was very
thin. Even in the mid-continent region, where men preferred slim and
fragile women, Poliana was considered too thin. Considering the fact
that she had not a single extra ounce of fat in her body, Poliana wasn’t
completely flat-chested. However, when she had her loose clothes on, it
was impossible to tell.
‘Hmm… I think they were actually quite…’
Lucius the First kept squeezing the air when suddenly, he realized what
he was doing. He sighed, thinking how idiotic he was acting. In a typical
romance story, the main character, usually a knight, would “take
responsibility” for the lady if something like this happened. He would
either marry her immediately or at least give her a token of his affection
as a proof of their engagement.
Lucius the First supposed Poliana, his knightess, did something similar.
She did offer to take responsibility, but instead of offering to marry him,
she offered to be punished by either dying or losing her knighthood and
her wealth.
The awkwardness continued all the way to Yapa. They stayed in
different inns on the way in different villages, and until they reached the
capital city, neither of them drank a single sip of alcohol.
***
When Poliana reported for her duty after returning home, it was her
colleagues that greeted her. Her closest knights were at the castle
entrance, waiting for her early in the morning. When Poliana saw them,
she didn’t know what to think.
“Could it be…Do you people all know about…”
“Umm… Well, Sir Pol, your marriage is something that is very important
to all of us, right?”
Dammit! Everyone knew about the gold digger Frau and how he fooled
her! Poliana felt dizzy and weak. She was a strong and sturdy woman
who has never felt this helpless before. This was a new experience.
Her friends surrounded her and greeted encouragingly, “Sir Pol!
Welcome back!”
“You went through a lot!”
“Marquess, we have fixed this problem. We prepared something for
you.”
Prepare what? Why were all the men looking expectant and pleased?
Poliana clenched her teeth, realizing that what happened between
herself and Frau was not a secret. How will she ever overcome such an
embarrassing incident? While she contemplated furiously, the other
knights murmured among themselves. Suddenly, a young boy was
presented to her.
“Hello, Marquess Winter!”
The boy saluted her nervously and Poliana nodded. She assumed that
he was someone’s new help. The young boys who were hired as a
knight’s help often were naïve and stupid. Oftentimes, they thought they
knew best and even acted rudely towards Poliana, who was a female
knight. It didn’t take long, however, to properly train these young idiots.
All that was needed was how Poliana trained Donau in his younger days.
One of the knights suddenly announced to Poliana, “This is my nephew.”
“So?”
This should’ve been the end of their conversation, but the knight
explained that he was offering his nephew as her new groom. Poliana
smiled kindly and punched the knight hard.
“Hey! Why did you just punch me?!”
“You are trying to sell your nephew? What kind of a man are you?!”
“Well, don’t you think it’s better to marry my nephew than a crazy gold
digger?”
Poliana flinched. When she was about to punch him again, the knight
said to her loudly, “Hey! We are in the presence of his highness! How
dare you act this way, Sir Pol!”
Lucius the First shook his head and said to Poliana, “No, it’s fine. Keep
going, Pol.”
This was all the encouragement she needed. Poliana showed no mercy
to the knight.
The knights ushered Poliana and the emperor inside where a drinking
party was prepared. The knights declared loudly, “Let’s get drunk!”
“I took today and tomorrow off, so we can get totally drunk and forget
about everything!”
“Me too!”
“I did too!”
It seemed that every high-ranking knight who was acquainted with
Poliana took some time off to “console” her. Lucius the First frowned,
knowing that these men were only using Poliana’s situation as an
excuse to drink. Poliana went through such a difficult last few days after
the incident with Frau. She cried, for god’s sake! The emperor watched
her suffer, so he knew how upset Poliana was, yet here the men were,
pretending to console her when in fact, they just needed an excuse to
drink.

Chapter 271: Chapter 271

Chapter 271
Lucius the First looked unhappy but Poliana accepted the knights’
invitation thankfully. She raised her glass and announced to them, “If I
ever say again that I will get married, you guys should all stop me!”
“We will!”
The knights cheered excitedly, but the emperor could not do the same.
He wanted to get married to her, but it seemed that Poliana was now
determined to avoid it.
Only a few days ago, she got drunk and an unexpected incident
occurred. Yet Lucius the First watched as Poliana continued to empty
her glass along with the other knights. He felt anxious and he walked up
to her nervously, “Pol, are you going to be drinking a lot today?”
“It’s just water, your highness.”
Poliana replied in determination and showed him her cup. Indeed, inside
her cup was clear cold water. It was going to be very hard to avoid
drinking at a party that was thrown in her honor, so the emperor asked,
“So the other knights aren’t pressuring you to drink?”
“When I told them that I will cry if I drink, they gave me water to drink
instead.”
“…”
This party was to console Poliana, but it was obvious that the knights did
not feel comfortable with her crying. What good friends…
Poliana said to the emperor. “I will just drink cold water. I swear I will
never get drunk and lose control over myself again. If I ever drink again,
I will give up my last name.”
Her last name “Winter” was given to her by Lucius the First. It was
something she treasured the most in her life, so she really must’ve
meant it when she said she would never drink again.
At first, only those very close to Poliana were at the party, but soon,
more and more people arrived. Sir Ainno, who joined later, first came to
check on Lucius the First’s health. When the emperor looked upset, Sir
Ainno grinned just to annoy him. And when the knight saw Poliana
Winter, who got very close to being trapped by a gold digger, he began
to laugh hard. Sir Ainno asked, “W-were you able to deal with that gold
digger?”
“I made sure he will never be able to do anything like this again.”
“Hahahaha! I’m sure you did!”
Sir Ainno, who rarely showed any emotions, laughed loudly. Everyone in
the room was thinking the same thing, ‘What a jerk.’
Sir Ainno’s love life was going very well. Cekel no longer ran away as
soon as she spotted him. In fact, they chatted together often nowadays.
The emperor no longer had any wives. Although the knights and the
soldiers were still very busy, the maids now had a lot of time to spare. Sir
Ainno, who should’ve been too busy to have any spare time, made sure
to make time to visit Cekel to talk with her.
The main topic of their conversation had been Poliana and Frau. As
soon as she learned the truth about Frau, Cekel was relieved to hear
that the emperor got involved himself to fix the situation. Sir Ainno was
able to use the topic of Poliana’s current problem to get closer to Cekel
and make her feel less wary of him. In some way, it was Poliana who
helped him with Cekel, which was why Sir Ainno didn’t try to annoy
Poliana further.
Sir Ainno turned back to the emperor. Lucius the First should’ve been
happy to stop the woman he loved from getting married to a gold digger.
But strangely, the emperor looked upset. Sir Ainno whispered to him to
ask why, but Lucius the First just shook his head. He didn’t want to
answer and Sir Ainno didn’t prod him further.
‘I will ask him later.’
Sir Ainno didn’t know the details, but the emperor’s mood must’ve had
something to do with Poliana. What else could there be? And since both
Poliana and Lucius the First were alive, Sir Ainno assumed that things
would eventually work out somehow.
Meanwhile, Poliana was making another determined declaration, “I will
live alone forever! It’s not worth getting married! I am going to get a dog
too!”
Poliana has been drinking only water, but she seemed to be having a
good time as if she was drunk.
Lucius the First was wondering when he should propose to her, so
whenever Poliana loudly yelled that she will never get married again, his
heart ached.
‘I swear, I am never going to get involved with a man again!’
She was going to stop drinking from now on, and even if she took a sip
of alcohol, she will never drink with a man alone. Her bad habit was to
fall asleep on the spot whenever she became drunk; she was going to
have to fix this.
In this society, it was impossible to avoid drinking completely. There will
be times when she must participate in drinking. Today, she got lucky, but
next time, these same knights, who were being so understanding, will
very likely pressure her into drinking.
Poliana didn’t think it was unfair since she did the exact same thing to
others. This was the way of life in the military.
Poliana yelled again, “I will live alone forever!”
A long time ago, Sir Baufallo told her to live alone if she wanted to
remain a knight. At the time, Poliana couldn’t tell him with certainty that
she will never love. She knew enough that no one could ever tell what
the future held. She also thought it would be a shame to live her entire
life without knowing what love felt like.
Now, 10 years later, Poliana made a huge mistake of falling for a man. It
was going to be the biggest mistake of her life. So, she kept repeating to
herself that she would never get married and every time she did, Lucius
the First became more and more upset.
***
So the rumor of how Marquess Winter’s wedding was canceled spread
fast. This story spread much faster than the one about her getting
married. People’s reaction was very different than before. When they
first heard that Poliana was marrying Frau, people refused to believe it.
However, when they heard the wedding was off, everyone nodded. They
have all been expecting this news, so they weren’t surprised at all. After
all, the difference in status between Poliana and Frau was too great.
Poliana had everything to lose from this marriage while Frau had nothing
to lose.
The older generation still felt that it was necessary for everyone to get
married, but most of the elder nobles were either imprisoned themselves
or had friends or relatives in jail now. The high-ranking nobles were too
busy dealing with their situations that they had no great interest in what
was happening to Poliana.
People, who were interested, assumed that Frau didn’t return to Yapa
because he was upset about the breakup. People guessed that Frau
somehow annoyed Poliana enough to make her dump him. Some even
believed that the power of the marquess exiled Frau so he could never
return to the capital. Such a thing wouldn’t have been hard for Marquess
Winter to order since Frau was a complete nobody compared to her.
Chapter 272
The current political turmoil worked in Poliana’s favor. Some powerful
nobles, who were jealous of her, might have used her failed marriage
plan against her, but most nobles were busy dealing with the kingdom’s
situation one way or the other. On top of it all, the Sneke family was
closely involved in the crimes committed by Marquis Seeze. The Sneke
family was most likely be destroyed anyway; the only reason why Frau
wasn’t in prison right now was thanks to Poliana.
In addition, there really was no noble that was powerful enough to fight
against Poliana. The only one who might be able to use this new
development against her was Sir Ainno Seki, but he had no interest in
her. In the end, no one really cared about Poliana breaking up with Frau
Sneke. Those who were closely acquainted with Poliana knew what
happened, so they refused to mention this incident.
Poliana tried her best to forget about the situation and Lucius the First
did his best to stop any unsavory rumors starting. The result was that it
didn’t take long for the kingdom to forget about Frau Sneke and
Poliana’s relationship with him.
Lucius the First let Poliana know that it was Lady Bika who helped in
revealing the truth about Frau, so Poliana sent a thank you letter and a
gift to her. If it wasn’t for Lady Bika’s amazing memory, Poliana might
have married the jerk. Poliana remembered Frau saying he was going to
make sure he didn’t die before her.
‘Hmm… Make sure how…?’
Poliana sincerely hoped that he didn’t mean to become a murderer
because if he did, then it meant that her ability to judge a character was
severely impaired.
Poliana also thanked Cekel. “I wish I listened to you when I had the
chance.” She sighed deeply. Lately, Poliana noticed that only two things
she gained were the habit of sighing and weight. Her diet or the amount
of training she had haven’t changed much, yet she noticed herself
gaining weight around her waist. A long time ago, Sir Baufallo used to be
upset about this exact same problem. At the time, Poliana didn’t
understand him, but now, the same thing was happening to her.
Oh, the joy of getting old…
Cekel shook her head and replied, “Please, you shouldn’t feel so bad
about all this.” She felt guilty because she didn’t stop Poliana harder.
Cekel thought she should’ve made more effort and be more insistent. If
she only had more information at the time… It was such a regrettable
situation. She should’ve insisted that her brother, Sir Deke, research
further about Frau Sneke.
Currently, Poliana was the head of the Second Division and therefore,
she was responsible for the safety of the royal family. Cekel, a royal
maid, was one of many who served the royal family. At this moment, the
head of the lady’s quarters was the emperor’s first-born daughter
Princess Luminae. Because she was still an infant, her nannies and wet
nurses took care of her. There was no need for Poliana to be by her side
for protection and Cekel, who was an unmarried maid, was not needed
either.
Many of the maids had to leave the castle because their families, most of
them being Acreian nobles, were imprisoned. But even though there
were significantly fewer maids present, there were still more than
enough in the castle especially since the emperor now didn’t have any
wives. Cekel wasn’t having busy days, but she was frustrated by another
matter. Everyone kept asking her about how her wedding plan was
going, and she was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Cekel preferred to
talk to Poliana about other things, but Poliana ended up asking the same
question as everyone else.
“So Cekel, how is your wedding plan going? Have you made significant
progress?”
“… I didn’t expect you to ask me that question.”
“Oh, I just meant that if you need, I can give you some of the items I
prepared for my own wedding. I hope you aren’t offended by my offer.
Everything I have is of the best quality. Many of them were things I
prepared with Lady Tory.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, I understand that you might not feel comfortable using my stuff
because of what happened to my wedding. I get that you might think
they are tainted or unlucky, but I think you will be fine because your
groom is Sir Ainno. That jer… I mean, Sir Ainno is such a strong-willed
man that I don’t think any bad luck would dare to come after you and
him.”
“I… I would appreciate anything you can spare me, Marquess Winter.”
Having the Seki family as the in-laws were going to help the Ingreter
family greatly in many ways but preparing for the wedding was becoming
a huge burden for Cekel’s parents. Although the Seki family did not ask
for an unreasonable dowry, the Ingreter family still had the responsibility
of trying its best to match the gifts offered by the Seki family. If Cekel
accepted the items Poliana prepared for her own wedding, it was going
to unburden her family greatly. Sir Ainno told Cekel that she didn’t have
to bring anything to the marriage, but Cekel wasn’t thick-skinned enough
to do such a thing.
Cekel felt a little embarrassed that she had to do this, but she had no
choice. She accepted Poliana’s offer and she was thankful for it. Poliana
nodded and said to her, “And if you ever feel like you can’t live with him,
let me know. I will help you with the divorce.”
“… you’re funny, Marquess.”
Cekel smiled bitterly because no one knew what the future may hold.
***
In Yapa, the civil servants were the busiest men because any evidence
the royal guards found were dumped on them to be processed. It was
the job of the royal guards to arrest the criminals while the civil servants
were responsible for examining and determining the official crimes and
their appropriate punishments. All the guilty noblemen were arrested,
which meant that the knights were now free to enjoy their time off. The
civil servants, however, were burdened with a never-ending amount of
work.
The head of all of the civil servants, the chancellor, was officially still
imprisoned. Unofficially, he was still working for the emperor, but
because there was a limit to what he could do in the prison, Duke Luzo
was ordered to remain in Yapa. Duke Luzo sobbed and screamed, “But
you promised to leave me alone after I get married! You promised I
wouldn’t have to work like a slave anymore!”
Lucius the First feigned ignorance, telling his cousin that he promised no
such thing. The emperor stated, “I told you I would let you go after things
settle down.”
In the end, Duke Luzo was saddled with all the responsibilities of the
chancellor as well as those of the emperor while he was gone with
Poliana. When Lucius the First finally returned, Duke Luzo couldn’t
control his anger.
“How could you do this to me?! You went away just to hunt a gold
digger? How could you?”
“I told you, it wasn’t just any gold digger.”
“What do you mean? Not just any gold digger? So you mean an ugly
one?”
“Listen here, Luzo. Marquess Winter is very special to me.”
“And I am not?!”
The emperor replied in a serious tone, “Listen to me carefully.”

Chapter 273: Chapter 273

Chapter 273
Lucius the First’s voice turned genuine, making Duke Luzo’s eyes widen.
Whenever the emperor’s demeanor turned this serious, there could be
only two reasons.
1. To use him and make him work harder.
2. To discuss something as a family.
Duke Luzo wondered anxiously, ‘What could it be this time?’ A lot of his
hair, now long gone, was never going to come back to him. He wore a
wig to hide the bald spot, but it just wasn’t the same. Every strand left
was precious to him, and Duke Luzo decided that if he lost more, he
would have to be brave and stop wearing the wig altogether!
Lucius the First took a deep breath. This secret of his… Only his best
friend and one of his ex-wives knew about it. Now, there was going to be
one more person in this world who shared his secret.
“I am planning to propose to Marquess Winter.”
“Umm…. Hmm… Actually, that is not a bad idea. So by having
Marquess Winter, the most loyal knight in this kingdom, as the empress,
you will prevent the power struggle within the royal family. You will then
get an heir from getting more wives. Yes, I get it. What an amazing and
clever idea. You are indeed a very wise emperor, your highness.”
Duke Luzo looked at the emperor with deep respect. It was true that
Lucius the First abused his cousin from time to time, but Duke Luzo had
the utmost faith and respect for his cousin the emperor. A man’s
marriage was personal business, but the marriage of the emperor was a
matter of the entire kingdom. It was no wonder the duke took the
emperor’s plan as a political solution.
Because Lucius the First no longer had any wives, either from death,
divorce, or annulment, and he still was without a male heir, the emperor
was now required to get married again. Because things didn’t go well
with his three previous wives, there was a good chance that the
government would want the emperor to choose a perfect empress this
time to begin with, rather than have the wives fight over the position.
In the Marquess Winter’s family, there was only one member, Poliana
Winter. If she became the next empress, there won’t be any worry over
the other members of the family abusing the new-found power. In
addition, Marquess Winter was the emperor’s close acquaintance, which
meant that she will always side with Lucius the First. Even if it means
she needs to sacrifice herself, Duke Luzo had no doubt that Poliana
would do what is best for the emperor.
Lucius the First replied, “That is not what I meant, Luzo.”
“Oh, no? Then what is your reasoning behind your plan, your highness?”
Duke Luzo was confused. He agreed with the emperor’s plan, yet Lucius
the First seemed upset at his reaction. The emperor sighed, frustrated at
the fact that no one in this world will wonder if he wants to marry Poliana
because he loved her. Why couldn’t people see what an amazing
loveable woman she really is?
Lucius the First replied, “I want to propose to her from my heart, not for
political reasons.”
“Oh!”
Duke Luzo nodded in understanding and said to him, “Oh, is Marquess
Winter very upset about the whole gold digger incident? But to marry her
out of pity… I don’t think that is what the marquess would want. I doubt
she will accept your offer, your highness.”
“No, that’s not it, Luzo… I… I love her.”
“Oh, you don’t need to say anymore, your highness. I understand.”
Lucius the First gaped in shock. Did Duke Luzo already know about the
emperor’s secret love for Poliana? Was he so obvious about his
feelings? All this time, Lucius the First thought no one knew about it, but
it seemed that everyone knew! How could this be?
Duke Luzo continued, “I mean, you will never find a more loyal knight
than the marquess. She is a true talent as well and she will do anything
for this kingdom. I wish I had a knight like that for myself too.”
Lucius the First sighed in relief. Duke Luzo didn’t know anything. No one
would ever suspect that the emperor is in love with his knightess. Lucius
the First replied, “No, it’s not like that, Luzo. I really mean what I said. I
am in love with the marquess. I don’t love her as a loyal knight; I love her
as a woman.”
“Pardon? What did you just say?”
Duke Luzo tapped his ears a few times, thinking he misheard. The
emperor repeated himself emphatically, “I am in love with Poliana
Winter.”
“… your highness, how many fingers am I holding right now?”
Duke Luzo, after hesitating, put up both of his hands with only the middle
fingers raised. The emperor found this hilarious, but he stopped himself
from laughing out loud. He asked seriously, “My eyes are working
perfectly fine, so put your hands down, Luzo, before I break your fingers.
Now, where did you learn this inappropriate gesture?”
“From Sir Ainno.”
‘That jerk…’
Because Lucius the First spent 10 years with the knights and soldiers
during the war, he was well aware of various vulgar words and gestures.
Duke Luzo, however, grew up and lived in a rather sheltered
environment inside the royal castle all this time. So where would this
innocent man learn such a distasteful gesture?
Well, of course, it was Sir Ainno. The culprit was always closer than he
could ever imagine.
To be more specific, the actual source was Sir Jainno. Since he was a
young boy, Duke Luzo witnessed Sir Jainno gesturing this way to his
older brother, Sir Ainno. Duke Luzo, however, did not explain the
specifics to the emperor. After all, it really was thanks to Sir Ainno that
Duke Luzo knew this.
Lucius the First continued to talk about his love for Poliana. This was the
second time he had to reveal his secret, the first time being Sir Ainno, so
the emperor found it much easier this time. He talked about how he
learned his true feelings for his knightess, how he tried to forget about it,
and how he could not. Lucius the First also explained why he could not
confess his love to her yet.
While he talked about his feelings, the emperor looked very emotional,
which made him even more beautiful. Afterward, Duke Luzo said to him,
“Hmm… I can see how much you suffered emotionally, your highness.”
Duke Luzo’s reaction was very different than that of Sir Ainno probably
because the way the emperor explained his feelings have changed.
When he confessed his feelings for Poliana to Sir Ainno, Lucius the First
was in love with her but had no plans of proposing to her. Poliana was
not the right woman to become the empress, but now, the emperor
found his reasoning ridiculous. He hated himself for being so stupid.
Now, he felt very differently. He didn’t care if she didn’t have the
qualifications to become the empress. No matter what, Lucius the First
was going to propose to her. He was determined to do this.
Chapter 274: Chapter 274

Chapter 274
Lucius the Firsts didn’t care if he didn’t have an heir. It would be too
cruel for him to have to turn away from his true love just because she
was barren. Until now, he has been acting patient, but his patience only
resulted in a complete disaster. A disgusting gold digger ended up
having his try at Poliana. If the emperor continued to be stupid and “wish
for her happiness from afar,” Poliana may end up facing more hardship
in the future.
The emperor said to Duke Luzo, “Pol is very upset right now, so it
wouldn’t be right for me to propose to her any time soon. I plan on
waiting until the royal death period is over before doing this.”
“I think that is a wise idea, your highness. You need to do this when she
feels better. If you are sure this is what you want to do, then you must do
it. And you can just have one or two wives for an heir.”
“Oh, about that… My wife will be Pol and Pol only. I will not marry
anyone else.”
What was the emperor saying? Duke Luzo looked shocked and Lucius
the First understood. The emperor knew very well that he needed his
cousin for his plan to work. To be exact, Lucius the First needed Duke
Luzo’s son…
The emperor explained, “Pol is barren, so I will not be able to get an heir
from her. This is why…”
“Your highness, then what are you going to do about your succession…
W-why are you looking at me like that, your highness?”
Duke Luzo trembled and took a step back, but the emperor continued to
stare at him expectantly. Duke Luzo wondered, ‘Could it be… Is he
trying to make me his heir? He can’t! He wouldn’t dare!’
If Duke Luzo was an ambitious man, he would’ve taken over the throne
while Lucius the First was away on his conquest. Instead, Duke Luzo
worked tirelessly for his emperor for 10 years, fighting against the elders
to keep supporting Lucius the First and his dream of uniting the
continent. During this time, Duke Luzo ended up sacrificing his hair.
Duke Luzo did his part. He served his emperor to his best ability. He has
done more than enough. When Duke Luzo looked at him suspiciously,
the emperor shook his head. He was only a year older than his cousin.
“Luzo, our age difference isn’t big enough.”
“T-then… You…!”
The person Lucius the First wanted was Duke Luzo’s son. When he
realized what the emperor wanted, Duke Luzo could not believe it. To
marry a barren woman, his cousin was trying to steal his son away from
him.
What a thief! Duke Luzo was willing to sacrifice his hair, but not his own
son. He shook his head hard and screamed, “No way!”
“Don’t be like that, Luzo. Your son will become the next emperor of this
kingdom! How amazing would that be!”
“No! Never! You can’t! My son is very docile and kind just like me! If he
becomes an emperor, he will have a very unfortunate life! He will suffer
from severe ulcers and lose his hair from the stress of running the
kingdom!”
No baldness ran in his family. No baldness ran in his wife’s family either.
So if his own son became bald, what would people think? They will think
it began from Duke Luzo! The truth was, his baldness came from the
stress of working too hard, but people will believe that he was naturally
bald if his son was bald too, especially since his wife had such luscious
hair.
This wouldn’t do. Duke Luzo cannot have people think baldness ran in
his family. He couldn’t bring such a shame to his family and his
bloodline. He said forcefully, “If you refuse to marry additional wives, I
am against you marrying Marquess Winter! I will oppose it as a member
of the royal family! I will oppose it as hard as I can!”
Lucius the First was shocked to see his cousin, usually so obedient,
rebelling against him. Duke Luzo has always been a very submissive
man, but it seemed that he has changed ever since he became a father.
The emperor begged him, “Luzo, come on…”
The duke covered his ears and replied, “I refuse to listen to you, your
highness! I know what you are going to say. You are going to tell me that
I can always get more sons, right?”
“Don’t be like that, Luzo. My daughter and your son can marry each
other. This will make your son a proper and official heir to this throne.”
“Your highness… You will have me abandon my son for your love? Are
you so blinded by your feelings that you will make me do this? You will
sell your own daughter for this?”
It was such a shocking thought that Lucius the First became upset. The
emperor loved his daughter and his nephew, which was why he thought
it would be a good idea for them to marry. He never imagined that Duke
Luzo would feel this way about his plan.
Perhaps he was too rash and selfish about it all. Lucius the First realized
that he needed more time and planning. The emperor felt bad about it,
so he apologized to his cousin, “I think I was being too hasty. They are
still only babies, after all.”
“I agree, your highness.”
Duke Luzo looked at his cousin resentfully and the emperor looked down
guiltily. Then suddenly, Duke Luzo thought, ‘Something doesn’t sound
right.’ During this conversation, something was nagging him. Duke Luzo
has been so distracted that he didn’t figure it out immediately, but it
didn’t take him long to realize what he was missing.
‘Marquess Winter… Didn’t she get her menstrual cycle back?’
Duke Luzo remembered clearly how the doctors were flabbergasted
when Poliana began to bleed again. This news wasn’t very important to
him, so Duke Luzo didn’t think too much about it at the time, but now…
He considered telling Lucius the First about it, but he kept his mouth
shut. Marquess Winter was the same age as himself. What was the
chance that a woman, who spent half her life on battlefields and without
periods, be really fertile even if her bleeding began again? There were
women who safely had children after turning thirty, but these women
usually had multiple children beforehand. For a woman over thirty to
have her first child… Things could become very ugly.
What will happen if Poliana died while giving birth?
At the scariness of it, Duke Luzo shivered. Lucius the First already lost
one wife to childbirth. If it happened again, especially to the woman he
loved… The emperor may not recover from it. Duke Luzo decided that it
would be best for the emperor to never marry Poliana. This way, there
would be no risk of something so tragic. Duke Luzo said to the emperor
again, “I am against this marriage. You need to know this, your
highness. I am against you marrying the marquess.”
Duke Luzo turned away from the emperor. His objection may hurt the
emperor now, but it was for his own good. Duke Luzo hoped that
someday, Lucius the First would realize that what he did came from love.

Chapter 275: Chapter 275

Chapter 275
Lucius the First silently watched his cousin leave. Duke Luzo left with his
back turned on the emperor, which was unusual. Normally, the duke
took a few steps back before turning around, which was the proper royal
etiquette.
‘I guess he is really angry…’
It was understandable since the situation involved Duke Luzo’s son. In
the previous generation, Lucius the First’s father, the former emperor,
ended up having an unfriendly relationship with his younger brother,
Duke Luzo’s father. The former emperor ordered Duke Luzo to be raised
in the royal castle so Lucius the First would have a good friend growing
up. Duke Luzo’s father felt like his son was stolen from him.
Until the day they died, the brothers never made up their differences.
Lucius the First did not want the repeat of this family tragedy.
‘But I need Park as my heir.’
To gain his love, the emperor decided to be a little selfish. Even if the
duke did not agree to this plan, if Lucius the First passed away without
an heir, Duke Luzo was going to have to inherit the throne, and his son
afterward. It didn’t really matter if Lucius the First officially announced
and groomed Park Luzo as his heir. Of course, the problem was that the
emperor would have to work until his dying day to make sure the
kingdom became as stable as possible for the next generation.
‘I guess I will never be able to retire…’
In his head, Lucius the First went over the things he would have to
accomplish before he died. He sighed, knowing that there were too
many to do and not enough time. He was the ruler of this kingdom and
therefore, he was destined to lead a lonely life. Was wanting a woman of
his dream by his side too much to ask? Was he being too greedy? Why
was it that Poliana’s happiness and his own happiness could not exist
together?
If the emperor told Poliana Duke Luzo’s initial thoughts, which was to
marry her for a sound political gain, Lucius the First suspected that
Poliana would agree to the plan. She would accept his proposal easily
and she will work hard as the new empress of this kingdom. She would
remain his loyal subject.
But… This is not what he wanted. The emperor wanted Poliana’s heart.
He wanted her to want him as a man, not as her emperor. He wanted
them to be a true wife and husband.
Just as Poliana dreamt of finding a husband that respected her, Lucius
the First dreamt of having her as a loving wife. Was this too much to
ask? Was he being greedier than when he swore to unite the entire
kingdom at the age of 18?
‘Pol, I miss you.’
Whenever he felt lonely or tired, the emperor wanted to see Poliana. But
unfortunately, it has been impossible to see her because Poliana
decided to go through special training after the traumatic experience.
Due to the recent imprisonment of the guilty elders, the royal guards
haven’t had much to do. The Second Division especially acted lazily
since they no longer had the extended royal families to protect. Poliana
announced that she will begin special training for herself as well as her
men, which meant that Poliana visited the royal castle often. However,
she never purposely looked for the emperor. There was no doubt that
she was avoiding him.
***
Long after Tory’s incredible act of courage at the banquet, Yapa slowly
began to gain peace again. To most people in the kingdom, nothing
much has changed other than having an emperor who was single again.
Nothing changed in Lucius the First’s life either. He woke up early in the
morning for exercise and after a brief rest, he went to work. He worked
tirelessly in hopes that he might still someday retire.
Even though he was busier than ever, the emperor still felt lonely and
empty, most likely because it was impossible to see Poliana anymore. In
the past, he had the same issue; it was very difficult to meet Poliana
before too. But the difference was whether this was happening on
purpose. As long as Poliana continued to avoid the emperor, Lucius the
First couldn’t help feeling insecure.
The emperor still heard about what Poliana was up to. How the head of
the Second Division visited Princess Luminae… How the head of the
Second Division requested to visit Lady Tory but was denied… How the
head of the Second Division had an argument with the head of the First
Division…
Even though the emperor heard plenty of stories about Poliana’s
activities inside the castle, she never came to visit Lucius the First.
Although he understood why she was acting this way, he still felt
disappointed, even a little upset, at Poliana.
Lucius the First became sicklier by the day from being lovesick and
overworked. His big secret of what happened with Poliana didn’t help his
condition either.
Sir Ainno, who was the only one who might have been able to prod the
emperor about what happened during the trip, was too busy with his own
love life and wedding preparation. Sir Ainno was determined to marry as
soon as the royal death period was over and to accomplish this, he has
abandoned his best friend.
But even if Sir Ainno insisted on knowing what happened, Lucius the
First would’ve never told him about the night he spent with Poliana. This
was why the emperor wasn’t upset with his friend. Sir Ainno might have
been his best friend, but Lucius the First still would never talk about that
night. This meant that the emperor had no one to talk to; he had to suffer
alone.
It became the emperor’s habit to play with his mother’s wedding ring,
which he still hasn’t returned to the Emperor’s Room in Nanaba. All he
could do was wait in pain. While the emperor became weaker, Poliana’s
survival instinct was kicking in. Poliana was still very grateful for the
emperor forgiving her. Although that night was a result of both of them
getting drunk, Poliana felt that what she did ashamed the emperor. Her
crime was unforgivable, yet her kind emperor offered to forget about the
night. Poliana was determined to pay back for his kindness by being the
best knight she could be.
‘I better be extra careful from now on. Something like that can never
happen again.’ Poliana was determined.
Her nickname was the “War Witch.” People believed that she was as
cold as the freezing winter day. She was known for her mercilessness
and ruthlessness during wartimes. There used to be plenty of enemy
generals who swore to hunt her down and kill her.
During the war, people died every day. Even when there was no battle,
those who were injured died constantly. Poliana was used to losing
people around her.
So what happened? She used to be iron-willed. She used to be so
strong and in control, but now… She was too relaxed. Peace had ruined
her body and soul. The incredible power she held made her weak and
lazy.
It all began after her friend Lady Rebecca died. It was okay to feel sad
about a friend’s death, but the mistakes she made afterward… They
were not acceptable. Sure, a lonely woman could be fooled by a gold
digger. It was okay because there wasn’t any permanent damage to her
reputation, but to assault her own emperor in such a manner… How
could she?! How dare she?!
‘Dammit!’

Chapter 276: Chapter 276

Chapter 276
Poliana covered her face in shame. There was no way she could see the
emperor’s face. She wasn’t a horny teenage boy, and yet Poliana
couldn’t stop thinking about that night. She wished she could remember
what happened clearly, because if she did, at least she would know
exactly what happened. But the reality was, she remembered very
vaguely and mostly how she felt, not the detail of what really happened.
And how she felt… It was embarrassing to admit it, but she remembered
feeling good.
‘Dammit! I think it was really good.’
If it was an awful experience, all she would have to do is forget about it.
This was especially the case since Lucius the First ordered her to forget
as if nothing happened. The problem was… Poliana couldn’t forget,
probably because it was such a shocking event.
They both agreed to forget, but they both knew that they couldn’t. Both
Lucius the First and Poliana knew they would never be able to forget that
night. This was partly because if they didn’t, they might lose each other.
Their relationship might get ruined, so at the time, both believed that
pretending to forget was the best option.
‘It’s never too late. I better snap out of this.’
Perhaps it really was too late, but Poliana decided not to think this way.
It wasn’t too hard for her to do this since she had a strong will. She had
always believed what she chose to believe, and she was going to do the
same thing in this incident too.
‘I have been acting too weakly… I was seduced by the comfort of my
new life… This is why I made such a huge mistake… This is the worst. I
deserve to die. People can be such a lazy and greedy being, but I can’t
be one of them! I need to be better!’
This was why Poliana decided to go through special training. Since she
no longer had much work to do, she filled her daily routine with intense
training. Poliana announced that she will no longer drink. She no longer
accepted dinner invitations just like the way she used to when she was a
skinny young girl, Poliana trained like her life depended on it.
Poliana was interested in how the First Division, under Sir Ainno’s order,
trained so intensely. Sir Ainno may have been less interested in his best
friend the emperor because he was busy with his love life, but Sir Ainno
never acted lazy about his work. The Knight’s Order’s training was
always one of his priorities.
When Poliana visited the First Division to ask about the training, the
guards replied rudely, “It will be too hard for you, Sir Poliana.”
Everyone knew all the knights of the First Division were jerks, but this
was too much. If Sir Mahogal was here, things would’ve been in better
order, but he was on vacation. Poliana smiled brightly and kicked the
rude guard viciously.
The knights of the First Division shivered in shock. They knew they had
no choice but to acknowledge Poliana as the head of the Second
Division, but they had no responsibility to accept her as their own boss.
But… Poliana’s kicks and punches were shockingly painful. When Sir
Ainno punched them, the guards feared for their lives. When Poliana did
it, they feared becoming debilitated. The guards knew they would not
suffer an immediate death, but to suffer for a very long time and very
painfully… It was a scary prospect.
Poliana knew that violence was not the answer to everything, but these
jerks kept forcing her to use it. She was able to gain some control over
the guards, but Poliana still felt upset. When she continued to pant
angrily, Sir Beke walked up to her. He kicked his colleague, who was on
the floor in pain, and said to Poliana, “Sir Pol, our training may be too
difficult.”
With his eyes, he silently said to her, “This is hell.”
Poliana replied bravely, “That’s exactly what I want.” Poliana clenched
her fist and raised it up in the air. When she looked determined and
ready, Sir Beke kindly explained to her what their training involved.
***
After the training, Poliana collapsed to the ground. When Sir Ainno
spotted her, he walked up to her and asked, “Why are you here?” The
royal guards of the First Division saluted their boss immediately while
Poliana remained on the ground weakly. When she couldn’t seem to
answer him, Sir Ainno asked the guards instead, “Why is the head of the
Second Division here? What was she doing?”
“She has been going through our training with us, Sir.”
“Did she do well? Was she able to keep up?”
“No!”
Poliana’s eyes wavered, but she still gritted her teeth when she heard
the guard’s answer. ‘Jerks.’ Why couldn’t they give a little white lie and
say she did well?
‘Honest jerks.’
Both the guards and their bosses were assh*les. Sir Ainno looked down
at her with his usual disgruntled look. Poliana, feeling upset, asked,
“What?! Why are you staring at me like that?”
“No, it’s just… His highness has been acting strangely lately, so I was
wondering if you knew anything about it.”
She knew a lot about it, but Poliana couldn’t answer. When she
remained silent, Sir Ainno assumed that Poliana didn’t know anything.
He looked away and ordered his guards, “Take care of her. Help her
return home or something.” He left, leaving his guards feeling frustrated.
“What should we do? Who should help her?”
“Let’s just get one of the guards from the Second Division. She is their
boss, right?”
“I agree!”
“Me too!”
“But if the boss finds out we didn’t help her ourselves, he is going to be
furious.”
“Oh, maybe, and she’s a woman, so we might get in trouble…”
“Wait! Isn’t Beke her friend or something?”
“Oh yeah! Sir Beke is her close acquaintance, so… Wait a minute!
Where did Sir Beke go?”
“He ran away as soon as the boss appeared.”
“Well, that’s understandable. Sir Ainno is going to be his brother-in-law,
right? That sounds horrible. I would’ve run away too if I was in his
shoes.”
The guards of the First Division chatted leisurely while surrounding
Poliana. Just then, a random dog appeared and walked up to Poliana
with its tail wagging. The dog began to lick Poliana’s face, perhaps
wanting her to play with him. Poliana was feeling too weak to push the
dog away.
When the guards continued to discuss what to do with her, Poliana used
every strength she had left to raise her hand and said to them, “I… I will
take care of myself, so… Go away.”
“Yes, Sir Pol!”
The guards left immediately, leaving Poliana alone with the dog.
Somehow, Poliana pushed herself so she laid on the ground on her
back. Looking up at the sky made her feel a little better. The dog
continued to lick her face, and soon, Poliana realized that the dog was
after the saltiness of her sweat. He wasn’t licking her because he liked
her. She was fine with it except for the fact that the dog had awful
breath.
‘I’m going to die here like this…’
Poliana felt too tired to move. Perhaps it was a mistake to dismiss the
guards. She didn’t want to do anything. She couldn’t. She was regretting
her decision to join the special training when Sir Beke returned.
“Umm… My brother told me to invite you to dinner when I see you, Sir
Pol.”
Sir Aeke told both Sir Beke and Sir Deke to invite Marquess Winter for
dinner when they got the chance to see her so the family could thank
Poliana for giving her wedding items to Cekel.
But today wasn’t the day for a dinner invitation. Poliana was too weak,
so Sir Beke helped her get home.
Chapter 277: Chapter 277

Chapter 277
This went on day after day. Poliana participated in the intense daily
training of the first division and ate plenty to keep up. When she returned
home, she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep immediately.
It was a common knowledge that a good and plentiful rest was
necessary for physical training to be most effective. Poliana, however,
wasn’t after physical improvement. She was training to strengthen her
mind and so far, she didn’t think she was doing enough.
The maids of the marquess’ household were concerned for their
mistress. Even though Poliana was eating just as much as any male
knights, Marquess Winter remained skinny. She just won’t put on any
weight. When the maids shared their worry, Poliana reassured them that
she was perfectly fine. She was gaining a lot of muscles, so it is likely
that Poliana weighed quite a bit. But what the maids wanted was for
Poliana to get a little of fat on her, not more muscles.
Poliana wrote a daily log of her training and the result. She was happy to
see that she was making progress. For the first few days of her training,
Poliana had to be helped to return home by Sir Beke or other knights
because she could not walk on her own. But since yesterday, Poliana
was able to ride the horse back home all by herself!
She felt like she could do anything in the world! Poliana was feeling
great when Sir Ainno said to her, “If you keep doing this, you will die.” Sir
Ainno didn’t really care about what happened to her, but if she fell ill or
hurt herself while going through his training regimen, Sir Ainno knew
Lucius the First would be nagging him to no end. Sir Ainno said to
Poliana, “From now on, you are banned from participating in the First
Division’s training program, Marquess Winter.”
His voice, his tone, and the way he spoke… He was such a jerk, but Sir
Mahogal, who recently returned from his vacation, kindly explained to
her the reasoning behind Sir Ainno’s words.
There was no argument that Poliana’s body was different from that of the
other male guards. The difference was especially great when compared
to the knights of the First Division, who were the best of the best in the
kingdom. If Poliana continued to try keeping up with these exceptional
men, she really might end up hurting herself badly. It might look like
she’s making some progress for now, but in reality, her body was most
likely to being damaged.
Poliana nodded in understanding, so she decided that she would take a
break today. And starting tomorrow, she would begin a different type of
training.
‘Tomorrow… I should drop by to check on my men in the Second
Division, and… Huh?’
She was going through her schedule when she noticed a red mark on
the day before yesterday. Poliana wondered why she marked this day
with red ink, which was the most expensive colored ink.
‘Did someone die on this date? No, that’s not it… Is it someone’s
birthday…? No, that’s not it either… Wait! Oh! I remember.’
After thinking for a while, Poliana finally remembered. Yes, it made
sense. It was about this time last month when she had her last period.
Yet… This month, it hasn’t begun yet.
When Poliana was examined at Nanaba castle, the royal doctor told her
she will most likely get her periods regularly now. He was right because
when she returned to Yapa, she did have her periods consistently. This
was why she marked the calendar, so she would not have an
unfortunate and unexpected accident.
But this month… She was a few days late already. Poliana wasn’t
worried, however, because there was a simple and logical explanation
for it.
‘Well, I have been training extremely hard lately, so…’
Poliana has been training hard like a woman on a death mission. She, in
fact, trained harder than when she was in the war, so it made sense that
her period stopped. If her doctor found out, he would nag her that she
should take better care of herself, but Poliana didn’t care. Why?
Because she was a bad patient!
But as long as she lived as a good knight and good subject to the
emperor, it was all good, right! Of course, it was!
Nodding vigorously, Poliana threw the calendar on her desk.
‘Who cares if I don’t get my periods back? It’s not like I plan on having
kids or something.’
Poliana laid down on her bed feeling justified. All she had to do was to
sleep, but for some reason… Her body felt different. Something wasn’t
right.
‘Hmm… I wonder…’
She has never had a regular period in her life. She had more months of
no periods than the ones with menstruation. It was a normal occurrence
for her not to have periods, which meant that she shouldn’t have been
bothered by this situation. Yet… She kept thinking…
‘Why am I bothered? Is it because I was thinking about having kids only
a little while ago?’
It was a short-lived dream for her. There were days when she grinned
about creating a family with Frau and perhaps even having kids of her
own… OF course, the result of her dream was a tragedy in the end.
Poliana ended up taking advantage of the emperor.
‘Gyaaa!’
Poliana left her bed suddenly and punched the wall loudly.
“Gyaaa!”
Her room was soundproofed, but the entire household heard Poliana’s
scream. Her butler, shocked to hear his mistress, ran to her room.
“Mistress! Marquess!”
“Arrggghh!”
When he entered the room, Poliana was assaulting the wall and the
furniture. Her butler was well aware of the marquess’s strange method of
relieving stress, so he quietly closed the door behind her. When the
other servants and the maid gathered around outside her room, the
butler explained to them what was happening and ordered them to keep
quiet about it.
“But shouldn’t we stop her?”
“She will stop when she is done.”
She was a very important woman. Her health and well being should’ve
been her priority, so Poliana’s staff assumed she would stop soon.
However… They were wrong. Poliana’s stress-relieving habit continued
intensely.
She kicked the wall so much that her silk wallpaper was ripped. At first,
the butler replaced the entire wall with new wallpaper, but soon, the
butler realized that it was no use. Poliana kept doing it over and over
again, and in the end, he decided to patch it up by cutting a flowershaped piece of
silk and gluing it on. He, unfortunately, had to do this
frequently. It was an annoying job, but this was his responsibility, not
Poliana’s.
Marquess Winter had other matters to worry about.
‘Dammit! Have I lost my mind? Why can’t I stop thinking about his
highness?! What is wrong with me?’
It was the job of a good knight to think about his emperor day and night,
but Poliana’s thoughts were going in the wrong direction. Ever since Sir
Batre “spared” her marriage prospect by sodomizing her, Poliana
learned to hate the feeling of men breathing down on her. It was okay for
her to feel her colleagues’ heavy breaths while they worked out together,
but if a man intentionally blew warm breath at her… Poliana flinched in
disgust.

Chapter 278: Chapter 278

Chapter 278
Poliana’s nightmarish memories of Sir Batre disappeared when she
heard the news of his death. The rumor of an unknown man stabbing the
corpse’s anus was enough to soothe her mind. She no longer thought of
him or had upsetting flashbacks of him.
But now… Poliana had new flashbacks of the night she spent with
Lucius the First. How she wrapped her thighs around him… Touching his
soft skin… Groping his chest shamelessly… She could not forget these
memories.
‘I have finally lost my mind.’
Poliana believed that she needed to be punished. She believed that the
appropriate punishment for her crime would be death. Frau tried to con
her into marriage, but his crime did not compare to what she did to the
emperor.
Poliana sexually assaulted Lucius the First. The rapist and the victim
agreed to forget about what happened, but this didn’t change the fact
that Poliana committed a crime.
The very generous emperor told her to forget about that night, but
Poliana kept obsessing about what happened. She couldn’t stop thinking
about it. It wasn’t that she could remember much of that night. It also
wasn’t her first time feeling the body of a man against her own.
So what was it that she couldn’t stop thinking about it?
Because Poliana was often treated as “genderless,” she had plenty of
chances to witness nude men. She also touched plenty of them too, so
Lucius the First’s bare body shouldn’t have been too memorable to her.
So why! Why! Why! Why did she keep thinking about it?!
‘This is driving me nuts!’
This was why she could not go visit the emperor. She couldn’t face him.
Lucius the First saved her life, and this was how she repaid him for his
kindness. And now, her mind continued to commit the crime of
remembering that night. She was a horrible knight. She deserved death.
Poliana was so frustrated because she couldn’t talk to anyone about it.
What happened that night… How it felt… How she felt now… This would
have to be her secret forever.
So what should she do about this problem? How was she going to stop
thinking about the emperor in such an impure way?
Lucius the Firsts’ skin was soft while his muscle was hard. It felt so good
to touch him… It felt amazing to slap his chest!
Poliana thought she was probably the only one in the kingdom who
slapped the emperor’s bare chest. The amazing sensation that only she
knew… Poliana couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Poliana laid down on her bed and looked at her hands. She tried so hard
to forget, but she couldn’t. Even when she trained so hard that she fell
into a dreamless sleep, whenever she woke up in the middle of the night,
thinking about the emperor was all she could do. Poliana recalled Lucius
the Firsts’ warmth.
‘His highness was so warm.’
Thinking about him was what she did whenever she got the chance, so
how could she face him?
So it was only when the emperor ordered all the heads of the three
divisions to gather that Lucius the First was able to reunite with Poliana.
***
The emperor ordered the heads of the First, Second, and Third Divisions
for a work-related discussion. Originally, the First Division, which also
worked as the Knight’s order, was considered the emperor’s own
personal use. The First Division usually did not have designated daily
duties. The Second Division was the group that was responsible for the
royal family’s protection in real life. The Second Division also took care
of the security of the inside of the castle. The Third Division was
responsible for the security of the capital city outside the royal castle.
After the recent major incident, Lucius the First ordered the First Division
to focus on the emperor’s protection. But now that things have settled
down, and there were only two royal members left to be protected, things
could go back to normal.
Sir Wook, the head of the Third Division, smiled and said to Poliana,
“You must be happy about this, Sir Pol. The Second Division is again the
only group protecting the royal family.”
Sir Wook made a gesture of drinking, which was an invitation for Poliana
to go drinking to celebrate. Poliana shook her head weakly and replied,
“I quit drinking.”
Sir Wook laughed loudly, “Hahaha! You’re too funny! Are you trying out
new jokes?” Sir Jainno laughed as well. Sir Ainno was already gone.
Poliana was about to walk out of the room with the other knights when
the emperor called for her, “Marquess Winter, please stay for a while
longer.”
“…”
Poliana considered making an excuse to leave but gave up on the idea.
After the other knights left and they were alone, Poliana sat in front of
the emperor. At first, thankfully, Lucius the First talked only about work.
Poliana felt relieved and focused on the conversation, but soon enough,
the emperor brought up the subject she dreaded.
“Pol, after that night, I…”
Poliana’s body became rigid as she answered automatically, “Your
highness, you needn’t worry about a thing! I didn’t tell anyone about it.
And I also haven’t drank once since that night either!”
“Yes, I didn’t tell anyone about it either.”
He planned on proposing to Poliana after the royal death period was
over, but if he proposed to her out of the blue, Poliana was going to be
shocked. So the emperor decided that their relationship needed to
improve first. To accomplish this, he had no choice but to bring up what
happened that night.
Lucius the First explained, “Just listen, okay? I thought about it a lot and
I am certain that it was me who took advantage of you, Pol. I mean, think
about it. It doesn’t make sense that you forced me. You are a woman
and I am a man. I think I did it out of my desire and lust. So what I’m
trying to say is that I will take responsibility.”
“Your highness, it was me who took advantage of you.”
Poliana straightened up and interrupted the emperor coldly, surprising
Lucius the First. He wondered if she remembered something from that
night. Poliana seemed so certain of the fact that she was at fault, but this
only fueled the emperor to be even more insistent. Whatever she may
remember… They were both very drunk so her memory couldn’t be very
accurate. Besides, there were no evidence or no witnesses to prove
anything, so the emperor decided to push on.
“Pol, it was me, stop arguing with me.”
“No, your highness, it was me. I am sure of it.”
“I am telling you, it was me who took advantage of you that night.”
“No, I am certain it was me who assaulted you, your highness.”
“Are you saying this because you remember something from that night?”
Poliana, feeling cornered, yelled loudly in annoyance, “I was on top of
you, your highness! I was sitting on top of you that night!” Shaking her
head in frustration, Poliana continued, “It was me, your highness! I used
your body! We decided to forget about it, so why do you keep bringing it
up, your highness?!”

Chapter 279: Chapter 279

Chapter 279
Lucius the First argued, “Well, maybe somehow we just got tangled! You
know, if you are horsing around, things like that could happen!”
Poliana yelled, “If I was just ‘sitting’ on top of you, do you think I would
be saying this?!”
Poliana dared to raise her voice to the emperor. Her face frowning in
frustration, she left the room without asking for his permission. Lucius
the First could not stop her. He was so surprised that he wasn’t thinking
clearly. His heart was beating so fast like he ran hundreds of miles
nonstop.
‘Calm down, Lucius… Calm down… Calm down… I need to calm
down…’
The emperor rested his chin on his hand and thought carefully. So he
was laying on the bed and Poliana was on top of him… And she wasn’t
just “sitting” on top of him… And Poliana was certain, based on this
piece of memory, that she took advantage of his drunk body…
So…
‘She was on top of me!’
There was no need for further explanation.
“…!”
The emperor collapsed onto his desk while clutching his chest. His heart,
pride, and desire were all damaged from this piece of information.
Something so great and incredible happened yet he couldn’t remember
any of it… He hated himself. He hated his brain for being so stupid.
Lucius the First felt foolish for secretly being happy about vaguely
remembering the feel of her breasts. Something even greater happened,
and all he could remember was the hazy shape of her breasts… The
emperor wanted to cry. It was the first time since his parents died that he
felt like crying like this.
Lucius the First tried and tried to remember that night, but nothing came
up to his mind. He even hit his head a few times with his hand, but it was
no use.
***
Poliana was furious, and as the woman in power, she did not relieve her
anger alone. After all, Poliana had plenty of men in her control to help
her feel better.
When she walked into the Second Division’s breakroom, the guards
saluted her loudly. Poliana was disappointed to see that the room was
sparse. She hoped that if one of her men who weren’t supposed to be
taking a break was playing hooky so she would have an excuse to
punish him. But to her annoyance, it seemed that all of her men in the
Second Division were honest and diligent.
Normally, any boss would’ve been proud to have such good men, but
today was not a normal day. Poliana asked, “Is there anyone here who
wants to spar me?”
The young handsome men in the room all looked away, unable to meet
her eyes. As the head of the Second Division, Poliana was a powerful
and influential figure both politically and in terms of military authority. If a
young guard wanted to make it in this world and get promoted, this
would’ve been a good chance to volunteer and get on her good side.
This would be the chance to be noticed by the boss. However, it seemed
that no one wanted to be successful because no one volunteered.
The guards had a good reason to remain quiet. Poliana sparred a few
times recently with the guards of the First Division recently, and the way
she fought was considered legendary.
When Poliana sparred, she attacked like she was in a real battle. It
wasn’t just her that fought so hard; many spars were fought seriously,
and most young knights were excited at the chance of sparring with a
veteran soldier. Many of the young guards never had the chance to fight
in real battles so sparring those who were in the war was the only way to
learn the realness of a battlefield.
However, Poliana, who obviously had less stamina and strength, was
known to fight viciously. To be her most effective self, Poliana attacked
only the most vulnerable body parts. If a man got a lighter version of her
attack, he would be in severe pain. If a man got the full force of her
attack, the man could be permanently crippled. Her savagery worsened
recently after she trained with the First Division. All the soldiers of the
royal guards were well-trained men, yet those who had the opportunity to
fight Poliana, declared that it was like fighting a hungry tiger.
‘Our boss Sir Pol… I don’t think she became physically stronger, but she
became scarier, right?’
‘Totally. We better never get on her bad side.’
The superstitious guards of the Second Division believed that if their
boss died, she would become the guardian ghost of Yapa that protected
the capital forever.
Poliana walked around the room leisurely as her men stood straight and
in fear. She looked at them as if they were pieces of meat to be bought
and eaten at the butcher’s shop. Who will be called to face this tiger?
Suddenly, Poliana’s face turned ugly as she gagged.
“Blargh.”
Poliana gagged a few times, and the men felt hurt as they said to her,
“B,Boss… You are too mean. We get that we smell rotten, but to gag in
front of us like that…”
“N-no, that’s not it… Blargh… I… Blargh…”
Poliana couldn’t stop gagging so she ran out of the room. The smell in
the guard’s breakroom was a familiar smell to her. Men’s sweat, blood,
urine, mold, alcohol, juice, stale bread and meat, and mouse poop…
There was nothing new there; Poliana was used to the smell. In fact, she
has smelled much worse during the war.
So why did the familiar smell suddenly make her sick? For some reason,
Poliana could not stop gagging. Her head kept telling her the smell was
fine, but her body was reacting violently against it.
It was painful to keep gagging, so Poliana ran to the washroom, thinking
that if she vomited, she would feel better. But unfortunately, nothing
came out when she tried to throw up. Poliana put a finger inside her
throat, but even then, she barely threw up anything.
Poliana tried to think of what might be happening to her body.
‘Hmm… have I been training too hard lately?’
But she used to train even harder in the olden days, right? Sure, she
was younger then, but…
Poliana supposed that there was a huge difference between being in
one’s teen years to being in one’s twenties. This meant that being over
thirty was going to feel very different, and when she turned over forty,
her body would deteriorate further.
It was true that the knights who went through harsh training and battles
ended up suffering later. It was common for the soldiers to have pain
even after their broken bones mended. It didn’t mean that these soldiers
could not continue to fight, but…
‘I was feeling fine until this morning. Well, I guess I have been overly
tired lately.”
Poliana decided to take the rest of the day off today. She felt guilty,
knowing that she should take better care of herself. If she continued to
abuse her body this way, Poliana knew she might end up suffering
greatly later. She had a hard life for the first twenty years of her life, so
Poliana strongly believed that she deserves her next forty years to be
amazing.
In fact, her current situation was the best scenario she could ever hope
for. She had a great power and her life was finally good. Such a
wonderful life should’ve been only the beginning for her.
“Dammit…”
Poliana gritted her teeth and began to pant in panic. Inside of her mouth
felt gross from throwing up.
“…”
Poliana desperately wanted to deny the cruel reality, but it was very
hard. For a while now, it was becoming harder to ignore the distinct
possibility. The changes in her body… She could imagine what these
may mean, and now, it was time to find out rather than keep ignoring
them.

Chapter 280: Chapter 280

Chapter 280
Missing period, feeling poorly, and gagging for no reason… All these
symptoms could be explained by harsh training, but what if there was an
accidental one night stand before all these symptoms?
Poliana left her work early to return home. There, she expertly put on a
dress and wrapped her hair with a handkerchief. Since the day she
decided to get married, Poliana chose not to cut her hair. It was now
long enough to touch her shoulders.
Should she cut it now? Should she not?
Poliana glared at the mirror for a while before deciding to keep it
because she knew the handkerchief looked better on her with long hair.
Her butler asked, “Mistress, are you going out?”
“Yes.”
The butler was happy to see Poliana in a dress because it meant that
she wouldn’t go too far…. Well, actually, this only meant that she
wouldn’t go out training like a maniac. Poliana didn’t get on her horse.
Instead, she chose to walk. She asked around and found the place she
was looking for. It wasn’t the market but an area in the suburban area.
After taking a deep breath, Poliana walked in. The owner of the place
was an old woman.
The old woman’s job was something women needed in every village.
She was a professional who had extensive experience and knowledge
that could help women with their health.
She was a midwife. Because most doctors did not have much
knowledge of women’s health, the midwives were necessary. Although
they did not have official and organized schools and research, the
midwives’ experience helped in keeping down the death rate of pregnant
mothers and their babies.
The old woman asked, “What brings you here?”
“I’m wondering if I’m pregnant.”
Now that she said it out loud, Poliana felt dizzy. The midwife asked her
to have a seat.
“I haven’t seen you around here.”
“I just had some business to attend Yapa recently.”
The midwife didn’t get on with the examination immediately. Poliana
showed her frustration, but the old woman didn’t seem to care. Poliana
might have had 20 years of battlefield experience, but the old woman
had 50 years of experience as the midwife of this town.
The old woman asked Poliana many personal questions. Where did she
live? How old was she? When Poliana refused to answer them, the old
woman grumbled but examined her nonetheless. After a little while, the
midwife said to Poliana, “Congrats, you’re pregnant.”
“F*ck!”
“A pregnant woman should not swear like that! If you do, you will end up
having a baby with a cleft lip. You’re old enough to know better!”
The old woman slapped Poliana’s back a few times.
Slap! Slap!
The midwife was shockingly strong, and in the end, the head of Acreian
Second Division Marquess Poliana Winter surrendered.
“Dammit! Argh! Fine! Fine! I’m sorry!”
Poliana ran out of the door and sighed deeply. She didn’t know what to
do.
“Your highness… Lucius the First… My dear emperor…”
It seemed that even her emperor’s sperms were amazing since it only
took one time to get Poliana pregnant. She wondered why it took so long
for Lady Rebecca to get pregnant and why the other two ex-wives never
did.
Poliana kicked the wall hard, and the midwife inside yelled at her, “Why
are you kicking my home? You’re pregnant, which means you should be
more careful, be kinder!”
“Alright, alright! Sorry, I’m sorry.”
Poliana wanted to cry. Why was her uterus suddenly working so hard
when in the last thirty years, it refused to work at all?
Why? How? What the hell!
She wanted to believe that it wasn’t Lucius the First’s baby, but it was
not possible. The only man she slept with was the emperor, so it had to
be his. Poliana leaned against the building wall. She felt too dizzy to
stand straight. Both of her legs began to shake.
Pregnant. She was pregnant!
People say that it was easy to miscarry at an early stage of pregnancy,
so how did her body endure such hard training while pregnant? Poliana
found it difficult to believe what was happening. She watched Lady
Rebecca bedridden during most of her pregnancy. She needed the
doctor’s permission just to get the chance to sit on a chair, yet compared
to that, Poliana’s body seemed like it was invincible.
Poliana believed that her life was alright. Some may believe she led an
unfortunate life while others believe that she should’ve been greedier for
more in her life.
But today… Finally… Poliana believed that a true calamity occurred in
her life. Something was going very wrong here. Was her life destined to
be destroyed this way?
Immediately after she was born, her birth mother passed away. Her own
father and her stepmother wanted her to die. Poliana lived many years
living and surviving without having a clear goal. She lived an
unappreciated life for decades. She almost died many times before
finally meeting the emperor who acknowledged and accepted her as a
true knight. She was given a new name and she worked hard. She made
many notable accomplishments. She was finally respected; she even
had colleagues who liked her.
The only thing left for her was to live a happy life, so why was this
happening to her?
It was one thing to be fooled by a gold digger, but to get pregnant by
Lucius the First? Of all men… Why did it have to be the emperor?
Lucius the First currently did not have an heir.
‘Well, that’s not true.’ Technically, Duke Luzo and his son were next in
line. Duke Luzo was a truly loyal cousin and ally to the emperor. If Lucius
the First did not get an heir, the next option was to have Princess
Luminae marry the Duke’s son and have him become the next heir. It
wasn’t a bad idea, though the new emperor’s legitimacy wouldn’t be as
strong as if it was Lucius the First’s own son.
The emperor united the entire continent. He dreamt of a strong unified
kingdom and he didn’t plan on it falling apart after he was gone.
In this complicated situation, Poliana Winter became pregnant with the
emperor’s child. The gender of this baby was obviously unknown at this
point. So as the loyal knight of the emperor, what should Poliana do?
She could think of four options.
1. Honesty. She tells the emperor the truth.
2. Escape. She runs away.
3. Abortion. She gets rid of the baby.
4. Suicide.
5. This has to be a dream. When she wakes up, she will realize that it
was only a nightmare, so there is nothing to do. Nothing to worry about.
Poliana chose option 5. She was too tired, both physically and
emotionally, that she needed some rest.
***
The next morning.
Considering it was such a traumatic event yesterday, Poliana slept
rather well. With a clearer head after a restful night, Poliana
contemplated what happened.
“Why is this happening to me?!”
Poliana despaired at the fact that she wasn’t dreaming. She was truly
pregnant with the emperor’s child. This was really happening. Although it
was hard to accept the truth, she could no longer just sit still and feel
miserable. Now that she could think a little better, a thought popped into
her head suddenly.
‘Wait a minute! That midwife may have been wrong, right?!’

Chapter 281: Chapter 281

Chapter 281
That’s right! Exactly! Poliana grinned widely.
‘Why didn’t I think of this earlier?’
Midwives were not official professionals. They had more medical
knowledge than the public, but these women were certainly not doctors.
On top of that, the midwife Poliana saw yesterday had an awful
personality. Since she seemed like an awful person, that old woman
probably was an awful midwife too.
Poliana finally felt much better. She calculated the days and realized that
it would be too difficult to tell if she was indeed pregnant at this stage. It
was very possible that the midwife was mistaken.
Poliana put on a different dress and a handkerchief than yesterday to go
out. Her butler didn’t say a word; he only helped her get ready and
opened the door for her. Poliana, feeling a little guilty, gave an
unnecessary excuse for her outing, “I am on a secret mission to check
on the Third Division’s work.”
The butler did not doubt his mistress’s word. Instead, he felt sorry for the
Third Division.
***
Poliana sighed as she walked the street.
‘I better find a different midwife to see what she says.’
Today, Poliana rode her horse to the city center. The most accurate way
of finding out would be to see the royal gynecologist, but if she did,
everyone would know the truth. To keep her secret, Poliana needed to
visit a village midwife.
Poliana asked around, making a point of only asking women in her same
age group. She asked a few women and luckily, Poliana learned that
there was a famous midwife living nearby.
Because she was so popular, this midwife’s place was very busy. Most
people waiting were women, although there were a few husbands that
came with their wives. There also were a few kids who came with their
mothers, making the waiting area rather noisy.
Poliana waited with a rigid face. She was sweating profusely, and when
it finally came to be her turn, the midwife examined her and announced,
“You are still at a very early stage, so I’m surprised that you already
know. Yes, you are indeed with a child.”
“Arghh…”
“Why are your hands so rough and calloused? You better be more
careful now that you are pregnant.”
“Arghh…”
It was like a death sentence to her. It was actually worse than a death
sentence. As Poliana walked out of the midwife’s house, her shoulders
slumped. She felt weak; Poliana was able to reach where her horse was
waiting for her, but she didn’t feel strong enough to get on top of it.
Two midwives confirmed her pregnancy. She was pregnant; there was
no denying it now. After spending the night with Lucius the First, Poliana
went into intense training. There should’ve been a high chance that she
miscarried from it, but her baby still survived.
‘I can’t believe the baby is still alive after me training so hard…’ Both
midwives told her that she needed to take it easy. The training she went
through wasn’t something Poliana planned herself. It was something
created by the infamous First Division. There were moments during the
training when Poliana wondered if she might die from it.
‘Rebecca…’
The memories of her friend made Poliana feel bitter. Lady Rebecca was
forced to spend most of her pregnancy in bed and even then, she did not
survive childbirth. Suddenly, Poliana shivered in fear. It was a good thing
Lucius the First was currently unmarried. If he wasn’t… If Poliana
became pregnant when he was still married…
‘If it happened then, I would’ve had no choice but to commit suicide.’
How shameful would that be? If it happened, Poliana wouldn’t have been
able to face the emperor’s wives. She really would’ve killed herself out of
shame and embarrassment.
Poliana returned home and washed up. She changed into her usual
uniform and went to the castle to visit Princess Luminae. In the past, the
princess had three mothers, but now, she had none. The only family
Princess Luminae had was her father, but this wasn’t an unusual
situation. The princess had plenty of nannies and maids that she would
never be truly alone. Besides, all nobles and royal families never raised
their own children.
Princess Luminae was now past her newborn stage. She was growing
fast and strong, making her father Lucius the First proud. Now chubby,
the princess was adorable. She only inherited the best features of her
parents. Princess Luminae was so pretty that people believed she would
grow up to be an even greater beauty than her own father.
When the princess spotted Poliana, who visited her often, she
recognized her and reached out to her. Poliana saw the princess’s cute
chubby fingers and smiled. Poliana buried her face on the baby’s tummy.
The wonderful smell of the baby and her warmth felt unfamiliar, but for
some reason, Poliana missed it.
Everyone was a baby at one point in life, but no one really remembered
being a baby. Perhaps people liked children because they missed the
time of their lives they didn’t really remember.
Poliana smiled bitterly and whispered to the princess, “I did something
very wrong, Princess.”
Poliana was a friend of the princess’s late mother. Rebecca used to be
the one person Poliana could talk to about anything and everything.
They were honest with each other and their friendship was real. Dirty
chats, dangerous topics, disgusting words, horrible treacherous
thought… Poliana and Rebecca used to share their lives. If Rebecca
was still alive, Poliana would’ve told her about this situation.
More accurately, if Rebecca was still alive, something like this would’ve
never happened. No matter how drunk Poliana gets, she would never
take advantage of a married man.
Poliana slept with the husband of her dead friend. This ugly thought
made her even more upset.
‘Should I really kill myself?’
If Rebecca was alive and heard what happened, how would she react?
Would she have hated her? Found her disgusting? Or would she have
just nagged her and in fact found it funny? Either way, Poliana would’ve
loved to have her friend back. She missed Rebecca.
Poliana was a knight. She has always been a knight, which meant that
she learned to not be too sentimental about friendships and memories of
those who were no longer alive. This was necessary for her sanity, so
Poliana quickly erased the thoughts of Rebecca. Missing her was
making her feel even guiltier. She was already feeling bad about it so
she didn’t need anything to make her feel worse.
Poliana asked the baby princess, “What should I do?”
Dammit! What was she supposed to do? She got drunk and made a
huge mistake. Other people made drunken mistakes all the time and
lived their lives fine, so why did her life have to change so much from a
single misstep? Why did she have to get pregnant?
‘Should I go tell the truth?’
The emperor and Poliana decided to forget about what happened, but
now, there was going to be a child. A child… This wasn’t something they
could forget about. So should she go to Lucius the First and tell him the
truth? How should she explain this to him?
“Your highness… I am sorry to tell you but about that night… I believe I
am suffering from a side effect from it.”
To this, Lucius the First would ask her, “Oh, what is the side effect?”
If she replied, “I am pregnant,” what kind of reaction would the emperor
have?

Chapter 282: Chapter 282

Chapter 282
Poliana couldn’t imagine how the emperor would react. Maybe her
confession would create an incident where the emperor falls off his
throne. It will be the first time ever in history that something like this had
happened.
‘But I can’t just ‘forget’ about this anymore! It’s not possible!’
While Poliana contemplated, Princess Luminae giggled beautifully. Her
golden hair, though different shade than her father’s, still shined with
amazing luster. The head of the Second Division felt burdened as she
wondered, ‘What if his highness asks me it’s really his?’
How should she answer if he asks such a question?
Poliana didn’t know. Of course, she knew her emperor wouldn’t ask a
question like that. He wasn’t that kind of man at all. She knew he would
instead try to console her. He would say something like, “You must’ve
been feeling lonely and scared.” He would be kind and gentle to her.
It was only Poliana’s imagination that he would ever ask her if the child
was truly his. It was the worst and the scariest thought and Poliana
couldn’t stop it from haunting her.
Poliana wouldn’t spend the night with any other man. Lucius the First
was the only one, but there was no proof of this claim. It was going to be
just her words. If she was Lucius the First, Poliana would’ve been
suspicious. Since she took advantage of him, who is to say she hasn’t
done this before?
In her mind, she was just a drunk woman who “raped” a defenseless
man. So if such a woman went to the “victim” and tell him and she was
pregnant with his child, who would believe her?
If the man believed her, that would make him an idiot.
The truth was, Lucius the First was indeed an idiot when it concerned
Poliana. But Poliana was unaware of this. To her, the emperor was the
most handsome and kindest ruler there ever was or could be.
Normally, Poliana would’ve felt more confident about her situation and
how to deal with it. With her utmost trust in Lucius the First and her
powerful status, she would’ve been more decisive, However, the reality
was that Poliana’s emotional state was still very fragile from everything
that happened to her. She couldn’t help feeling pessimistic, and it also
didn’t help that her hormones were out of balance.
Usually, when a woman became pregnant by accident, an abortion was
recommended. It was the darkest responsibility of the midwives.
However, in this case, this was not an option. This baby… It wasn’t just
Poliana’s. If it was, Poliana wouldn’t have hesitated in getting rid of it, but
it was also partly Lucius the First’s, and Poliana could never harm the
bloodline of her emperor.
So if she could not kill it, the only option for her was to keep it. Now that
this decision was made, the next dilemma was what to do after she had
the baby. If she had it in the current situation, this baby would be a
bastard. There were two types of bastards; either recognized or
unrecognized by the parents.
The former was the lucky one that sometimes even they could be
adopted by a married couple. The most common example was if a
couple only had daughters and the husband ended up having a male
bastard outside of his marriage. Oftentimes, this child would be adopted
and become the official heir to the family.
So what if the child was not recognized by the father? Then, the decision
was for the mother’s to make. She could abandon the child at the
doorstep of the father’s home if she wished.
Poliana was going to be a mother. She was going to have an unwanted
child. What are her options? The usual options for a woman in her
situation were as followed:
Abandon.
Kill.
Have the child be adopted by someone.
In the worst-case scenario, pretend the child is her current husband’s.
The first two options were not acceptable to Poliana. This baby was
going to be Lucius the First’s. If it was a son, although he would be a
bastard, he will still be the first-born son of the emperor. This child would
have to be raised accordingly as part of the bloodline of the royal family.
There were romantic stories out there about this kind of situation. An
unmarried lady becomes pregnant with a handsome knight’s child. The
knight, a highborn nobleman, was already married with an heir. The
knight secretly supports the single mother and his son. The knight’s
official heir ends up dying accidentally and the single mother and the
bastard son reunite with the knight; a happy ending!
This was considered a romantic and beautiful story that was popular
among the knights. If Poliana was not the pregnant one but the knight,
she would’ve been willing to support the single mother too. Abortion was
not an option. Poliana also could not abandon her child. When she heard
the romantic story, Poliana thought it was a nice fiction, but now that it
was happening to her… She realized how horrifying her situation was.
‘Why, why, why, why me! Why meee!’
Poliana screamed silently and stomped her feet. Her body tensed, and
she ended up squeezing the princess, who was still in her arms. When
Princess Luminae began to cry, Poliana immediately relaxed. She tried
to console the baby, but the princess refused to stop crying.
Poliana quickly ran out of the door and yelled, “Help!”
The wet nurse, who was waiting nearby, quickly held the baby in her
arms. The princess had been just fine when she left her with the
knightess, so the wet nurse glared at Poliana, who ran away hurriedly.
Poliana could hear the princess crying even louder, making her feel
guilty.
‘I’m so glad her highness is healthy.’
Poliana’s life was in a shamble, but at least Princess Luminae was
healthy, which was all that mattered. Well, at least, this is how Poliana
tried to think, but it didn’t take long before she became frustrated again.
‘Dammit! It’s not okay at all.’
She pouted angrily. The early stage of pregnancy is supposed to be
fragile and dangerous. All pregnant women were told to be careful and
avoid any vigorous activities during their pregnancies. So how was it that
Poliana and her baby survived the most intense training in the kingdom?
It was the First Division’s hellish training!
‘I wish I miscarried. I wish I lost the baby.’
Poliana’s thoughts were turning dark. She truly wished that she
miscarried her baby naturally. It would’ve made things so much simpler.
It would’ve been better if this baby disappeared without anyone knowing.
It was such a terrible thought that Poliana bit her lips. Poliana
remembered Stra crying for days because of a baby she never had. At
the time, Poliana learned to understand how Stra felt, yet here she was,
thinking that it would be better to lose her own baby!
Punch! Punch!
Poliana attacked the stone wall angrily.
To feel saddened by Stra’s baby that never existed, yet wanting her own
real baby growing inside of her to die… The irony of it was too
complicated. There was no good solution to this problem. All Poliana
could do was to assault the wall until she felt better.

Chapter 283: Chapter 283

Chapter 283
Once a woman was pregnant, everything in her life changed to
accommodate the baby. She was told to only think good thoughts, eat
good things, hear good sounds, and see good scenes.
In her case, however, this wasn’t going to work. Unfortunately, Poliana
Winter was not a good person. Everything was supposed to be good
when a woman was pregnant, but how could this rule work when the
mother-to-be herself was not good?
All Poliana wanted was for this baby to be gone; she did not need or
want this child. It was painful to be in this situation, but the only reason
why she could not go through with the abortion was that this child was
her emperor’s own blood.
‘I am the worst.’
Poliana couldn’t stop punching the wall. If it wasn’t for the gloves, her
knuckles would be bleeding by now. She was on her way to report to
Lucius the First, but her legs refused to move fast. She walked slower
and slower as she wondered, ‘What if he doesn’t think it’s his?’
Just imagining such a scenario was painful. If he doubted her words,
Poliana knew she would be hurt for life. She would never be able to
recover from it.
Lucius the First had to believe her. Poliana was single and the emperor
was eligible again. Since she was pregnant with his child, the best option
now would be for them to get married. By getting married, they will
effectively stop any ugly rumors.
Yes, Poliana and Lucius the First’s marriage…
When the maids spotted Poliana, they bowed respectfully and greeted
her, “Hello, Marquess.”
When the royal guards saw her, they saluted her immediately, “Boss!
How are you doing today?”
An elderly nobleman nodded to her and asked politely, “Long time no
see, Marquess Winter. Shall we have dinner together soon?” When
Poliana refused, the man left in disappointment.
She had to get married. There was no other way.
And with this marriage, everything she achieved will be…
Poliana couldn’t swallow. She felt so overwhelmed that her body burned.
Her name was Poliana Winter. She was born in Aehas and currently,
she was the head of the kingdom’s Second Division. She received the
title of marquess from her emperor Lucius the First. Her last name
“Winter” was the treasure given to her by the emperor herself.
Her hair was shorter than any woman in the kingdom. It barely reached
her shoulders. She did not wear any makeup or jewelry, but despite the
lack of these fineries, no one who saw her doubted her nobility and
importance. The uniform she wore proudly was that of royal guards,
beautiful blue with a golden stripe across her shoulder and chest to
represent her rank.
Poliana was one of the few who were allowed to carry hidden weapons
inside the royal castle, even in the presence of the emperor.
‘Everything his highness gave me… Everything I achieved…’
She knew that Lucius the First would not be unkind to her. She could bet
her life on this fact. The only time he said ugly words to her was the first
time they met, but that couldn’t be helped.
Because he recently lost all three wives, Poliana knew he would be
especially kind to her. If she bore a son, she suspected that he might not
even marry another wife. Just as he valued her as his knight, Poliana
was sure he would treat her respectfully as his wife. He would treasure
her.
Lucius the First was a man of honor. The emperor would be able to
make her dream come true. The dream she thought she might live with
Frau… She knew that with the emperor, she would be able to form a
warm family filled with respect and affection.
The emperor was definitely a much better husband material than Frau. It
wasn’t even a fair comparison. Lucius the First was the most beautiful,
kindest, and smartest man in the kingdom. A gold digger like Frau could
never even dream of becoming half as good of a man as the emperor.
Lucius the First would never ask Poliana the cruel question she dreaded.
He would never fault Poliana even though all of it was her fault. He
would instead take responsibility and punish those who would dare to
disrespect her. He would make sure there is no negative rumor about
her. He would trust her and believe everything she says.
“…”
Poliana gritted her teeth and began to walk faster. When the emperor’s
servant saw her, he greeted her pleasantly. Lucius the First has been
denying anyone’s request to see him today, but he allowed Poliana to
enter his room.
“Pol, did you come here because you wanted to see me?”
The woman he loved has been avoiding him. The emperor has been
looking ill but as soon as he saw Poliana, his whole demeanor changed.
Lucius the First felt true happiness when he saw the woman of his
dream. He decided not to hide his feelings anymore. He looked at
Poliana lovingly.
“Your highness, I…”
Poliana clenched her fists. Her hands trembled as she continued, “Your
highness, I would like to take a break from my duty.”
“… is that so?”
“Yes, I would like to get an extended vacation. I need to go take care of
my land and I would like to enjoy some time off. I have been feeling very
tired and my muscles have been very achy lately, perhaps from the
recent injuries. I think the hot springs from my land will be helpful. I have
also been suffering from insomnia, so… I would really like some time
off.”
Lucius the First frowned. Everything he was hearing now was not what
he expected. Poliana wasn’t feeling well? And she wanted to go away on
vacation? He planned on winning her heart somehow, but what she was
telling him now was too shocking for him to do anything.
The emperor replied, “Of course you can take as much time off as you
like, but do you really need to go to your land? Can’t you take a vacation
in the city?”
“I haven’t visited the place once in a very long time, so I think I should
go.”
If things didn’t go right, there was a chance she might never be able to
return. It was from her greed and selfishness that she asked for a
vacation rather than a retirement.
Poliana was a selfish person. She didn’t want to lose anything she
received from the emperor and this was why she was lying to him. The
love in his gorgeous green eyes… Poliana couldn’t endure it. She
thought his love was for her as a knight, and Poliana felt too guilty to
accept his affection.
After a short silence, the emperor replied, “Of course… Of course, you
have gone through a lot lately, Pol. I understand.”
Lucius the First nodded. So many things have happened after Rebecca’s
death. Tory’s public accusation, which led to a political turmoil, the Frau
incident, and of course, the shocking night they spent together… Poliana
did look very tired of all the things that happened to her. She also looked
very thin, perhaps from the harsh training she put herself through.
Lucius the First’s heart ached painfully as he said to her, “You do need a
vacation, Pol, so I will allow it. Please have a restful time off for however
long you need. No matter when you return, the position as the head of
the Second Division will be yours and yours only, Pol. Always.”
“Thank you, your highness.”
Poliana didn’t leave immediately. She hesitated, but Lucius the First did
not notice her behavior because he was too deep in his own thoughts.
“Pol.”
“Yes.”
“Please come back to me.”

Chapter 284: Chapter 284

Chapter 284
Poliana, who has been looking hesitant and uncertain, suddenly
straightened up. There was a clear determination in her eyes as she
replied, “I will return to you, your highness. I swear I will because my
place is with you.”
This wasn’t just an answer to the emperor’s question, but also a vow
Poliana made to herself. Lucius the First knew what his knightess meant.
He understood how she felt, and even then, he couldn’t help feeling
disappointed.
‘I should’ve proposed as soon as I saw her today.’
Regretting his inaction was useless at this point, it was always futile.
Lucius the First said many horrible things to Poliana when he first met
her. For example, he announced that he would rather sleep with a dirty
wh*re than with her. He said to her that he was prettier than she was.
The emperor also ordered his men to get a decent looking soldier to bed
her before killing her.
Lucius the First knew he could never fault her for not falling in love with
him just based on the things he said to her.
Poliana had never done any wrong with him. Everything was the
emperor’s fault and his alone. But Poliana swore to him that she would
return. No matter what happens, she will be back. As long as Lucius the
First allowed her, she will stay by his side as his knight.
The emperor regretted it again and again. If he knew he was going to fall
in love with her, Lucius the First would’ve never said such rude things.
He blamed the war; he was too nervous about achieving his dream that
he said things he shouldn’t have.
Poliana’s request today might have sounded simple but what it
represented certainly wasn’t. Poliana’s head was filled with what might
happen if she bore a son while the emperor couldn’t stop thinking about
proposing to her.
And in the end, they parted their ways for now.
***
Instead of telling the truth, Poliana chose to run. She didn’t have a plan.
Not having a plan was her plan. Thankfully, she didn’t show now, but
soon, her body would change. If she remained in Yapa, people would
know that she was pregnant.
An unmarried woman pregnant… It was going to be the juiciest gossip
this city had in a very long time because it would involve Poliana, who
was a famous figure, to begin with. Currently, the most popular story in
Yapa involves Sir Ainno and Cekel’s upcoming wedding. This was going
to be the best time for Poliana to leave quietly while the city was
distracted. Once the wedding takes place, people’s interest will turn
towards her.
Marquess Poliana Winter, who broke up her engagement to Frau,
suddenly getting pregnant… What a sensational gossip it would make!
Everyone will want to know who the father is. They will want to know
what she does with the child.
This was why she had to leave Yapa.
Lucius the First minimized the powers of the noble landlords in the
kingdom, but Poliana’s authority and influence were still much greater in
Sitrin than Yapa. It was going to be easy to refuse guests from entering
her land. She wouldn’t have to worry about how people saw her.
Poliana will stay in the castle mostly, claiming she wasn’t well and
needed rest. She will have her baby without anyone finding out. If it was
a girl, she would raise her as her own. If it is a son, she will still raise him
as her own, of course. If the child resembled the emperor, she would
confess to him. This was Poliana’s plan so far.
This was the least logical plan, but Poliana decided to just go with it. It
may have been a selfish decision, but she didn’t care. Her life hasn’t
been easy on her. Life was never easy for anyone, but hers was a little
more difficult than that of most. She had to work extra hard to achieve
what she had now, and she didn’t plan on giving everything up. It was
too big of a punishment for a one night’s mistake.
Poliana didn’t want to lose it all. Her power, her reputation, her career,
and her name… She wanted to keep all of it till her death. Poliana
planned on taking everything with her to the grave. She would never let
any of her achievements go. Her name especially… She would never
give up her name.
Perhaps it was too early to think too far. There was no guarantee that
she would give birth safely. She was a healthy sturdy woman, strong
enough to withstand intense training, but childbirth was a very
unexpected event.
Even though there was a chance she might not even make it to term,
Poliana still could not even imagine losing her accomplishments. She
now had 7, maybe 8, months left till her baby was born. Until then, she
will be constantly at risk of miscarriage.
Even though the logical thing to do was to marry Lucius the First,
Poliana didn’t want this option. To give up everything and marry? It was
too unfair.
It was true that Lucius the First was the most eligible bachelor in the
kingdom. He was the best husband material without a doubt. And to gain
such a husband, there were so many things Poliana had to give up in
return.
She would lose so much of herself, she thought.
Lucius the First was the emperor of this kingdom. He ruled this
continent.
If she married him, Poliana would gain a lot, of course. Things she used
to have… Things she never was allowed to have… Things she lost…
It was possible that Poliana might gain more than she loses. For
example, if she became his wife, she would get to experience many new
things. She will get new kinds of powers and given the chance to think
differently.
Poliana was in her thirties. She was still very young, but still too old to
get a whole new life and experience new things. Poliana worked like a
dog to accomplish what she had now. She finally had enough power to
live the way she wanted, so was it too much to ask to keep her current
life? To enjoy herself? Wasn’t it only natural that she wants to remain in
power?
‘Let’s just think positively. It looks like I will be getting a true heir of my
own, so it’s a good thing, right? Whatever!’
If the baby didn’t resemble the emperor, things were going to be very
simple. She was going to give birth in her own land, so it was going to be
easy to forge papers for her child. All she had to do was come up with a
fake nobleman’s name to put on the birth paper. She would claim that
she got married and the father of her child accidentally died right before
birth!
She was powerful enough, especially in her own land, to accomplish
this.
‘So easy.’
Poliana continued to live in denial. On a battlefield, the best option
sometimes was to run, and now that she decided to do this, Poliana
didn’t waste any time. She got a few guards for her protection and left
Yapa.
She was supposed to rest, but it wasn’t going to happen. She had to ride
to her own land, but her body was strong enough to withstand the
intense training, so Poliana felt certain she would be able to survive the
horse ride.
One good thing was that whether her baby was a boy or a girl, it would
be a strong one.
Chapter 285
Poliana owned many lands.
How many pieces of land were considered many? There was no specific
set number, which meant that some might argue that Poliana did not
own many lands. Either way, before returning to Nanaba, Poliana was
given two more towns on top of her already-existing lands.
During their ten years of conquest, there were many ownerless lands on
the continent. The current situation was that Lucius the First did not have
enough loyal subjects to give all of these lands.
The emperor purposely broke up the lands into even smaller pieces
when he awarded them. Those who received multiple lands were given
different pieces in the three regions: the north, the mid-continent, and the
south. This caused most of the noblemen to be unable to visit all of their
lands in their lifetimes.
This was exactly what the emperor wanted. By doing so, he was making
sure the noblemen’s powers were dispersed all over the kingdom. This
made it difficult for an individual or a group of noblemen to grow their
force extensively.
Just as he did with the military, Lucius the First also changed the
ownership law of the lands. The noblemen no longer had complete
control over their lands as if they were the king of their properties. All the
lands and the people living off of them belonged to the emperor now,
and the landlords were essentially leasing the lands from Lucius the
First. The noblemen had to pay a fee to the emperor and the royal family
to use these lands.
This new law took effect only a few years ago, and unfortunately, most
commoners were still unaware of the meaning of this change. They still
saw their landlord as the ultimate ruler of the land. To them, their
landlord was still someone to be obeyed and feared.
In the past, before this law, the landlords had the power to do anything
they wanted within their lands. Even though Lucius the First took away
this right, many noblemen still abused the people living on their lands.
Even with the new law, a landlord still retained power as an enforcer. A
landlord also had the authority to set the tax rate within his land.
This meant that in her own lands, Poliana was the most powerful person.
She suspected that it would be very easy to forge official papers for
herself.
Among all the lands she owned, Poliana visited two of them. One was
her hometown, Cranbell, which was known for its cranberries, and the
other was Sitrin, which was famous for its fertile land.
Sitrin was an extremely productive piece of land, making up the majority
of Poliana’s income. Some would say that it was the best piece of land in
the kingdom and it made sense that Lucius the First gifted it to his most
loyal knight. It was located near Yapa, the capital of Acreia, and Sitrin
even had hot springs, which made it perfect.
Poliana planned on staying in Sitrin. It bothered her that it was so close
to the capital city, but she didn’t want to travel too far in case the guards
she brought might notice her condition.
***
The vassals of the Sitrin castle could barely breathe. They were
extremely anxious about the arrival of their mistress. Poliana was a
generous landlord. In this world, the best landlord was an absent one.
Since she received the land a few years ago, Poliana never once visited
Sitrin.
She received the financial reports regularly and as long as the numbers
looked good, she did not pay attention to whatever was happening in
Sitrin. It was so close to Yapa, yet she never visited it once. This created
a perfect environment for corruption to occur here.
However, the vassals of Sitrin remembered what happened in the past.
When Poliana was in Sitrin last time, she examined the financial papers
with the eyes of a hawk. She was able to find a single numerical mistake
on the documents and questioned the vassals mercilessly.
This was why the men were about to have a heart attack. Their only
hope was that Poliana was visiting to spend her vacation, which meant
that she will not be interested in working.
The officials of Sitrin reviewed the documents over and over again to
make sure there weren’t any mistakes. The servants, the maids, and the
locals all worked together to clean the castle inside and out until it was
spotless. The local guards patrolled the area, again and again, to make
sure there wasn’t anything that might upset their landlord.
Because the previous owner of Sitrin was cruel, Poliana had a good
reputation. For her arrival, a room and a bath were prepared. The castle
chef worked tirelessly to prepare a feast for his mistress and the
accompanying knights.
“Welcome, Marquess!”
As soon as they spotted the group, the patrols rode back to the castle to
let everyone know. The drawbridge went down immediately, and the
castle gate was opened. The vassals bowed deeply and greeted their
knightess, “Welcome, Mistress!”
Their lord, Marquess Winter, got off her horse. It looked like she rode
very hard because she looked exhausted. Her eyes were red, and she
was covered in dirt and dust.
The butler, realizing his mistress needed a bath first before the feast,
gestured to the maids to get to work. Poliana eyed everyone until she
found the butler. Without a warning, she grabbed him, making everyone
around become pale in shock.
Poliana yelled, “Get me some jerkies!”
There was a great extravagant feast prepared for her, yet Poliana
screamed for the jerkies. No one could understand why, but what people
didn’t know was that Poliana was suffering from her morning sickness.
Everything she usually ate made her feel nauseous.
All the way to Sitrin, all Poliana could stomach was the jerkies. She
constantly chewed on them, annoying her guards.
“Boss, why do you keep eating that cheap stuff? You are the head of the
Second Division and our boss! You need to have a better taste!”
“That’s right! If you want meat, we can go hunt a deer for you!”
Poliana replied coldly, “This is what I want to eat, so stop nagging me!”
At one point, the guards caught a deer for her, but Poliana refused to eat
it. When they stopped by the villages from time to time during their
journey, Poliana looked for the worst and the cheapest food possible
rather than proper meals.
The other knights could not understand why their boss’s taste in food
changed so drastically. Poliana herself could not understand this change
either. She refused the delicious food offered to her. Instead, she kept
chewing on the jerkies. Poliana tried different types of food on the way to
Sitrin, but nothing seemed to satisfy her.
When she arrived, Poliana raided Sitrin’s pantry and found the dried
meat and bags of old flour. The chef, who has been working hard to
prepare for the marquess, lost his kitchen to her.
The vassals begged her to stop, but Poliana ignored them and got to
work. She placed a small brass pot filled with water on the fire. Before
the water began to boil, Poliana threw in all the ingredients all at once.
When the content of the pot began to boil, everyone frowned. The chef
began to cry in shock.
‘The marquess has the worst taste in food!’

Chapter 286: Chapter 286

Chapter 286
Their mistress, Marquess Winter, had the worst taste in food ever. At this
rate, the Sitrin chef knew that he, an expert in fine dining, would be fired
soon if he could not satisfy the landlord’s taste buds.
The mysterious stew made of old jerkies, flour, and water continued to
boil ominously. Poliana ladled some onto a bowl and let it cool for a
while before trying a bite. After tasting it, she became angry.
“This doesn’t taste right!”
‘What is wrong with her?’
‘She made it herself and now she is angry at the food?’ What was going
on here?
People around her had no sympathy for her. After all, their landlord didn’t
even greet her vessels when she arrived. Instead, she immediately ran
to the pantry and the kitchen and began to make a pot of her disgusting
stew. Everyone looked at her coldly.
But Poliana didn’t care about how they felt. She ignored them, especially
because she found it hard to control her anger over the content of the
pot.
“This doesn’t taste the same as before!”
‘What does she want?’
No one could understand what Poliana was trying to accomplish. She
made the appalling stew herself and now she was getting angry over it. It
was not a surprise that the stew tasted awful. The vessels watched her
make it and there was no way that it would taste good. The ingredients
and her cooking method were both terrible.
Poliana chewed on her lips and tried to figure out what went wrong.
The ingredients? They were the worst kind. Her cooking method? It was
the simplest one out there, and yet the taste seemed different from
before.
Why?
Poliana was still a soldier. She was on vacation, but this did not change
who she was. Then suddenly, her eyes twinkled. Poliana pointed at the
large metal pot in the corner and ordered, “Get me that pot.”
The servant took out the giant pot, which was only used when there was
a large banquet. Poliana began a fire from scratch in the castle garden.
She gathered the firewood herself and began to go through the same
process again.
She found even more inedible things such as molded jerkies, awfulsmelling cheese,
and the grain flour that looked like it was about to go
bad. Poliana also added some salt and spices.
The final result looked like normal stew, but those who witnessed how it
was made knew that it couldn’t be edible. Surrounded by the knights and
the vessels, Poliana tried it.
“Yes, this is it!”
She nodded in satisfaction. She used the same method and ingredients
for the first try, but Poliana realized that what makes the difference was
the portion size and the size of the fire. During the war, that one time
when she cooked, she was given a large pot and an equally large fire to
feed the men. According to her, this was the secret to the successful
military cooking.
Poliana, clearly looking pleased, continued to stir the pot. This was the
remake of her infamous “dog stew.”
The stew not even the dogs would eat.
This was the food she has been craving desperately for some reason.
Poliana smiled happily and the knights wondered, ‘Does that stew really
taste that good?’
The story of the “stew that not even the dogs would eat” was legendary.
The young knights, who have only heard of this story but never tasted
the stew before, became curious. One of them, unable to stop himself,
asked her, “Boss, may I try it?”
“Sure.”
“Thank you.”
“Me too!
“I want to have a taste too!”
The other knights also seemed eager to try. They filled a few bowls with
the stew excitedly. The knights, every one of them, were young, naïve,
and inexperienced.
When they had one taste, all of them began to gag.
“Blarghh!”
“Boss! I can understand why it’s called the dog stew! No dog would ever
eat such a thing!”
Poliana glared at them and asked, “Have you ever actually seen a dog
refuse to eat it?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked you if you’ve actually seen a dog refusing to eat it! Are you a
dog? Is that how you know?”
“N-no, Sir Poliana.”
The knights became scared when Poliana overreacted and seemed
furious. When they shivered in fear, Poliana grinned and replied, “It’s
true that even the dogs won’t eat it. Anyway, you should never throw
your food away, so you better finish your bowls.”
Now that she ate what she craved, Poliana felt more generous. She was
full now, which helped her in finding her manners. Unfortunately, it was
too late. The vessels were staring at her in confusion. Poliana cleared
her throat and greeted them, “Long time no see.”
“Welcome, Mistress.”
It was obvious the vessels did not really mean what they said.
***
The Sitrin vessels expected their landlord’s stay to be short.
There were noblemen who preferred to be hands-on with the running of
their lands while there were others who were happy to just receive the
income. In this case, Marquess Poliana Winter was the latter.
Poliana clearly did not have any emotional attachment to her land, but
the locals still loved her. The people of Sitrin were abused badly from
their previous lord that they were extremely happy with Poliana, who
was, although absent, very generous. The locals hoped that Marquess
Winter’s family would rule their land for many generations.
Marquess Winter was greatly respected and admired. Unfortunately, the
people of Sitrin knew that as the head of the Second Division, Poliana
wouldn’t stay in their little town forever.
This meant that this might be their only chance to meet their landlord!
The locals wanted her to tour the land of Sitrin. The vessels and the
officials wanted their landlord to review their paper works because they
wanted her approval and be free of further scrutiny from her.
The butler and the castle maids wanted their mistress to rest, which was
her reason for this visit. The merchants of Sitrin wanted Poliana to get to
work and approve and renew the trade permits. The city guards,
although they technically belonged to the kingdom, didn’t hesitate to
make various requests to Poliana.
The result was Poliana working as hard as before. It was impossible to
ignore the requests of the locals. There were many things she needed to
take care of as the landlord. She had an excuse not to get involved in
person when she lived in Yapa, but now that she was here, she could
not ignore her duties.
“Marquess, what should we do with the goods we confiscated from the
bandits of the surviving enemy soldiers?”
“There are many vagabonds who are pretending to be refugees to get
into our town. What should we do?”
“You also need to decide on the trade list for this town.”
Their landlord, Marquess Winter, was an infamous knightess during the
war. She was known to be ruthless, which scared the Sitrin vessels
enough to work with perfect transparency. They knew that based on the
rumors they heard that if they made a mistake, they would end up losing
their manhood.

Chapter 287: Chapter 287

Chapter 287
Those working for Poliana in the Sitrin castle were anxious ever since
they heard the news about her visit, but now that Poliana was here, they
finally had the chance to prove their worth to her. The officials sought her
out actively, making Poliana’s life very busy.
Poliana had enough to worry about, but she did not avoid her
responsibility. In a way, she was just like her emperor; Poliana was a
workaholic. She visited Sitrin partly to rest, but she was barely given a
chance to sit. Poliana, however, didn’t mind. Her plan was to get forged
papers and to do this, she was going to need help from the local officials
and the vessels.
Poliana prioritized the requests and worked efficiently to the officials’
delight. It was supposed to be her vacation, but in the end, it was her
accompanying knights that ended up getting a break. They enjoyed the
hot springs, the wonderful food, and the time off. Just to keep in shape,
they did the bare amount of training.
Most royal knights were from a good family with good looks and talents.
The women of Sitrin, both the ladies and the maids, admired the knights
from the capital city.
The young men loved being appreciated by the ladies.
“This is like heaven.”
“We don’t want to go back to Yapa.”
Even in Yapa, the royal guards were respected, but there were plenty of
them in the capital city. In Sitrin, they were considered rare. In fact, they
were the only royal guards in Sitrin castle, so the locals reacted excitedly
around them.
After being revered for a few days, the knights looked well-rested and
pleased. When Poliana saw one of them, she grinned. The knight looked
very well; his skin shined brightly.
Poliana asked, “You must be having a good time, huh?”
“Yes, Sir Pol! The hot spring here is amazing. When the people in Yapa
learn about it, they are all going to want to visit.”
Sitrin was already a rich land. If people learned about the hot springs
here, there would be an increase in visitors from all over the kingdom,
which wasn’t what Poliana wanted. She wasn’t interested in making
Sitrin into a tourist spot.
There was a reason why Poliana asked one of her men to come see her.
It was time for her guards to return to Yapa.
“Why do you think I called for you today?”
The knight suddenly felt scared, and he didn’t know if he did something
wrong. The knight tried his hardest to remember, but there was nothing
that came up in his brain.
‘D…did I not train enough lately? Does she know? But the other guys
didn’t do much either. Is she going to make an example of me?’
Poliana asked again, “Do you not know?”
The knight shivered. His entire body tensed, but he knew what to do.
The knight straightened and replied, “My apologies, but I don’t know! If
you tell me, I will fix it immediately!”
“Do you know what the Intelligence Unit is?”
“I am not aware of such a group, Sir Pol!”
“You must know.”
“Is it a newly formed unit? I am sorry I do not have any information on it!
I will find out right now!”
“So you are going to pretend ignorance? Who do you think
recommended Sir Deke to his highness for this unit?”
When Poliana continued to push, the knight stared for a little while
before grinning. His bright white teeth shone as he stopped pretending
and replied, “So you knew about it, Boss?”
“Just a little bit.”
“You are definitely the best among all the bosses of the divisions, Sir
Pol.”
Poliana shrugged, enjoying the flattery. It was indeed Poliana who
recommended Sir Deke to lead the Intelligence Unit. Over time, although
she didn’t know the specifics of this secretive group, Poliana could guess
who might be part of it. And one of them was her own guard standing in
front of her. He was a member of the Second Division, but he also
worked for the Intelligence Unit covertly as well.
‘I’m going to have to get him fired from the Intelligence Unit.’
As part of the Intelligence Unit, he should not have admitted his position
to Poliana even if she prodded him. Because this unit was created in a
hurry, it seemed that its men weren’t trained properly. However, it
seemed that the members at least did a decent job gathering
information.
“So you must now know why I called for you.”
“Did you need something from me?”
“The real reason I came here isn’t for a vacation.”
‘I actually came to have a baby.’
Poliana trusted her guards. She believed in their loyalty to her, but the
problem was, all the royal guards, including herself, were loyal first to the
emperor. And it was Lucius the First who was the one she had to keep
her secret from.
Poliana believed that all secrets eventually get revealed in this world.
This was why it was best to keep the number of involved people as small
as possible. The more people there were who knew about the secret, the
faster it will be for the secret to be exposed.
Poliana said to her guard, “I came here to run away.”
The knight’s eyes sharpened at her confession. The powerful Marquess
Winter running away? From what?
When telling a lie, it was most convincing when one would include as
much truth as possible. Poliana decided to tell the guard the truth about
what happened with Frau as the reason for her stay in Sitrin. She told
him about how embarrassing it was to find out that a gold digger almost
fooled her into marrying him.
It was such a tragic story that the guard quivered angrily.
“And what did you do to that bastard, Boss?”
“I chopped it off.”
Did she mean his neck? When the knight pointed at his neck
questioningly, Poliana shook her head. The knight thought about the
other body parts that could be cut off, and he suddenly remembered
Poliana’s nickname.
The knight nodded in understanding and Poliana said to him, “Revenge
isn’t what really matters right now. There is a bigger issue.”
“What is it?”
“I am too embarrassed.”
“…”
Her guard frowned and nodded. It was true that such an incident was
humiliating. She called off the wedding, but people still talked about it
sometimes. If it wasn’t for Sir Ainno’s and Cekel’s upcoming wedding,
Poliana’s failed marriage plan would’ve been the talk of the town.
Most of the people in the kingdom didn’t know what really happened, but
those who mattered most to Poliana knew. Perhaps it would’ve been
better for the strangers to make fun of her rather than those close to her
to pity her. Poliana said to him, “I am just mortified.”
“I understand.”
“It’s too embarrassing.”
“Yeah…”
“And as time passed, my embarrassment became bigger. This is why I
ran.”
“Boss…”
“I forgot to tell his highness, but I am planning on staying here long
term.”
The guard nodded and Poliana continued, “So you guys should return
without me.”
“But who will guard you here?”
“Sitrin castle’s guards will protect me, so you will return without me.”
“But Boss…”

Chapter 288: Chapter 288

Chapter 288
Because Poliana was so busy since the first day she arrived at the Sitrin
castle, her guards have been having a nice time off. The knight looked at
her in disappointment, wanting to stay in Sitrin a while longer to enjoy
himself, but Poliana waved him away. The knight bowed and left the
room, feeling sad that he had to say goodbye to the wonderful hot
springs.
Staring at the closed door blankly, Poliana thought to herself again,
‘When I return, I better tell Sir Deke to fire him from the Intelligence Unit.’
A few days later, the knights that accompanied Poliana left Sitrin to
return to Yapa. Poliana continued to work hard as she survived on the
dog stew three meals a day. The castle chef, who has been happy to
have the Yapa knights enjoy his food, was the most disappointed now
that the only guest left was Poliana, who insisted on eating only the
awful food she made herself.
The chef thought that once the dog stew was gone, Poliana would
search for a new kind of food. He secretly stole a little bit of stew at a
time to give it to the stray dogs living outside the castle.
Everyone in the Sitrin castle, except the chef, was happy that the
marquess was here. A castle without its owner always felt too empty. As
long as the lord or the lady of the place wasn’t too cruel, it was always
better to have him or her present.
One day, Poliana finished most of her work for the day. She decided that
this was the day for her to get things over with. She gathered the butler,
the heads of the maids, and the vassal in her room. An unmarried
woman getting pregnant was an embarrassing incident, but if she
showed any remorse or guilt, people were going to take advantage of
her. With a straight and confident face, Poliana announced, “I am
pregnant.”
The vassals gaped in shock, but the butler and the head of the maids
looked calm. This was not an unusual occurrence in a noble household.
The butler and the head of the maids have seen it all. The only
difference, in this case, was the fact that this was happening to a
mistress rather than a master, but no one cared about it.
This situation was especially well accepted by the people of Sitrin
because the mid-continent had a much more open culture than Acreia.
Here, ladies and the noblemen were allowed to mingle and interact more
freely. Cheating on spouses and having bastard children weren’t very
uncommon.
One of the vassals asked, “I…is that why you came here?”
“Yes.”
“What about marriage…”
The vassal couldn’t seem to finish his sentence. The infamous Marquess
Winter became pregnant and came to Sitrin without a marriage plan. It
was obvious that her intention was to have the baby here in secret.
There had to be a reason why Poliana couldn’t get married.
Unlike the butler and the head of the maids who remained calm and
quiet, the vassal continued to ask different questions. He asked how far
along she was and how her health was. Poliana answered as politely as
she could, but she preferred the nonchalant reactions of the butler and
the head of the maids.
Poliana ordered, “For now, close down the inner castle so that no
strangers can enter. Only those delivering food will be allowed to come
and go. The number of people entering this city should also be limited…”
The butler offered before Poliana could finish her order, “My lady,
instead of doing all that, have you considered staying in the country
house?”
“The country house?”
“Yes, there is a villa that was built right where the original source of hot
spring exists. The foreigners are forbidden to enter this place. Only the
maids and the cook usually frequent this place. It is located in a rather
remote area and there is only one way to get to this place. It is very easy
to keep tight surveillance there, which was why many important figures
used this place to rest and carry out private businesses.”
The head of the maids added quickly, “My lady, you came here for your
vacation, which means that no one will question why you stay at the
country house. The officials here won’t complain because you will still be
closer to Sitrin than when you lived in Yapa.”
While the vassal looked uncertain, the butler and the head of the maids
seemed ready to take on this mission with efficiency and precision. They
were clearly professionals in this field, and Poliana was impressed with
them.
If you are sick, you should visit the doctor. If there is a war, you should
call for the soldiers. If you need to have a bastard baby in secret, you
should ask for help from the butler and the maids.
To the butler and the head of the maids, this was an easy task.
Normally, something like this happened to the lady of the house, which
meant that it was very difficult to hide things from the master of the
house. In this case, Poliana was the owner of the castle and therefore,
there was no need to keep this secret within the household.
When things were decided, the butler and the head of the maids left to
get everything ready. The vassal, looking awkward and still shocked,
was about to leave as well when Poliana stopped him.
“Stay a little while longer.”
“Yes, yes, my lady.”
Poliana discussed with him about forging the papers for herself. It wasn’t
a very difficult problem; the vassal reassured her not to worry about a
thing. Falsifying documents was going to be easy. It was another matter
that was going to be tricky. The vassal asked, “Mistress if it is a son, are
you going to make him your heir?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
What will happen to the baby, whether it was a boy or a girl, was going
to depend on how much the baby resembled the emperor. Poliana was
not a fortune teller so she could not predict what her baby will look like.
Even the best fortune-teller of the kingdom would find it hard to guess
such a thing.
The vassal regained some of his calmness as they talked about paper
works, which was his specialty. His eyes looked at Poliana intelligently
as he suggested, “If you wish, you can have your baby be adopted by
one of the vassals and make him your heir. This happens rather often,
my lady. You can also have the baby be adopted by a noble family
without its own heir. There are many options for you.”
Swallowing nervously, the vassal hesitated before asking a dreaded
question, “And if the father isn’t of blue blood…” He was risking his life
by asking such a question, but there were going to be many things the
vassal needed to take care of, which meant that he needed to know as
much as possible about the situation.
“If the baby wasn’t of blue blood, I would’ve never decided to keep it,”
Poliana replied firmly.
In the kingdom, the high-born nobles were nicknamed the “blue blood.”
This was because the nobles never worked outside, allowing their skin to
remain pale and therefore making their veins look blue.
The truth was that everyone had red blood. It didn’t matter if you were a
commoner or a nobleman, and Poliana, as a knight, knew this very well.
Lucius the First liked the color red, but because it was considered the
color of the commoners, he needed to come up with another color to
represent him. Poliana believed that the color of the emperor’s blood
must be gold.
“Phew…”
The vassal sighed in relief at her answer, but Poliana certainly wasn’t. If
her baby wasn’t of noble blood, she wouldn’t have kept it. The problem
here was, however, that the father of her child was too high born.

Chapter 289: Chapter 289

Chapter 289
Lucius the First, the father of Poliana’s unborn baby, was disappointed to
see the royal guards return without his knightess. Apparently, Poliana
asked for a long vacation, and by doing this, she was testing his
patience. When Poliana first asked for some time off, Lucius the First
was expecting her to take a month off at most. But it seemed that her
absence in Yapa could be much longer.
Sir Ainno said to the emperor, “Just fire her already.” He sounded
annoyed at the fact that Poliana dared to take a long time off from her
duty. When Lucius the First glared at him, Sir Ainno looked right back at
him and said, “If you tell her she is fired, she will come right back your
highness. You know this.”
“I will not fire her!”
“Well, you have to though, don’t you?”
If Lucius the First proposed to her and married her, Poliana would
become the next empress. To become an empress, however, Poliana
had to give up on being the head of the Second Division.
And there was no way Poliana could give up her position easily.
This meant that her decision to accept becoming the next empress
would depend on how sweetly Lucius the First seduces her. Luckily, this
task was something Lucius the First felt confident he could accomplish.
The only reason why things were not going according to his plan was
that he was purposely keeping his distance from her.
There was no one more handsome than him in this world. Poliana has
revered Lucius the First’s beauty many times before. She was proud of
his looks. She considered it the national treasure. If Lucius the First
really put his effort in courting her, he felt certain that Poliana would fall
for him.
While the emperor burned with confidence, Sir Ainno had his own
problem to worry about. Sir Ainno asked him, “Your highness, what do
you prefer, a bear hide, or an alligator hide?”
“Bear.”
It was an expected answer from the emperor and Lucius the First looked
at his friend in annoyance. The emperor was envious of Sir Ainno. He
didn’t even get to propose, but his friend was contemplating what would
be the best wedding gift for the woman he loved. Lucius the First was
jealous.
“Your highness, I had no idea but apparently, an alligator hide is very
expensive. In some cases, it is much more expensive than the hide of a
white bear.”
“But think about it, Ainno. Don’t you agree that bears are much cuter? So
furry and cuddly.”
“I think it would be a good idea to actually catch a large alligator and
hang its hide at home.”
‘I am going to never visit his home.’
The emperor felt very strongly about this. Unless his friend hangs the
hide of a furry beast, Lucius the First was never going to visit his home.
Sir Ainno began to insist that the emperor should give him a wedding
gift. Lucius the First nodded and asked, “And what will you give me when
it is my time?”
“You should ask me that after you are successful with your proposal,
your highness.”
“Come on, listen to me carefully.”
Lucius the First began to lay out his big plan and Sir Ainno listened just
like he did when the young emperor told him about his plan to unite the
continent. Sir Ainno’s eyes looked blank, but he was definitely listening.
“Ok, Ainno. So the first thing I will do when Pol returns is to seduce her.”
Sir Ainno nodded and the emperor continued, “And when Pol falls in love
with me, I will propose to her.”
It seemed that this was not a very detailed plan, but Sir Ainno decided to
let it go.
“Since Pol treasures her status as Marquess Winter, I am going to get an
appropriate boy to be adopted as her brother and get him to inherit the
name.”
Lucius the First continued, believing that this really was the perfect plan.
Sir Ainno knew right away that it was not going to work.
‘He’s going to fail.’
In the past, Sir Ainno believed that if Lucius the First put his mind to it,
he could seduce any woman in this world. But now, he knew that this
was not the case. In fact, in some cases, a man’s effort could cause the
woman to run away in disgust.
Sir Ainno learned that being good looking, rich, and talented, did not
guarantee a woman’s love. Cekel taught this lesson to him during his
courtship.
Sir Ainno said to the emperor, “I heard that the duke will be opposed to
you marrying the marquess.”
“That is why I came up with two strategies.”
Lucius the First thought that what Duke Luzo said when he first told him
about his feelings for Poliana made sense. It was one thing to want to
propose to her because he loved her, it was quite another when it comes
to how to convince the others of his plan. Lucius the First wished he
could just tell the world that he was marrying her because he loved her,
but he knew that Poliana could feel differently about it.
Ugly and strange rumors followed Poliana everywhere, so it was
necessary to come up with a logical reason for their marriage. He
needed to give her a good reason to give to the world for marrying him.
The feelings they have for each other… This was not going to be enough
to make the world understand.
The best backstory was going to be a political one. By having Poliana as
the empress, the emperor would be able to strengthen his power over
his united kingdom. This was the reason he was going to give to the
world while he tells Poliana the truth. He would tell her that everything he
tells the world was a lie and he wanted to marry her because he loved
her.
Sir Ainno, listening carefully to the emperor, knew that Lucius the First’s
best bet was to actually lie to Poliana too. Tell her that he wanted her as
his empress for a political reason, and most likely, Poliana would agree
to his proposal.
But Sir Ainno did not say a word. The emperor looked happy just
thinking about his plan, and Sir Ainno didn’t want to dampen his
excitement. As well, Sir Ainno was busy with his own wedding plan and
he felt too busy to give proper advice to the emperor.
A month passed, then two. Lucius the First waited for Poliana’s return
eagerly. He ordered the gardeners to make sure the flowers bloomed at
all times in the castle. His mother’s ring was always ready in his pocket.
Time passed by cruelly, and half a year later, Lucius the First finally
made his move. He did not want to be one of those men who nags when
it was him who told her to take as much time off as possible. He was ok
to wait longer, but he at least wanted to know that she was doing ok. So
instead of sending a knight or one from the Intelligence Unit, the
emperor sent an auditor to Sitrin.

Chapter 290: Chapter 290

Chapter 290
An unwanted and unexpected guest arrived at Sitrin, making all the local
officials anxious. Even though it wasn’t the usual time for such a visit, an
auditor from the capital city was here.
The vessels were impressed with the emperor’s thoroughness in
managing his lands, not knowing that the official was actually here to spy
on Poliana, not the city.
The “auditor” from Yapa asked, “Where is the marquess?” He asked to
see Poliana and the vessels sweated nervously. If they refused to let him
see their mistress, this could become a problem later.
Poliana had been staying at the country house and refusing to meet with
anyone other than the people working in the Sitrin castle. For the auditor
to request a meeting from her was not unreasonable. It actually made
sense for him to meet with the landlord of Sitrin. If this meeting did not
take place, the auditor may think that Poliana was being disloyal to the
kingdom and the emperor.
The vessels made various excuses to keep the auditor busy while
Poliana contemplated. She could not refuse to see him, but if the auditor
saw her, he would notice her giant stomach. There was no hiding the
fact that she was very pregnant. Unless the auditor suddenly became
blind, he would know immediately.
Thankfully, the auditor was already acquainted with Poliana. As soon as
she heard his name, her face brightened a little. She decided to see him.
When the auditor heard that he was granted an audience, he sighed in
relief.
Poliana greeted him, “Long time no see, First Level Scribe. When did
you become an auditor?”
When Poliana was responsible for the emperor’s personal protection,
she became acquainted with all of the high-ranking scribes. Poliana
especially became close to a few scribes and the one closest to her was
the auditor standing right in front of her now.
Scribe Momo.
Their friendship became a little shaky after Momo purchased a home in
Nanaba by using all the money he earned during the 10-year-long war.
When Lucius the First suddenly changed the capital city to Yapa, Momo
ended up losing a lot of money and Momo became upset at the fact that
Poliana did not tell him the emperor’s plan. Fortunately, Poliana felt
guilty and loaned him a significant amount of money at zero interest, and
this was enough to mend their friendship.
Momo used to be an excellent scribe who was very tight-lipped. Poliana
knew that he was someone who could be trusted.
“Long time no see, Marquess. I had a very devastating reason for giving
up my position as a royal scribe.”
The auditor Momo, who used to be the scribe Momo, looked thin and
tired. Momo complained about what happened to him. There were four
levels of scribes in the government: the third level, the second level, the
first level, and special level. There was a great need for the second and
third-level scribes but only a limited demand for the first and the special
levels.
Most first and second level scribes planned on changing their
department as a long-term plan because they had a better chance of
promotion, but for Momo, becoming the special level scribe was the
dream of his life. Momo wanted to remain in his current department and
become the special level scribe that served the very first emperor of the
entire kingdom. However, Lucius the First thought very highly of Momo,
who was an efficient worker with unwavering loyalty and tight lips and
sent him to the audit department. The emperor promised to return Momo
to being a scribe if he did well as an auditor, but so far, this hasn’t
happened.
Momo said to Poliana in frustration, “Don’t you think the emperor is
being unfair! I mean, what did I do to deserve this?!”
“But this was a promotion. He sent you to the audit department because
you are good.”
“But I like being a scribe! I really liked my old job!”
Momo filled Poliana in what was happening in Yapa as well, and during
their entire chat, Momo’s hand and eyes never stopped working. The
vessels of Sitrin already complained to Poliana that Momo was an
incredibly detailed auditor. He may not have agreed, but Momo, with his
experience in the war and his detail-oriented mind, as perfect for this job.
The Sitrin administration and accounting were transparent. Momo smiled
in satisfaction and asked Poliana, “By the way, you look very well,
Marquess. When are you returning to Yapa? His highness misses you
terribly.”
“Well, I made a mistake.
“Mistake?”
“Yes, a huge one.”
Poliana, who has been sitting behind a large desk and covering herself
with a thick shawl, stood up. When she removed the shawl, her pregnant
belly was revealed. There was no denying that she was with a child.
Poliana could lie if she wanted. She could say she was suffering from a
tumor or a parasite in her stomach. Although Momo was an excellent
government official, he could be rather slow in things of this nature.
There was a chance he might buy her ridiculous lie. But instead, Poliana
told him the truth. She could trust him. Just as Lucius the First knew,
Momo knew how to keep a secret.
“Huh!”
Momo gasped and began to cough in shock. Poliana walked to him and
patted his back to help him breathe. She said to him, “If people in Yapa
find out, my reputation is going to be ruined.”
“Definitely.”
Momo, clearly worried for Poliana, promised her, “I will keep your
promise with my life, Marquess!”
“I knew you would, Momo. Thank you.”
“There is no need to thank me! After what we have been through! We
are friends after all.”
It was wonderful to have a friend you could trust. Momo said again, “I
swear! I will keep your promise to my grave!”
“Thank you. Oh, and please just make up something for the emperor. I
would be too embarrassed if he finds out.”
“Of course! Don’t worry about a thing, Marquess!”
Poliana smiled as she caressed her stomach slowly. It was a
coincidence that she befriended the scribe, but now, it seemed that her
friendship was paying off. At the time, the other knights often told her it
was useless to befriend the scribes because they were small-minded
government officials. But Poliana did not listen to them. She used to
discuss and debate with the scribes often about the emperor’s beauty
and how to spread the truth about his highness’s greatness to the world.
The vessels stood at the castle entrance as they waved goodbye to
Momo. Momo arrived at Sitrin with a lightly packed bag, but now, he left
with many gifts. As an auditor, accepting such gifts could be seen as
accepting a bribe, but he and Poliana were good friends. Most people
knew their relationship. He may have visited Sitrin on official business,
but his friend ended up giving him a few presents. What was so wrong
with that?
The only one who could fault him was the emperor, but Momo knew
Lucius the First wouldn’t dare. After all, it was the emperor who abused
his power and sent him to Poliana in pretense.

Chapter 291: Chapter 291

Chapter 291
Lucius the First shivered in fear.
‘What if Pol never comes back? What will I do?’
Poliana promised him to return before she left. At the time, Lucius the
First believed her, but now, he couldn’t get rid of the ominous feeling
growing inside of him. Something didn’t feel right. He was missing
something very important.
The auditor he sent to check up on Poliana sent him a report as soon as
he returned to Yapa. The report was short and concise.
Nothing significant to note.
Lucius the First immediately summoned Momo. The emperor needed
much more detail, but Momo had nothing more to say.
“There wasn’t anything special to that place.”
“But this doesn’t make sense.”
“I already sent you a detailed audit report.”
“All you said was ‘Nothing significant to note!’ That can’t be all!”
Momo was acting rebellious to the emperor’s annoyance. The state of
Sitrin’s financial state wasn’t what the emperor wanted to know. Lucius
the First was desperate to learn how Poliana was doing. There was a
reason why the emperor sent Momo on this mission.
For some reason, Poliana and Momo got along very well from the
beginning. Momo was already married with a child, which was why
Lucius the First thought he could trust him with Poliana. In the past,
Momo and Poliana used to gossip for hours at a time, so the emperor
knew that they would chat excitedly when they are reunited.
But the report Momo made was too short and simple. It looked like a
daily report the knights of the guards made.
“Nothing happened, your highness, so if you keep asking me if
something happened… There is nothing I can tell you other than the fact
that nothing happened…”
Momo was clearly being defiant to the emperor. Has he always been this
brave and stubborn? Perhaps the fact that he lost his job as a scribe
made him a little bitter towards the emperor. Momo refused to say a
word about what he saw in Sitrin.
Lucius the First, feeling weak, asked Momo where he learned this bad
habit of writing such a short and lazy report. Momo explained to the
emperor what happened when they were in the southern region during
the war.
After Lucius the First received the surrender from the southern
kingdoms, every government official, especially the scribes, had to work
day and night. The surrender papers were complicated and required a
lot of attention, which meant that there weren’t enough royal scribes to
shadow the emperor constantly to record Lucius the First’s day. In the
end, the scribes had no choice but to ask the royal guards for a favor.
There were always a number of guards staying by the emperor’s side, so
it should not have been a difficult job. At the time, Poliana was the
person given this duty. At first, she did her best to write in detail, but
soon, she was too busy with her own work and became too lazy to make
constant notes. In the end, she dumped the work to her second in
command, who in turn, gave the job to his subordinate. As the job
became passed around, the records became shorter and shorter.
When the scribes returned to their job, they saw pages after pages of
“Nothing significant to note.” The scribes, especially Momo, never forgot
this tragic and angry incident. From then on, the scribes made a point of
using the sentence “Nothing significant to note” everywhere they could.
Soon, the scribes realized that this made their job so much easier. They
still wrote many details for official documents, but on everything else, it
became a common practice to write this sentence.
Momo said to the emperor, “The marquess is enjoying her vacation,
spending much of her time in the hot springs to cure herself of chronic
fatigue. She also is keeping herself very busy with the running of her
land. Marquess Winter has never run her own land before, so she told
me she is learning a lot lately. Other than that, she is making sure to
spend most of her free time in the hot spring. She used to never listen
when we told her to take care of herself, but now, she was complaining
that she doesn’t feel like she used to. Cold wind makes her bones ache,
so she told me she will return to Yapa when she feels better.”
“So what I want to know is when that would be.”
“Umm…”
Momo tried to remember how long it took his wife to return to her normal
life after the birth of their child. If he remembered correctly, it took a very
long time. Poliana, a woman who would need to work as a knight, would
probably require even more time to recover.
Momo replied, “Maybe 3 years?”
“How can the head of a division be absent for 3 years?!”
“It’s not like she has anyone to protect in the lady’s quarters anyway.”
Momo remained calm while Lucius the First couldn’t hide his anxiety. He
has been ignoring the official demand to get married as soon as the
royal death period ended. At this point, the emperor could not imagine
having a wife other than Poliana. He has been waiting for her return so
desperately, yet it seemed that she had no plans to come back any time
soon.
Things became even worse after Lucius the First had a bad dream last
night. In his dream, he heard a puppy barking adorably. The emperor ran
towards the sound and saw a puppy caught in a bush and crying.
‘Oh, he’s trapped.’
Lucius the First immediately got to work to cut the branches off, but
before he could rescue the puppy, a giant alligator-dog creature attacked
the puppy.
It was a nightmare.
After dismissing Momo, the emperor contemplated in despair. His friend
Sir Ainno has been too busy to pay attention to him. Duke Luzo, after
yelling his objection to the emperor’s marriage to Poliana, returned to
Nanaba. Lucius the First had no one around him to listen to his worries.
It would be going too far for him to place a permanent spy in Sitrin just to
get information on Poliana. Besides, the Intelligence Unit was short on
spies at the moment anyway. Unfortunately, this unit was still very
unorganized.
It took all the members of the Intelligence Unit to gather information
necessary for the security of this kingdom. It wouldn’t look right to send
one of the spies to Sitrin. The knights would believe that the emperor
was wary of Marquess Winter, or they might think that the emperor was
trying to get rid of her. Such thoughts could turn into ugly rumors, which,
in turn, might result in something very harmful.
Most of all, it didn’t feel right to hire a spy to check up on the woman he
loved. It actually sounded rather criminal to do something like this.
‘If I do this, it would make me a stalker.’
Lucius the First had no choice but to trust Poliana and wait for her. As
long as he allowed it, Poliana promised to remain his knightess.
And a proper knight always returned to his or her emperor.
Lucius the First was happy and sad at the same time that Poliana was
his knight.

Chapter 292: Chapter 292

Chapter 292
Poliana heard that many pregnant women dream frequently as they got
closer to their due dates. This was, however, not the case for her.
Perhaps her father, who was probably living quietly in Cranbell, had the
conception dream instead of her, but Poliana didn’t care about him and
what kind of dreams he might be having. She had no desire to think
about him, so she quickly changed her thoughts.
Until she was halfway through her pregnancy, Poliana didn’t bother
slowing down. She woke up early in the morning to train as usual. She
trained after every meal as well. The maids worried that she might
miscarry if she continued such a vigorous lifestyle, but Poliana ignored
them. Her baby survived the First Division training, which meant that this
child could endure anything.
Poliana kept herself as active as possible while staying at the country
house. She made sure not to be seen by others. As time passed, she
became bigger and the changes in her body began to scare her. There
was no way around this.
‘I admit, I am scared.’
Poliana’s birth mother died from a fever after her birth. Poliana’s friend
Rebecca died after a difficult pregnancy as well. Of course, Vaxi and
Vanessa both gave birth to their babies safely. There were plenty of
people she knew, the wives of her colleagues mostly, that gave birth
safely, but Poliana was still afraid.
Because she was the landlord and the mistress of the entire Sitrin,
Poliana could not show her fear to others. So every night, she trembled
alone in the bed.
‘I am so scared!’
Dying while giving birth was the worst kind of death Poliana could
imagine. Marquess Poliana Winter dying while giving birth to a bastard?
It made her quiver just thinking about it. She achieved so much in her
life, but they will be forgotten. She will only be remembered as the
woman who died giving birth to a bastard.
Poliana wrote a will and sealed it close. On top of it, she wrote:
-If I die while giving birth, make sure this will reach Sir Donau of the Ribo
family.
In her will, she explained who the father of her baby was and why she
had to hide her pregnancy. Poliana knew she could trust Sir Donau to
respect her wishes and follow her orders.
And with that, Poliana was ready for her death.
She waited not for the birth of a new life but for death.
And if she survived, her fate would depend on what the child looks like. It
didn’t matter if the baby was a girl or a boy as long as it did not resemble
its father. If the baby looked just like her, it was going to be very simple
to fix her situation. She just had to come up with a forged birth certificate
for her child with a fake father. She would leave the baby in Sitrin and
return to Yapa to ask for the emperor’s permission to be married to an
imaginary man.
So easy, right?
Poliana felt certain the emperor would give his permission. She didn’t
doubt that her emperor would never force her to remain a single mother.
But if the baby resembled its father…
“…”
Poliana decided not to think about this possibility. As her due date got
closer, she became meaner and more sensitive. The people of Sitrin
castle, who were excited to have a generous and kind landlord, were
very understanding, considering her condition.
All animals become sensitive when their due date nears. Even a loyal
dog often ran away to a “safer” place to have its puppies. There were
some servants who felt sympathetic towards Poliana, who was without a
husband or a family.
Then one day, Poliana felt her labor pain beginning. The midwife and the
local doctor, who had been staying in the country house for a few weeks
now, helped Poliana into her bed. The pain Poliana was feeling was the
worst she has ever felt. After the enema, the midwife and the doctor
constantly lifted her skirt to check.
The sharp and hellish pain began to overwhelm her every few minutes.
Poliana has experienced severe injuries before. She was sliced with a
sword, stabbed, shot by an arrow, and attacked with a hammer and a
hatchet. She broke her bones plenty of times and she almost died a few
times as well. When she had to fight so many men while being naked,
the pain she experienced was immense.
But of all the pain she felt in the past, this was by far the worst. The
agony every few minutes was so blinding, and the worst thing was the
fact that it kept coming faster and more frequently.
“Arghhh.”
Poliana’s entire body was drenched in sweat. When she clenched her
teeth, the midwife shook her head and whispered, “Mistress, you will
damage your teeth that way.”
Poliana refused to listen. She continued to grit her teeth, unable to think
clearly. She has been brushing her teeth with salt five times a day
because she cared about them, but at this moment, she didn’t care. The
pain was blinding and Poliana felt an overwhelming sadness and
loneliness.
And most of all… She couldn’t stand the fact that this wasn’t fair at all.
Poliana screamed, “I… Living as a woman… Has done me no good at
all! Nothing ever good came out of being a woman for me! It sucks that I
have to do everythingggg… a woman has to go through in a lifetime.
This sucks so much…”
Indeed, Poliana was born a woman. And indeed, her life as a woman
has never been a good one. Only the strongest survived in her world of
men, and just the fact that she was a woman made her physically
weaker than most men.
But despite the unfairness of this world, Poliana did not despise being a
woman. This was all thanks to Sir Batre, who taught her that being weak
was worse than being a woman.
Poliana did not cry when she was raped because the others, the boys,
were also raped. Of course, it was unfortunate she suffered from
hemorrhoids.
This world did not show mercy to the weak. Most of the time, a woman
was weaker than a man. However, anyone, even a woman, could work
hard and become stronger. If she got on the top of the world, no one
would be able to hurt her. Poliana always believed that a woman should
not blame her misfortune on her gender. This was especially true
because death did not discriminate between the strong and the weak.
But today… Poliana realized that what she believed was not the truth.
Today, Poliana blamed her pain and situation for being a woman. Today,
she felt that she was treated unfairly because of her gender.
Poliana wished she was born a man. What an unfair world this was. If
she really died, Poliana swore she could become a ghost that cursed all
the men in the world forever.
‘I will curse that all men are required to give birth too! All the babies in
the world should be born from men!’

Chapter 293: Chapter 293

Chapter 293
Poliana was a very healthy woman who worked out regularly all her life,
but having a baby at her age was not an easy thing. After 10 hours of
labor, Poliana finally held her baby in her arms. She had no energy left in
her to do anything; she wanted to go to sleep immediately, but she knew
she needed to check something.
‘Let’s do this!’
Poliana widened her eyes and glared at the baby. She needed to
know…
‘Baby! I need to look at my baby! I need to check and see…!’
“Mistress, what a handsome baby son!”
Poliana finally saw her newborn.
Golden hair and red wrinkly face.
She didn’t have to look further; Poliana wanted to faint as she felt
weaker. The midwife and the doctor exclaimed in surprise, “I have
worked as a midwife for 35 years, but I have never seen such a
handsome baby.”
“Me too.”
“Arghh…”
Poliana’s eyes began to fill with tears. The midwife and the doctor
mistook her cry as a new mother’s relief and happiness. Poliana didn’t
care what they thought, however. She knew she shouldn’t cry in front of
others, but Poliana couldn’t control her emotions.
‘Dammit!’
The baby resembled his father. Her new son still could not open his
eyes, but Poliana didn’t have to see to know what color they would be.
Even though the baby had the usual red wrinkly face of a newborn, there
was no mistake that she could see Lucius the First in him. All the
features of the emperor were right there on her son’s face. It looked like
a famous artist drew a portrait of the younger version of Lucius the First.
Poliana knew this was a likely result, but there were odd times when the
children did not resemble their parents at all, so she has been feeling
hopeful.
Until now.
‘Dammit! I’m doomed.’
There was no point in forging a birth certificate for her son. Everyone
who saw her son would suspect that Lucius the First was the father.
Lying was going to be useless.
Poliana weakly covered the baby’s ears gently and swore, “F*ck.”
She used to be nicknamed the “witch of military strategy” during the war.
Everyone knew how much the emperor trusted and relied on her to win
many battles. In every battle, Poliana always made sure to have an
escape plan. Running away was not something to be ashamed of. This
was the same in life, which Poliana believed was a battle as well.
However, when running away, one needed to be well prepared. One
needed to have a solid plan for the escape to work.
And in this case, Poliana made a huge mistake. She ran away without a
plan; She failed herself.
***
Poliana began to feed her high-born son. Her entire body was swollen as
if someone beat her recently. Her breastmilk wasn’t very free-flowing,
but thankfully, her baby was a strong eater.
Poliana already had a wet nurse and a nanny ready to get to work. Highborn ladies
never raised their own children. A wet nurse was there to
feed the baby and the nanny was there to do the rest to take care of the
baby. Before giving birth, Poliana thought being a mother would be a
simple job.
But she was very wrong. The wet nurse told her that the birth mother
needed to feed her baby for at least a month. Poliana was confused,
asking, “Why?”
“That way, the baby will be healthy.”
“But this baby is already very healthy. He will be just fine without my
breast milk. I mean, he survived that crazy training.”
Poliana wasn’t making sense. In the end, she began to feed her son as
the nanny consoled her, “Mistress, you just need to endure this for a
month. I will also get you the herb that helps dry up breast milk
production, so it happens gradually.”
“And after a month, I will feel better?”
“Yes, yes. I guarantee it.”
Poliana had to feed her newborn every half an hour to an hour for a
month. The rest of the work was done by others, but since she had to be
awake every half an hour, Poliana was constantly tired.
‘I’m so sleepy.’
Poliana watched her baby eat with bleary eyes. Thinking about her
situation and her bleak future made her shiver.
‘What should I do now?’
Poliana still hasn’t named her baby yet. She planned on naming it after
birth and when she was certain no one would suspect who the father
was. But now, it was too late. She had no idea that her son would
resemble his son this much. The similarity was uncanny.
Just why did he have to be born looking like this? Did her son want to let
everyone in the kingdom know of his precious royal blood? During the
pregnancy, Poliana nicknamed the baby the Dog Stew since she craved
it so much. There was a myth that a baby named with something
common and unimportant will live a long healthy life. Believing this,
Poliana still continued to call her son the Dog Stew. In addition, she did
not think she had the right to name her son at this point.
Poliana glared at Dog Stew, who still could not open his eyes. The baby
had no idea what was happening. All he did was just continue to eat.
‘Dammit.’
Poliana regretted not coming up with a good plan before running to
Sitrin. She was now trapped, and she had no idea what her next move
should be. It was too late to tell the truth. In hindsight, she shouldn’t have
run away like that.
‘But I had no idea he would resemble his father this much. Where did my
blood go? Why doesn’t he look like me at all?!’
Poliana continued to examine the baby closely. Even though she still
could not see the baby’s eyes, and even though the baby’s nose was still
smooshed from the birth, there was no denying that Dog Stew was
Lucius the First’s son.
The wet nurse and the nanny, who didn’t know what their emperor
looked like, were excited at how handsome the baby was.
“The master must resemble the father, my Lady.”
They didn’t say it outright, but it was clear that everyone was relieved
that the new baby did not look like Poliana. The mother, however,
disagreed. Poliana would’ve preferred her baby to be ugly. It would’ve
been fine for her son to be even uglier than herself. She didn’t care if her
son grew up to resent her because of his looks. All Poliana wanted was
for her baby to either resemble herself or no one.
‘Hmm… Maybe the hair color is similar to mine?’
Her son’s hair was not the clear golden color as the emperor’s. It was a
little duller like her own. But of course, a baby’s hair color could change
as he grew up.
Poliana slowly patted her son’s hair. Dog Stew finally opened his eyes
and she saw that they were the clear green color just like the emperors’.
The baby clearly had no idea what he was seeing, but he still looked at
her intensely. He looked adorable.
‘What should I do?’

Chapter 294: Chapter 294

Chapter 294
Poliana was overwhelmed with worries. She gritted her teeth and glared
at her son.
‘Why did you have to look just like your father? Why? Do I now have no
choice but to propose to his highness? DO I now give up everything I
built for myself?’
The sounds she made with her teeth were frightening. If she wasn’t
holding her baby, Poliana would’ve punched the wall by now.
She knew it was the wrong thing to do, but Poliana wished to keep her
son a secret. Her original plan, if the baby did not resemble Lucius the
first, was to keep the baby fatherless. She knew that keeping the
emperor’s first-born son a secret was an awful thing to do, but Lucius the
First was still very young. He could remarry and have plenty of sons, so
what would be the point of having a bastard son as his firstborn and
possible heir?
This was the reasoning behind her original plan. It was just a convenient
excuse, but Poliana didn’t want to admit it.
Because of the newborn, only the wet nurse, the nanny, the doctor, and
a maid were allowed into the country house. The head of the maids
delivered the congratulatory message from the vassals to Poliana.
Most people around her in Sitrin knew what Lucius the First looked like.
All they knew was that the emperor was the most beautiful man in the
kingdom. The head of the maids, however, did know the face of the
emperor, but she didn’t say a word. She studied the baby closely in
admiration, but that was it. Poliana trusted the head of the maid to keep
her secret.
The problem was the vassals, who knew what the emperor looked like.
Once they saw her son, Poliana was afraid that they would know
immediately who the father was.
But then, there were so many people in the world who looked alike. On
top of that, people rarely remembered their faces perfectly. The vassals
saw the emperor a few years ago, so how many of them would be able
to remember his face well? Even if they did, there was no way that any
of them would feel certain about it. If Poliana denied it, they might just
believe her. There was also a chance that the vassals might not even
think of the emperor when they saw the baby’s face.
But then… Lucius the First was no ordinary beauty. His face was so
beautiful that he even made the portrait artists cry from time to time. The
scribes wrote in countless records how beautiful the emperor was.
Poliana, as the head of the Second Division, met and worked with plenty
of handsome men, but none of them could compare to Lucius the First.
In her mind, Poliana believed that anyone who saw the emperor even
once could never forget his beauty.
‘Why couldn’t my baby look like me…’
If Dog Stew was anyone else’s baby, any noblemen in the kingdom,
Poliana could’ve kept him as her heir without a problem, but the baby
was the emperor’s son. The baby was of royal blood. The baby might
have been born out of wedlock, but he was still the first-born son of the
emperor. Poliana could guess how fearful the vassals were going to be
once they realized this truth.
And what if Lucius the First decided to acknowledge the baby as his
own? And what if the emperor was unfortunate enough to never bear
another son? Then her baby was going to become the next emperor…
Poliana shivered in fear.
Poliana was an infamous figure. She was despised by her enemies and
admired by her allies. To become the woman who bore the next
emperor… This was not the life she wanted. Poliana grabbed her head.
She needed to think of another plan. If she couldn’t hide who the real
father of her son was, should she perhaps try to fake the fact that she is
the mother? Let the emperor tell everyone that he had this baby with an
unknown woman?
Unfortunately, Poliana knew this was an impossible plan. First of all, the
official record showed that the emperor did not sleep with anyone since
his marriage to his three ex-wives. All the women that spent the night
with the emperor were recorded in the royal documents.
One option was to lie that the emperor spent a night with a woman when
he was traveling with Poliana, but this would require Lucius the First’s
cooperation. Poliana knew very well that the emperor would not agree to
this plan. He would say that he would rather marry her instead of lying to
the world.
‘Arghh!’
Poliana screamed silently and her stress must’ve been felt by her baby.
Her son stopped sucking and began to cough before vomiting. The
nanny took the baby away to soothe him while Poliana cleaned herself
up.
The more she thought about her situation, the angrier she became. No
matter how hard she tried, Poliana could not come up with a plan. She
needed help. She needed an ally. She needed someone who would
point out her mistakes but also support her wholeheartedly.
Poliana quickly brought out a piece of paper and began to write a letter.
Other women would’ve asked for help from their parents but Poliana
didn’t have a family. In a situation like this, there was only one person
she could trust.
She gave up writing a proper elegant letter. Instead, she wrote,
-My beloved brother Donau,
I am in trouble. Help.
***
Poliana tried to organize her thoughts. What were her crimes so far?
She lied to the emperor, she raped the emperor, and she essentially
kidnapped a member of the royal family, her son; there was no end to
her wrongdoings.
After sending the letter, Poliana scratched her head. Perhaps it was best
just to come clean now, but it was too late. The moment she ran away
after lying to the emperor, she knew there was no going back.
‘But his highness will forgive me.’
Her trust in Lucius the First was unwavering. He might get upset with
her, but she could not imagine the emperor punishing her harshly, if at
all. Poliana knew that the worst punishment she has been envisioning
would never happen.
But the current situation was the worst possible scenario.
‘I should’ve told him the truth.’
Although she knew there was no point in regretting, Poliana couldn’t help
it. She should’ve been braver and face the emperor from the beginning.
She tried to cover it up by lying to him, and by doing this, she made
things much worse. Why did she do it? What was wrong with her? Why
didn’t her brain stop her from making this huge mistake? Poliana hated
herself for it. The regret she felt was too heavy to endure.
All she wanted to do was be alone. She wanted to tell everyone to leave,
but her newborn son wouldn’t allow such freedom. Her royal-blooded
son asked for his mother very often. He was a very demanding baby.
When there wasn’t enough breast milk, Dog Stew cried angrily. Poliana
became annoyed. She yelled at the wet nurse, “Just feed him your milk!”
As the baby continued to cry, Poliana became even more frustrated,
“What an irritating baby… I grew up fine without my mother’s milk! Your
sister did fine too, so why are you being so demanding!”

Chapter 295: Chapter 295

Chapter 295
What Poliana didn’t realize was the fact that by the time she visited
Princess Luminae for the first time, she was a few months old already.
Poliana was being unfair when she compared the newborn Dog Stew to
Princess Luminae. Poliana, however, did not realize this fact. All she
could feel was annoyance and despair. She didn’t have the patience to
understand her baby; she didn’t even make an effort.
When Poliana obviously looked frustrated, the nanny took the baby
outside. Alone in the room, Poliana finally had some peace and quiet to
think clearly. This was when she realized that she was being unfair to
innocent Dog Stew. Her son didn’t even do anything, yet Poliana, his
own mother, was getting angry at him for no good reason.
‘I’m the worst.’
She could imagine how disappointed her emperor would be if he saw her
like this. He would be especially upset at how his own flesh and blood
was being treated.
But to Poliana, Dog Stew was the emperor’s son and the source of her
misfortune. At the moment, she could not see her baby as her own son
or her family. She did not feel any love for him at this point.
In the noble society, there was a clear priority set for the firstborn son as
the heir to the family. After the third son, the rest of the children were
considered expendable. This was the same for Poliana; she couldn’t
remember being ever loved by her parents.
She might have carried him for 10 months and went through excruciating
childbirth, but Dog Stew still did not feel like her family. He was an
unwanted and unfamiliar figure; a royal prince and nothing more. She
would’ve felt more affection towards him if he did not resemble Lucius
the First so much.
What Poliana wanted was a family. She wished for a family that would
greet her when she returned home from work. But even though she now
had a son of her own, Poliana didn’t feel any joy at all.
Then one day, a guest arrived at Sitrin. Poliana could refuse most
visitors from entering her land, but this particular guest was no ordinary
visitor. It was not Sir Donau, the person Poliana has been hoping to see.
She still hasn’t heard anything from her adopted brother yet.
This guest was actually the man Poliana dreaded to see the most.
It was the emperor, Lucius the First.
***
With the First Division knights’ protection, the emperor visited Poliana’s
Sitrin. As soon as the royal visitor arrived at the Sitrin castle entrance,
Poliana was informed of the news. She jumped in anger at how lax her
land’s security system was. One would need to have a few days of
traveling to get to the Sitrin border to her castle, so how was it that none
of the Sitrin patrols reported to her in advance?
“What were the patrols and guards doing?!”
“They were all captured and ordered to guide the party to the castle
safely.”
“It was the First Division that escorted the emperor? Dammit, it now
makes sense since that unit is made up of the worst jerks…”
The patrols guarding the Sitrin borders approached the party to find out
who was coming into the land. When the patrols realized it was the
emperor, they were surprised and tried to get to Poliana as quickly as
possible, but before they could leave, the knights of the First Division
apparently grabbed all of them to prevent any of the patrols from
reporting to the castle.
It was obvious that the emperor wanted this visit to be a surprise.
Poliana didn’t have to see it in person to know what happened.
‘So his highness came in person… Is this a sign that I should confess to
him?’
Officially, the emperor was touring the entire kingdom now that Acreia
was stable. However, the real reason was that Lucius the First could no
longer be patient. He could not endure another day without Poliana so
he came to Sitrin to take her back to Yapa.
Not wanting her to figure out his true intent, Lucius the First made a point
of visiting the other lands first. He toured the kingdom for 6 months
before visiting Sitrin. The reason why Poliana was unaware of the
emperor’s tour wasn’t because of the work by the Intelligence Unit or
Poliana’s lack of sleep. It was because the vassals felt that they had
nothing to fear from the emperor’s visit. Since Sitrin’s administration and
accounting were clean as the snow, the vassals believed that there was
no point in reporting the possibility of the emperor’s visit to their mistress.
They truly believed that there was nothing to hide inside Sitrin.
Of course, what they didn’t know was the fact that Poliana recently bore
Lucius the First’s son.
Poliana also hasn’t been interested in anything happening outside of her
land. She didn’t pay any attention to the rest of the kingdom, and the
result was the shockingly unexpected visit from the father of her secret
son.
And Poliana, who mistakenly overestimated the power of the Intelligence
Unit, believed that the emperor must know about her secret.
‘His highness… He must know everything!’
She thought that the Intelligence Unit found out about the existence of
the royal baby! Poliana became paranoid, wondering if there was a spy
inside her own land, possibly even inside the country house!
‘There is no point in lying to him anymore.’
Poliana invited Lucius the First to the country house. She knew she had
to show him the baby, and because Dog Stew was too young, he could
not go outside for a while longer.
On his way to the country house, Lucius the First could not stop smiling.
He was finally going to be reunited with the woman he loved. On the way
to the country house, the emperor was briefly informed of Poliana’s
situation. All he heard, however, was that she remained inside the
country house and did not leave the place for a long time. The emperor
became worried that she might be suffering from a serious illness.
“Poliana!”
The person he missed the most. The woman he loved. Lucius the First
opened his arms to hug her.
Even though she has been vacationing at the country house with a hot
spring, Poliana looked awful. Her skin and her hair were dry and rough,
but thankfully, she seemed to be walking fine. The emperor, however,
was curious why Poliana looked so tired and worried.
Poliana kneeled in front of the emperor and confessed, “I have done
something terrible! I deserve to die, your highness!”
“Huh?”
Lucius the First became confused. It was true that Poliana’s vacation
lasted much longer than expected. Was this really a crime? Not to the
emperor. Lucius the First gave her permission to take all the time in the
world. Even if she took 10 years off, the emperor would’ve never gotten
angry with her.
Poliana bowed deeply, hitting her forehead on the floor. Lucius the First
asked in shock, “P-pol?”
“I lied to you and tried to hide the birth of a royal prince! You saved me
by making me your knight, yet I ended up replaying you with lies and
disloyalty! I deserve to die!”

Chapter 296: Chapter 296

Chapter 296
“Pol! Calm down! What happened? Whatever you did, I will forgive you!”
Lucius the First, worried for Poliana, helped her stand up. He came here
to see the woman he loved and missed terribly. He did not come here so
the woman he loved would apologize to him. Lucius the First could not
hide his confusion and in turn, Poliana’s face became rigid.
‘D-does he not know? Did I just confess for no reason?’
“What are you talking about? What do you mean a prince?”
‘Dammit…!’
Poliana finally realized that the emperor did not know anything about
Dog Stew. This meant that she confessed for nothing. It was
unfortunate, but it was also too late. She already said the words, and
now, she needed to own up to them. For a second, she considered
telling him she was only joking, but Poliana quickly decided against the
idea. There were things you could joke about, and there were things she
should never joke about in this world. Giving birth to a bastard son was
not an appropriate jest material.
She could make up another lie right now. Perhaps tell him she misspoke
and that she gave birth to a son who was fathered by someone else.
Poliana knew that her emperor, such an understanding and kind man,
might just believe her.
But this only meant that she really needed to tell him the truth. She could
not lie again to the man who trusted her so much. She needed to come
clean.
***
The innermost room of the country house was a luxurious yet cozy
bedroom. There were two beds here, one for the mother and a crib. The
crib looked elegant and extravagant. Although the baby was born in
secret, his mother was still the powerful marquess while his father was
the emperor of this kingdom. Poliana, though did not feel any affection
towards him, tried her best to give Dog Stew the best of everything. Her
son laid in the crib sleeping peacefully.
Because of the sleeping baby, all the curtains were drawn to keep the
bright sun out, but the room was still light enough for Lucius the First to
see the baby’s face. He rubbed his eyes over and over again. He came
here to see the woman he loved, but in addition to reuniting with Poliana,
he also found a baby that looked just like him.
“C-could he be…”
While the emperor stuttered in shock, Poliana’s frown became uglier.
‘Dammit! I should’ve found out more before confessing like an idiot!’
“Could this be my son?”
Lucius the First’s smile became wider by the second. The emperor and
Poliana accidentally slept with each other. It was a drunken mistake, yet
here was a result of that night. It was the greatest and most unexpected
gift. Lucius the First was confused and overjoyed at the same time. He
could not hide his smile.
Ever since he achieved his dream of uniting the continent, the emperor
knew he was a pretty lucky guy. In fact, since he was a baby, luck was
always on his side. Lucius the First was born the only son to the Acreian
emperor, which meant that he had no competition to the throne. The only
possible rival was his cousin, who was such a docile man with no
ambition.
Within 10 years of becoming the Acreian ruler, Lucius the First became
the emperor of the entire continent. The only thing he thought was
lacking was luck with women, but it turned out, this was not true. In fact,
it seemed that he was especially lucky in this aspect as well. Perhaps,
those hard times he had to endure was all for this very moment.
Lucius the First closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
‘How can my fate be so kind to me? I am actually a little scared right
now.’
His luck was so great that the emperor felt like he was dreaming. Lucius
the First continued to keep his eyes closed and meditated for a minute to
control his excitement. Meanwhile, Poliana watched in horror because
she believed the emperor was so angry that he was trying to calm down.
She begged him, “I have done a terrible thing, your highness! I swear I
did not mean to hide your son from you forever. I was just blinded by the
fact that I might lose my power… No! No, I mean! That is not what I
meant! I just thought that since we agreed on forgetting about what
happened that night, it would be wrong of me to bring up that topic
again. I did not want to upset you, but when the baby turned out to be a
boy… And he resembles you so much… I was planning on telling you
the truth…! I really did!”
She tried to emphasize the fact she never actually lied to him! Poliana
kneeled on the floor again. Lucius the First inhaled deeply, trying very
hard not to act too enthusiastic.
The emperor replied, “Yes, I can see that the boy looks just like me.”
“Yes, that’s right! And he is extremely healthy.”
Poliana, thinking to lessen her guilt, stressed how healthy their son was.
If the emperor realized how she kept the baby strong and healthy,
perhaps his anger would lessen. Besides, it was true that the baby was
extremely well. He even survived the intense training when he was only
a few weeks old growing inside her tummy.
Lucius the First frowned and replied, “Why are you talking only about the
baby’s health, Pol? What about you? How are you? Have you been
resting well after giving birth? It is very important to take it easy, so why
do you keep kneeling on the cold floor? It kills me to think of you having
our baby all alone without me, my heart aches for you.”
The emperor took off his cloak and put it around Polina’s body. He gently
helped her stand up and sit on the chair next to the fireplace. The way
he acted around her was filled with love and happiness. It has been so
long since she felt the emperor’s affection. It was not just Lucius the First
who missed Poliana. Poliana had not realized how much she missed
him. She felt her eyes filling up with tears.
Even though Poliana committed such a huge crime, the emperor was
just as kind as ever. He did not blame her for anything.
Poliana has become uglier while the emperor was still gorgeous. He was
indeed the true treasure of this kingdom. Her cheeks were flushed, but
Poliana wasn’t aware of it. Even if she did, she would’ve just thought it
was because she was so thankful for the emperor’s generosity.
Lucius the First murmured in joyful disbelief, “I never imagined you
would conceive a child from that one night.”
“Yes, your highness. I was very shocked as well.”
“Haa… I can imagine how scared you must’ve felt. Why didn’t you tell
me, Pol? It kills me to think how worried you must’ve been…”
“Your highness…”
It was true that Poliana has been distraught all through her pregnancy.
When Lucius the First consoled her, she became emotional. Just as she
thought, her emperor wasn’t going to abandon her. Even though she did
something so terrible, he wasn’t blaming her; he was actually worried
about her.

Chapter 297: Chapter 297

Chapter 297

“Having a baby is an extreme ordeal. To do that all by yourself without a

family around you… If I knew, I would’ve never left your side, Pol.”

“It’s true that I was a bit scared, your highness.”

Lucius the First babied Poliana, who nodded at him vigorously. At times
like this, Poliana and the emperor made a perfect couple. In front of the
emperor, Poliana could be herself; she could tell him things she could
never admit to others.

Poliana had been so anxious, but now she saw how understanding
Lucius the First was about their situation, she became relieved. She
even felt a little silly for worrying so much. She should’ve just told him
everything from the beginning.

Since they now had a child together, they had to get married, but Poliana
didn’t want to become the emperor’s wife. She guessed that Lucius the
First didn’t necessarily want to have her as his wife either. If they both
thought hard enough about it, perhaps they could come up with a
solution. Of course, if they don’t, they will still have to get married. The
important thing was that she knew the emperor would respect her and
help her come up with a plan.

“Hehehe.”

Poliana giggled, making the emperor smile. He looked around the room
leisurely and saw the warm fireplace and the woman sitting in front of it.
The woman he loved. Her dark circles looked awful and her skin was
rough, but her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shined with
intelligence. The baby that resembled him was sleeping soundly in the
nearby crib, making the entire room feel warm and peaceful. When he
closed his eyes, a lovely sweet scent greeted him. It was the smell of a
newborn and milk. The emperor could smell his from Poliana, too.
‘This feeling… It reminds me of that time.’

Poliana’s blushing cheeks made him remember the beautiful sunset that
day at the cliff. Her smile also looked very similar to the one she had on
that day. Lucius the First grabbed his mother’s ring inside his pocket. He
could not be patient anymore.

“Pol, I have something I must tell you.”

The emperor decided to give up on wooing Poliana first. They now had a
child. Not just any child, but a son. This baby was the emperor’s firstborn
son. He could not have the baby remain a bastard, which meant he had
to marry Poliana. To marry her, he had to propose to her, and before
proposing, he first had to tell her how he felt about her.

Lucius the First needed to let Poliana know that he wasn’t marrying her
just because of the baby. He wasn’t marrying her because he needed to,
but because he wanted to. The emperor wanted to tell her that he has
been in love with her for a very long time.

Lucius the First has felt affection towards Poliana soon after their first
meeting. The depth of his feelings changed after that fateful day at the
cliff of the southernmost region. Since then, his heart began to beat
strangely, and his brain became filled with lust and conflict. The emperor
now could admit that he was in fact obsessed with his knightess.
“Pol, that day at the cliff when I saw you…”

Poliana didn’t mean it, but she ended up making Lucius the First fall in
love with her. The cruel part of this situation was that Poliana had no
idea while the emperor suffered secretly.

“I learned that what I felt for you is love. I tried to hide it and deny it, but
the fact didn’t change that I fell in love with you, Pol.”

He knew she might reject him. Either way, they had to get married and
Lucius the First hoped that their feelings were mutual. The emperor
quickly planned out his future in his head. A son who resembled him. A
wife he loved with all of his heart. He was going to be the luckiest man in
the kingdom. For a long time, Lucius the First did not think he was meant
to have this kind of happiness, but now, his impossible dream was about
to become a reality.

It was so close…

“I… I have been in love with you for a long time.”

The emperor kneeled on one knee in front of Poliana. He took out the
ring, which shined brightly. The ownerless ring was now just about to
find its new mistress. Before reaching for her hand, Lucius the First, who
had his face down from shyness and nervousness, looked up.
When he saw Poliana’s face, his smile disappeared.

Her face was cold as ice; she certainly did not look like a woman happy
to receive a proposal from the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom.

The gentle smile and flushed cheeks disappeared. Instead, her face was
filled with shock, betrayal, and even resentment. Her eyes began to fill
with tears. Lucius the First held her hand, which was trembling.
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“Your highness…”

Poliana bit her lips, unable to finish her sentence. Lucius the First knew
immediately that he made a wrong choice by proposing to her like this.
Poliana continued, “Your highness… My sovereign… The emperor of
Acreia and the master of this land… You may be shocked to hear this,
but I have never resented being born a woman in my entire life. Even
when I was being raped by my superior… Even when I almost died
during a battle because I wasn’t strong enough… Even when I was
beaten just because I was a woman… Even when I was captured,
bullied, ignored, almost poisoned, hated, and attacked just because of
my gender… I never hated being born a woman. Perhaps I believed all
of these things happened because it was wartime. Maybe I thought this
was the same for everyone. It is also very possible that I just got used to
being treated this way and so did not know any better.”

Her entire body shivered a little, but Poliana continued, “Your highness. I
have never resented being a woman, but right now… You made me feel
it. You made me hate being born a woman, your highness, my master,
my savior; the one who gave me my sword. The first one who ever
accepted me and allowed me to follow. You’re the very one who made
me into a proper knight.”

Although her eyes watered, Poliana didn’t cry. She stared at the emperor
in front of her. The most beautiful man in the kingdom… The man she
could never even dare to have…

But even though this very man confessed his love for her, Poliana didn’t
feel happy. Instead, she felt sad.

Lucius the First, the emperor of this kingdom. He was indeed her master
and her everything. Poliana would gladly die for him. She was willing to
do anything for him, but at this moment, Poliana condemned him.

“If the person who was behind you at the cliff was a man… If it was a
man who shadowed you everywhere during the war to protect you… If I
was a man, would you have loved me this way? Would the
overwhelming excitement you felt at that time from conquering the world
translates into the feeling of ‘love’ if I was a man standing behind you
then?”

Chapter 298: Chapter 298

Chapter 298
Falling in love was all about the right timing. If the person standing
behind Lucius the First that day at the cliff was a man… If Poliana Winter
was a man… Would the emperor still have fallen in love?

The answer was…

“No, Pol.”

His heart beat so fast that day… The intense feelings that overwhelmed
him…

She was so precious, too precious, that he could not even dare to touch
her. It was even harder for him to watch another man approaching her.
He was keeping her safe from him, but he ended up letting a gold digger
snake get to her.

He wanted to protect her. He wanted to make sure no one hurt her. He

planned on keeping her close, but this time, it was he who had hurt her.
The snake Frau hurt her pride while Lucius the First ended up hurting
her heart.

Lucius the First stammered, “I didn’t want to make you cry, Sir Pol… But
I guess I failed.” The emperor used to laugh at those who believed in
unrealistic romance stories, but it seemed that Lucius the First made the
same mistake. He forgot the reality and caused his most loyal knight to
shed tears.
Hot tears finally rolled down Poliana’s cheeks. Her teeth were clenched
hard. She looked like she was experiencing the worst moment of her life.

Worse than when she found out the truth about Frau.

Poliana began to sob uncontrollably.

Lucius the First embraced her gently and Poliana did not fight him. She
cried quietly, not making a sound, which made it even worse.

“I’m sorry… It’s all my fault, Pol… It’s… I made a mistake. It’s my fault.”

The emperor caressed her hair gingerly as if he was consoling a child.

His hands were kind and sweet.

The emperor was supposed to never apologize. He was supposed to

never make mistakes, and even if he did, he wasn’t supposed to
apologize for them. Unfortunately, it seemed that when it comes to
Poliana, Lucius the First constantly did things that required him to
apologize to her. Perhaps it was their fate to be in this kind of
relationship.

“I am not supposed to apologize to anyone, yet I keep wronging you,

Pol. I am sorry. It’s all my fault.”
Before Poliana met Lucius the First, she didn’t have a purpose for life.
She lived for the sake of living, and she was getting tired of the effort she
had to make just to survive. Just when Poliana felt like she had enough
of her life, it was then when Lucius the First offered her something to live
for.

A goal.

He made her an offer, and he asked her if she would follow him.

Poliana was abandoned by her own family. She was bullied and abused
by everyone in her own army. She had no good reason to live, and yet
she desperately worked to live.

The emperor was the first one to see her talent. He recognized how hard
she worked. He told her he needed her. He told her he liked her. Even
though he knew she was a woman, he accepted her as a knight. He
acknowledged her as a knight.

Lucius the First offered her a dream she never even imagined could be
her own. He gave her an opportunity to be part of his future. It was such
a wonderful dream. Poliana became stronger for him. She studied and
worked harder to serve the emperor better.

Most importantly, she learned to see herself in a positive way. Every

time Lucius the First complimented her, her pride in herself grew.
Her entire life changed for the better after she met him. She had a dream
to pursue. She made friends. She was gifted with superiors she
respected and subordinates she could trust. She even got an adopted
brother. All of these things were thanks to serving the greatest emperor
in history.

Everyone worked together to achieve the emperor’s dream. The

wonderful times Poliana had were all because of Lucius the First.

But now… Everything she achieved… The works she accomplished…

They were all going to be taken away from her. Her dream life was
beginning to shatter. It was Lucius the First who gave her everything, yet
it was also him who was destroying it all. He was such a beautiful man,
but he was dirtying everything she had.

The witch who seduced the emperor. The wh*re. The crazy b*tch. The
ice-cold woman.

Poliana was used to what people called her. Even when they weren’t
true… Even when the things people talked about her were horrendous
and ugly… Poliana laughed them off. She was okay because she knew
that her relationship with the emperor was pure, but as soon as Lucius
the First confessed his love for her, everything people have gossiped
about became true.

The story of her, a stupid b*tch, seducing and fooling the emperor, now
was going to be true. The stories that were made up to bring her down
by the enemies were going to become the truth.
“She is a woman, so what do you expect?”

This was the worst sentence she has ever heard about herself, and it
was going to be a true statement now. Was this really correct? No matter
how hard she worked, was her gender going to be her greatest limit?

Will she never be able to overcome this?

The impossible path of knightess was made possible by the emperor.

But now, it was Lucius the First who was taking her life away from her.
Was being a woman truly a curse? Was this the end for her? Did all of
her hard work not going to matter?

If Poliana was born a man, something like this would’ve never

happened. If she was born a man, she would’ve never been forced to
feel this miserable. If she was born a man, her emperor would’ve never
been forced to apologize to her like this.

Poliana pushed Lucius the First away and wiped away her tears.

“Your highness, you didn’t do anything wrong. It is all my fault. All of it…
All…”

“Pol, stop saying that…!”

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“I have done you wrong. As soon as the prince is old enough to travel, I
will send him to you to Yapa.”

She told him that she will “send” their son. She didn’t say she herself will
return with their son. Lucius the First flinched, realizing that his
confession ended up causing the situation to become worse.

“Poliana, are you saying you want to give up your right as his mother?”

“I will leave everything up to you, your highness. It’s ok if you do not

acknowledge him as your own. If you wish, I can raise him here in
secret. If you wish to take him as your own, then please hide my identity
and have our son be adopted by one of your future wives.”

“Poliana, I never asked you to give up being the mother to our son.”

“And I never said I will raise this child myself.”

Lucius the First’s and Poliana’s eyes met intensely. The emperor was
surprised by her reaction, but he understood her; this was the woman he
loved, this was the Poliana Winter he knew.

Chapter 299: Chapter 299

Chapter 299

“Like I said earlier, your highness, I am desperate to keep my power. If I

raise the prince as my own, I will lose so much of myself, so how could I
do it?”

“You can marry me!”

Lucius the First reminded Poliana of the things she dreamt of when she
was planning her wedding with Frau. The emperor knew he could
provide all of the things she wanted in a family.

“Pol, you told me that you wanted respect from your spouse! You said
love was not necessary. We can have that! It’s okay if you don’t love me
because I love you enough for both of us. As long as you respect me, we
can have that cozy and warm family you dreamt of! I’m not going to have
you as my concubine or one of the wives. I want you as my empress. It’s
not because you bore me a son! Even when I thought you were barren, I
planned on proposing to you and make you the empress of this kingdom.
I wouldn’t have cared if you couldn’t give me an heir!”

If he wished, the emperor could have filled his harem with thousands of
beauties. Yet here he was, begging this woman to be his one and only
wife. He was ok with her never having his children; he was ok with her
not performing the duties of the empress.
Lucius the First continued, “That is how much I love you. I adore you. I
tried to give you up for your happiness, but it didn’t work out. I can swear
on this kingdom that you will be my one and only wife.”

The emperor was desperate. He had everything in this world except for
one thing; love.

With a baby between them, Poliana and Lucius the First had no choice
but to get married. The mistake the emperor made was being too rash
and impatient. He was so desperate and excited that he forgot to think of
how Poliana must feel.

Quietly, she replied, “And as soon as I become your wife, your highness,
I will no longer be your knight.”

Just like Lucius the First, Poliana was desperate too. She stammered in
tears, “You promised, your highness! You promised that I could remain
by your side as your knightess forever! An empress or the wife of an
emperor could never be a knight, so why do you keep asking me to give
up myself?”

“But you wanted to be my knight to serve me, to follow me and be with

me! You told me before that you are willing to work a desk job if it was
for me! Being my wife… The only change for you will be that your
position will change, but you will still be mine. You will always be by my
side. This will never change.”
If the emperor offered her a pen and paper and asked her to serve him
as his empress, Poliana would’ve been much more receptive to the idea.
The former empress’s ring and flowers weren’t what Poliana wanted nor
needed.

She finally exploded. “I don’t want this! I am telling you, I don’t!” Poliana
went through so much because of one drunken mistake. Months and
months of carrying this baby all alone… and now, she was being forced
to become her emperor’s wife, she did not want this one mistake to be
the reason for a marriage.

“All the other knights get married and have families while remaining your
knight, so why can’t I?! Why me? Why just me! Why can’t I have that
too? Just because I ended up having someone’s baby… A baby I didn’t
even want… Why must I become your wife?! I don’t even love you!”

Indeed, most knights Poliana knew were married with kids. But even
after the wedding, these knights’ lives did not change. No one ordered
them to give up their career.

But Poliana had to.

Why?

It was because she was a woman and the man was Lucius the First.
Poliana continued, “Why do I have to confirm what so many people
believed? That I was a woman who seduced you! Why do I have to give
people the reason to mock me for being a woman? I do not want to enter
the lady’s quarters! I do not want to become an empress either! Why do I
have to give up the name you gifted me? Why do I have to live in the
Yapa castle when I have my own place? I thought you, of all people,
would accept what I have become, your highness. I am Marquess
Winter. You were the one who gave me everything! That is why I thought
you were going to come up with a plan that will allow me to keep what
was mine. Even if it may be impossible, I thought you would at least
try…”

Poliana knew very well that they had no choice but to get married. She
had accepted her fate as soon as she saw her son, but what made her
so sad and angry was the way Lucius the First was behaving. She was
truly disappointed in him.

Her beautiful emperor was her religion. Poliana believed in him. He was
greater than anything she knew in this world. What she wanted was for
him to suggest that they should come up with a solution other than
getting married, but what he gave her was a love confession.

If he first became angry at her… If he first offered to come up with

another plan other than getting married… It would have been much
easier for her to accept the idea of marriage if they could not come up
with another solution, she wouldn’t have felt so betrayed and miserable.

‘This is strange.’
Poliana had to admit that what she felt did not make sense. Why did she
feel so much worse by the emperor’s love confession?

The most beautiful and eligible bachelor in the kingdom confessed his
hopeless love for her, so why was she feeling so sad?
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The only answer Poliana could come up with was the fact that she was a
woman. All of her colleagues were married yet they were allowed to
keep their career and status. Their life did not have to change much.
Odd times, some knights did retire, but how they were treated by the
others did not change. Besides, these knights weren’t forced to retire. It
was their choice.

No male knight was asked to leave their position just because they got
married. No male knight was forced to quit their job because they had a
child. No man ever had to change their last name just because he now
had a wife. The only thing the men lost after getting married was the
freedom of a bachelor, but this could not compare to what Poliana had to
give up.

It was Lucius the First who first accepted her as a knight, yet it seemed
that it was also the same man who made her hate being born a woman.
Of course, Poliana didn’t want to blame him. Everything that was
happening to her was all because she was a woman; this is what
happens to a woman.

Poliana’s scream woke the baby up. Dog Stew began to cry loudly and
flail his arms. Poliana walked up to him and held him in her arm. Lucius
the First watched and murmured, “I am an idiot. I always say I want your
happiness, yet I always end up hurting you.”

When Poliana told him she did not love him and that she never wanted
this baby, Lucius the First felt deep pain.

“I was so blinded by my love for you that I did not consider you and our
baby. I gave you everything and now I was asking you to give them all
up. I absolutely understand why you are angry, Pol.”

Poliana continued to keep her back to him and consoled Dog Stew. She
didn’t say a word, she just began to feed her baby.
Chapter 300

Those working for Poliana in the country house could not hide their
anxiety as if they were the ones who committed a crime. They made
sure to appear as inconspicuous as possible so they would not annoy
the emperor or the knight’s order.

Their fear was well-founded. Everyone who saw their mistress’s baby
has been admiring the newborn. Their new master was a beautiful baby
and they have been wondering who the father might be, and now… they
knew.

There was no doubt that the mistress’s son resembled his highness the
emperor. It was an uncanny likeness.
A few months ago, when their mistress confessed that she got drunk and
took advantage of a man, everyone thought it was just a joke. But now
that they saw the emperor’s face, the staff knew that Poliana’s story had
to be true.

It was impossible to guess what their mistress was thinking when she
ran away to Sitrin. Poliana herself didn’t know what she was thinking at
the time. Since she tried to hide the emperor’s son, she could be
considered a traitor. In the worst-case scenario, Sitrin, the place that
helped her hide, could be punished. Every citizen of this city could be
forced to become slaves as a result.

It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see the emperor’s knights attacking

and arresting Poliana at this very moment, but for some reason,
everyone in the knight’s order remained quiet.

Lucius the First brought only a few of the members of the First Division
for his safety. When these knights saw Dog Stew, who looked just like
their emperor, they were so shocked that they could not even move. The
knights all stood still and murmured among themselves, “Why do you
think Sir Pol did this? What do you think?”

“I think the problem is that she wasn’t thinking.”

“But that doesn’t sound like her…”

“Dammit… I can’t believe our very first empress after the conquest is
going to be so ugly…”

“How do you know for sure she will become the empress?”

“Didn’t you see that baby? It’s a son! And she isn’t just any lady. She is
the marquess, which means she has to be made the empress. I can’t
believe Sir Pol is going to be the symbol of Acreian ladies! Man, she is
such a lucky woman. To become a royal member just by having a
baby… All thanks to her being a woman; this is what women do.”

Slap!

Sir Beke hit the knight who badmouthed Poliana. When it seemed that
there was going to be a fight, Sir Mahogal yelled, “Everyone just shut
up.”

The very first knight’s order of the kingdom. The members of this unit
were selected solely based on their skills. There were many knights who
were both very talented and well mannered, but for some reason, most
of those chosen by Sir Ainno had terrible personalities. They were
infamously aggressive and rude.

The second in command of this unit, Sir Mahogal, was thankfully a kind
and decent man. There were many days when he wanted to quit, but he
knew that his presence was necessary to control this angry group. Even
Sir Beke, who was a normal guy, acted horribly when he was around the
other knights of the First Division thanks to their bad influence.
When Sir Mahogal heard that Poliana gave birth to the royal prince, he
didn’t know what to think. The other knights’ unthoughtful comments,
however, made him angry. He shook his head as he asked, “Think about
it. Do you really think this incident will make the marquess’s life better?”

“Of course. She will be the empress of this kingdom. There can’t be
better promotion than that, right?”

“Totally. I mean, perhaps we could have worded it kindlier, but it’s true.
This is the best thing that could’ve ever happened to her.”

Most of the knights thought Poliana was lucky in having the emperor’s
son, but Sir Beke didn’t agree.

“I disagree with the others, Sir Mahogal. Why would Sir Pol ever want to
become the empress…”

Sir Mahogal nodded, “Exactly. For an average lady, becoming the

empress would be a great honor, but do you guys really think this
applies to Marquess Winter? If she becomes the empress, she will have
to give up being the head of the Second Division. She will also have to
retire from being a knight. She will lose all of her personal properties as
well as her status to the royal family. In addition, she won’t be able to be
armed at all times like she can right now.”
An orphan foreign woman, who was unmarried, was allowed to carry her
weapon and roam the castle freely. But what about the empress? As an
empress, Poliana would never be allowed to have this kind of freedom
again. Just for having a baby, she will be, in effect, imprisoned and no
longer allowed to serve as a knight.

What Sir Mahogal said made sense, but the knights of the First Division
still seemed confused.

“It’s not like Sir Pol was a talented knight anyway.”

“But she made more effort than any of us.”

“Who cares? Hard work without a talent means nothing.”

These knights were selected purely based on their physical skills, which
meant that talents were what they valued the most in a fighter. The rude
men continued to chat, “His highness had three wives and he only got a
princess out of it. Sir Pol, however, was able to provide a son from just
one drunken night? She must be a natural! Maybe she will be able to
give births to many princes!”

“Dammit! Do you really want to serve the royal princes that look like Sir
Pol?”

“But the newborn prince resembled the emperor…”

“This time, but what about the next time? What if all of the children Sir
Pol has afterward resembled her?! Gross!”

Smack!

Sir Beke, unable to tolerate anyone insulting Pol, hit the knight again.
This time, the rude knight fought back by kicking Sir Beke. A fight finally
broke. Sir Mahogal was out of patience at this point. He was about to
punish them all when Sir Ainno entered the room.

Sir Ainno, who recently got married immediately after the royal death
period ended, was unhappy that he wasn’t home right now. He should’ve
been Yapa with his new bride and enjoying their honeymoon, but
instead, he was dragged out of the capital to tour the kingdom with the
emperor.

“I heard everything,” he announced.

Sir Mahogal was good at controlling the men, but Sir Ainno was much
more feared by the knights. They straightened up nervously, expecting
to be punished severely.

To everyone’s surprise, there was no violence. It seemed that he was

about to say something, but he decided against it. Instead, he warned
the men, “That is our future empress you are talking about. How dare
you be disrespectful?”
“We apologize. It won’t happen again!”
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The knights immediately became docile, making Sir Mahogal sigh. Sir
Ainno glared at him in annoyance.

Sir Mahogal asked, “So you think they will get married?”

“Of course, they have a kid now.”

Sir Ainno answered nonchalantly. Even the commoners usually had to

get married if a child was born out of wedlock. Things became more
complicated when it happened to the nobles, but normally, marriage was
the ultimate result. This was especially the case since Lucius the First
did not have an heir yet. A son was finally born, so the logical step was
to legitimize him.

Perhaps a mean uncaring man may have insisted that it was not his
child, but Lucius the First was not like that. Besides, this was a golden
chance for the emperor to marry the woman he loved. Only an idiot
would miss this opportunity.

‘I told both of them to be careful with drinking together.’

Sir Ainno exhaled deeply at the irony of this situation.

Chapter 301: Chapter 301

Chapter 301

As soon as he heard that the meeting between Lucius the First and
Poliana was over, Sir Ainno visited the emperor. When he entered the
room and saw Lucius the First, the emperor, unfortunately, didn’t look
very happy. The room was dark and Lucius the First was clearly upset.
Sir Ainno couldn’t understand why.

‘They had a child together, so why does he look like that? Could it be…
Did she actually refuse his proposal, seriously?’

All the emperor had to do was forgive Poliana for hiding the baby and
propose to her. What could have gone wrong in this home run scenario?
What the heck happened?

Lucius the First wasn’t crying. He didn’t look angry and he wasn’t smiling
either. The emperor just looked… guilty. He looked like he was regretful,
making Sir Ainno frown in frustration and anger.

No one could argue that Sir Ainno was loyal to the emperor, and as
someone who loved Lucius the First, Sir Ainno was furious that his
emperor was making such an expression. An emperor should never be
apologetic, even if it was for the woman he loved. The emperor should
never forget that he was the master of his kingdom.

Sir Ainno, clearly furious, turned around. His job was to make sure his
emperor never had to make such an expression, and he was ready to
take care of the situation. He would go and make Poliana make the right
decision.

“Don’t go.”

Lucius the First stopped him before he could leave the door.

“Your highness.”

“It’s my fault.”

“Your highness did not do anything wrong. You are the emperor. You are
the ruler of this kingdom and therefore by definition, you can do no
wrong. It is Marquess Winter’s fault for upsetting you and she must be
punished.”

“No, Inno. It’s my fault. I betrayed a loyal knight for a woman I love.”
Lucius the First wanted Poliana’s happiness. He wanted what was best
for her, but when the emperor found out about the baby, he couldn’t
control his own excitement at the fact that they now had no choice but to
get married. Lucius the First was so happy that he forgot about Poliana’s
own happiness.

The emperor knew he made a mistake. Confessing his love for her was
the absolute wrong thing to do. If he told her that because of their child,
they now had to get married for the good of the kingdom, Poliana
would’ve accepted his proposal. She would’ve seen it as her
responsibility and felt ok about it.

Lucius the First should’ve been more patient. He was too excited, and he
forgot the reality. He was dreaming of his happy future when he wasn’t
thinking about how Poliana would feel.

It was all his fault. Whether they had a child together or not, he should’ve
always considered Poliana’s happiness first. His resolve shouldn’t have
changed like this. Just having a child didn’t change Poliana in any way.
Becoming a mother didn’t change Poliana into a different person, the
emperor’s long wait and patience now were for nothing.

When Lucius the First looked devastated, Sir Ainno said firmly, “She
dared to run away when she was carrying your highness’s child. She
tried to hide the existence of a royal member. She also tried to forge the
papers to fool you, and most of all, even though your highness forgave
her for everything, she still hurt you badly by refusing your proposal. All
these crimes she committed… They are unforgivable.”
“Inno, you know better. You know that when you are hunting, the easiest
prey is the mothers with young, but it is also them that you should never
hunt. I knew Poliana was vulnerable and I used this situation against
her.”

Lucius the First began to tear up as he continued, “She became

pregnant with no family of her own to help and protect her. Can you
imagine how shocked she must’ve been? It is no wonder that she ran
away. The Poliana you and I know is a soldier. All she knows is how to
kill, not how to bear and raise a child, and I, the child’s father, was
insensitive enough to confess my love for her and tried to trap her into
my arms… I can understand why she has difficulty trusting me.”

“This is exactly what I have been warning both of you about. I told her
not to drink with a man alone. If she listened to my advice, none of this
would’ve happened. Her inappropriate action has created this problem.”

What Sir Ainno was angry about wasn’t the fact that the two of them got
drunk. He was furious about how the emperor’s knight, who was
supposed to exist to protect Lucius the First, got so drunk that she could
not even remember what happened that night. In Sir Ainno’s mind,
Poliana did not do her most important duty as the knight of Acreia.

“But Inno, you used to drink with Pol all the time too. It is me who made
a mistake; it is I who betrayed her.”

The emperor was being pitiful again. Sir Ainno, clearly annoyed, asked
with a sigh, “So what are you going to do now?”
“Whatever I do, I know you will support me, Inno.”

Sir Ainno quickly kneeled in front of the emperor and replied, “I will
always be your Inno, your highness.”

“I can see that you are happy. Although I feel jealous, I am also happy
for you.”

Inno quickly stood up and thought, ‘He is changing the subject again.’
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Lucius the First looked at him with a lonely smile, which made him look
even more beautiful. Not too long ago, Sir Ainno was able to win Cekel’s
heart and marry her immediately after the royal death period ended.
From Cekel Ingreter, Cekel became Cekel Seki.

Duke Seki, Sir Ainno’s father, wanted his oldest son to inherit the title
now that he was married, but Sir Ainno refused. He gave an excuse of
him being still inexperienced, but in truth, he just didn’t want the
responsibility just yet.

Oddly enough, Sir Ainno felt a little guilty about how things were going.
His own love life was a success while it seemed that the emperor’s quest
for love was going very wrong.
‘Could it be because I took away Sir Pol’s love luck? It can’t be… Can
it?’

If this was really the case, Sir Ainno believed that things will work out for
the emperor and the marquess slowly. If he remembered correctly,
Poliana gave him the two years of her love luck. That 2 years was
almost over now.

Sir Ainno, who had a notoriously hot temper, wanted to go and beat
some sense into the marquess, but he stopped himself. He decided that
all he had to do was wait; time would fix everything.

Just as Poliana trusted Lucius the First, Sir Ainno trusted the emperor as
well. He truly believed that Lucius the First will do something, anything to
make this situation right. After all, this involved the woman who should
be his wife and the empress of this kingdom, as well as their firstborn
son.

Chapter 302: Chapter 302

Chapter 302

The next day, Lucius the First and Poliana sat down at the table and ate
breakfast together. The conversation they had yesterday was painful,
leaving both of them upset, but they did not avoid each other. During the
war, they had to go through much tenser time. There were times when
they argued with each other more intensely. What happened
yesterday… It wasn’t going to be enough to make them change how
much they trusted each other.

Poliana trusted Lucius the First, and Lucius the First trusted Poliana as
well. They spent 10 years together in a war. What they went through
together… Their love and respect for one another weren’t going to
change very easily.

Yesterday, Lucius the First’s sudden love confession upset Poliana

greatly. When Poliana declared that she didn’t love the emperor and she
never wanted his baby, this hurt the emperor greatly. They were both
very wounded and there was no point in figuring out who was hurt the
most.

Poliana glanced at the emperor nervously. When she heard Lucius the
First’s confession yesterday, she reacted very emotionally, which was
unusual for her. Was it because she hasn’t been able to sleep well from
taking care of the newborn? Poliana knew that what she said to the
emperor yesterday was extremely rude and unreasonable. Perhaps she
was overly tired. At least last night, the wet nurse took care of Dog Stew
while Poliana got a full night’s sleep. Now, she felt much better and
calmer.

Poliana offered her apology first, “Your highness, I believe that how I
acted towards you yesterday was horrendous. What I did yesterday was
much worse than running away from you.”
Lucius the First shook his head and replied, “I heard that after childbirth,
a woman can become very emotional and sensitive, so I understand.
You look much more relaxed today, Sir Pol, so I think you were just very
tired yesterday.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly. I should’ve blamed myself for the crimes I

committed, yet all I thought yesterday was how to rely on you, your
highness. Please punish me for my wrongdoings, your highness.”

“No, Pol, it was I who did not think of you and how you must feel. I was
so happy at the prospect of marrying you that I wasn’t thinking clearly. I
told you how I felt about you, and by doing so, I have hurt you with my
impatience, I’m sorry. All I ever want is to make you happy, but it seems
that I keep doing the wrong things and end up apologizing to you.”

For the next half an hour, the two continued to apologize and confess
their mistakes. After about 30 minutes, Poliana finally asked the question
that has been bothering her all night.

“Your highness, are you sure your eyesight is ok? Could it be that it has
been deteriorating since the end of the war?”

Lucius the First replied solemnly, “My vision is perfectly fine, Pol.”

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but it seemed that this morning’s
breakfast was made up of all the foods that were known to be good for
eye health. Lucius the First knew his eyesight was fine. He added firmly,
“Sir Pol, you are very cute.”
“Your highness, how many fingers am I holding right now?”

“Three.”

“I read in one of the medical books that there is an illness where

although a person can see, he cannot recognize facial features. Could it
be that you have this sickness…”

“People do not fall in love purely based on one’s look. If this is the case,
you, Sir Pol, should’ve fallen madly in love with me, right?”

His heartfelt love was rejected yesterday. Lucius the First looked at her
with a lonely smile, which made him look even more gorgeous than
usual. Poliana became speechless at both his logic and his beauty. She
knew he was right.

There were many things they needed to discuss together. What should
they do next? Should they really get married? They needed to figure out
both public and personal aspects of this situation, yet none of them
brought up this subject.

After breakfast, Poliana stood up to feed her baby and Lucius the First
followed her. Looking at his son who resembled him so much… The
emperor couldn’t help but smile.
“Pol, may I try holding him?”

“Of course.”

Watching the most beautiful man in the kingdom holding such a beautiful
angelic baby… It was quite a sight. Poliana was used to seeing one of
them at a time, but watching them together felt very different. She was
truly impressed. She said to him, “I guess in this case, it would’ve been
impossible for me to hide who the father is.”

“Don’t you think he resembles only me too much? I wish he would’ve

looked like you a bit too.”

Dog Stew looked just like when Lucius the First was younger. The
emperor held him gently and expertly. He had some experience taking
care of Princess Luminae, which made him more comfortable around
newborns.

Unlike his daughter, his son was very healthy. Lucius the First smiled
happily.

“Did you name him yet?”

“How would I dare? For now, we have been calling him little master.”
Poliana could never tell him that she nicknamed the baby Dog Stew!
When she kept quiet, Lucius the First signed and asked, “This isn’t just
my son. It is your child as well, Pol. Are you sure you didn’t even have a
nickname for him?”

“…dog…”

“Hmm?”

“…stew…”

“I can’t hear you. Can you say that again?”

“When I was pregnant, the only food I could tolerate was the dog stew,
so I nicknamed him Dog Stew.”

“…”

A long silence fell. Feeling guilty and embarrassed, Poliana kept her
head down. The emperor felt upset that she had to go through such a
bad morning sickness, but he also wondered why of all names, she
would name him Dog Stew.

In the end, Lucius the First felt that it was necessary to object.
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“He is our firstborn son, so I really don’t think Dog Stew is an appropriate
name for him.”

“I sincerely apologize, your highness. By the time he was born, the name
just stuck. You’re here now, so please name him.”

Lucius the First examined his son, who looked just like him. Such a
healthy baby… The emperor smiled again and replied, “Haha, he is still
so young, yet he is very sturdy. I heard his cries roaring as well. Look at
his eyes! Such intelligence! He will make an excellent general!”

With another smile, the emperor added, “Gerald. Let’s call him Gerald.”

“That is an excellent choice, your highness.”

Any name would’ve been better than Dog Stew. Now that he was
named, Gerald was being recognized by Lucius the First as his own. It
was obvious that the emperor enjoyed having a son. He already had a
daughter, Princess Luminae, but having a son was a different matter. He
was especially overjoyed because the mother, the woman he loved,
survived the childbirth.

It was wonderful to see the father and son together. Those working for
Poliana in Sitrin, who have been petrified that they were going to be
punished, were greatly relieved. Seeing the emperor so happy meant
that they were now safe.

Chapter 303: Chapter 303

Chapter 303

Noble ladies did not raise their own children, however, this didn’t mean
they could be completely absent. Even with the wetnurse present,
children often asked for their mothers. This was why Poliana was not
free to leave as she pleased. She needed to remain physically close to
Gerald at all times.

Feeding the baby every hour was a tiring business, but a baby required
to eat this much to survive. Poliana understood it and took it as her duty,
but other than feeding, she didn’t spend any effort or time on her baby.

Lucius the First quickly noticed how nonchalant and uncaring Poliana
acted around Gerald. Those working for her thought this was normal
since Poliana was a very important noble lady, but the emperor was sad
to see this. He watched Poliana feed Gerald carefully. She made sure
the baby was comfortable, but clearly, there was no deep love from her
towards Gerald.

“Sir Pol, you aren’t happy about the birth of Gerald, are you?”
This shouldn’t have been a surprise. After all, Gerald was an accident. In
addition, this newborn was about to force Poliana to lose everything she
accomplished in her life.

Lucius the First asked, “But you like children, Pol.”

“I do, I like watching them and I like holding them too.”

Poliana was often seen holding and hugging Princess Luminae happily.
She also sent carriages after carriages of presents to Vaxi and
Vanessa’s babies. Poliana was known to be very generous and kind to
everyone’s children. However, it seemed that she didn’t have any love
for her own son.

If Poliana considered Gerald the emperor’s son rather than her own, she
should’ve treated him affectionately, just like she did with Princess
Luminae. The fact that Poliana seemed awkward and unhappy about
Gerald meant that she must acknowledge him as her own. This was
what confused Lucius the First.

“Don’t you think he is adorable?”

“Yes, he is very pretty. At first, I was unhappy that he looked too much
like you, your highness, but now, it’s nice to see what a cute baby he is.”
“Then why do you look so indifferent? You are such a cute lady and it is
not nice to see that you look offended by our son.”

Poliana coughed and sputtered, “Your highness… You really need to get
your eyes checked by the doctor, you aren’t seeing things clearly.”

“Why do you keep saying that? I’m telling you that you are very cute. I’m
being honest and that is why I don’t tell you that you are pretty, right?
You may not be conventionally pretty, but you are adorable, so stop
arguing with me.”

When Gerald was finished eating, Poliana put him against her and
began to pat his back gently to make him burp. If she was successful in
making him burp, she would be free for the next hour. If she wasn’t, then
he would need to feed some more.

He was the child she carried for the past 10 months. For the first few
months of her pregnancy, Poliana was resentful that the baby survived.
During the last few months, she was fearful that she might not survive
childbirth. Holding the warm baby in her arms, Poliana thought quietly
about her situation. This little creature was so light in her arms, but when
he was inside of her, it felt like she was carrying a giant rock. Every time
her stomach got bigger… Every time the baby kicked inside of her…
Poliana felt fearful rather than excited. She knew people wouldn’t
understand how she felt, so she never voiced them.

But now, in front of the emperor, Poliana gave him her honesty.
“My own mother died after giving birth to me. Lady Rebecca also died
from her pregnancy. I was afraid before giving birth to him because I
thought I might die. After his birth, I knew I could not escape this
situation, and this made me feel desperate. So far, nothing good came
out of him, and that is why I feel this way. I apologize for being such an
ungrateful woman.”

Once the baby was born, he made Poliana a prisoner. This was how
Poliana felt. She did feel guilty for thinking this way about Gerald, but
she still felt justified since she was a nobleman. A child grew up fine
without love. For example, Poliana grew up without an ounce of love
from her parents, but she ended up becoming this kingdom’s greatest
marques.

“Your highness, a child can grow up fine without love or affection.”

Lucius the First couldn’t hide his bitterness at Poliana’s words. It wasn’t
that her logic was inaccurate. In fact, most aristocrats felt this way. There
were actually some who, thinking too much love can poison and spoil
children, sent their children away to be raised separately.

Poliana continued, “So, your highness… I have been thinking.”

She admitted that they had no choice but to get married since they now
had a son together. However, what if they got married, make Gerald a
legitimate son of the emperor, then get divorced!
Lucius the First grabbed his forehead and replied, “Marquess Winter, it
sounds like you haven’t heard a word I said. Did you not hear it when I
confessed my love for you?”

“To be honest, your highness, I cannot believe what you told me about
yesterday. I thought that maybe you were just lying to make me feel
better.”

It would look and sound better for the emperor and Poliana to get
married because they were “in love” rather than solely because of their
son. If and when Poliana marries the emperor, people were going to talk
no matter what. If she married him just because she had the emperor’s
son, people were going to say that she was a loose woman. If she
married him “for love,” then people were going to see her as a woman
who couldn’t control her emotions. To the public, the latter woman would
be treated kindly. In fact, some might see it as the greatest love story of
the century.

A woman of unfortunate and harsh past becoming the only knightess in

the kingdom and falling in love with the emperor… She might even
become an empress beloved by the kingdom.
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‘Dammit.’

Poliana wanted to cry again. Becoming a beloved empress was not what
she wanted. She did not want to give up her current position. Poliana
didn’t care if people didn’t understand. Some believed she was not
ambitious enough, but the truth was, she loved power. She didn’t want to
give up everything she accomplished so far.

Poliana knew her suggestion wasn’t going to work, but she still asked
again, “Couldn’t I just send Gerald to you, your highness?”

The woman he loved the most in this world… This woman didn’t want to
marry him. Poliana may have gladly died for him, but she desperately did
not want to marry Lucius the First. He couldn’t blame her, however,
since although he would gain great happiness and lose nothing from this
marriage, Poliana would end up losing everything.

“Pol, listen to me. The position of an empress wouldn’t be a demotion to

your current status as the marquess. We can just ignore what people
say. Besides, not everyone will badmouth you. You may not like it, but
we can’t change what already happened, so we need to think positively.
I swear to you, I will make sure you don’t have to give up everything.”

It was easy for him to say they should think positively. If the emperor
truly loved Poliana, that Lucius the first was going to gain everything
from this marriage. The woman he loved and an heir. Poliana, who was
going to lose so much, could not be optimistic about the future.

But Lucius the First was her emperor and her savior. He was her life and
her everything. Poliana nodded reluctantly in the end. Lucius the First,
who knew she still did not want the marriage, could only give her a bitter
smile.

Chapter 304: Chapter 304

Chapter 304

Lucius the First would’ve loved to take Poliana and Gerald and return to
Yapa immediately. Unfortunately, the emperor was in the middle of
touring the kingdom and Gerald was too young to travel.

They decided to keep the situation a secret until Poliana recovered both
mentally and physically. For her reputation, it would’ve been better for
them to get married immediately, but Poliana still was very reluctant. She
was still very emotional. Her thoughts about the matter changed
constantly every day. Lucius the First didn’t know what to do about it, but
her staff seemed nonchalant. They assumed that she was having
difficulty controlling her emotions because of her hormones, which
meant that once she stopped breastfeeding, Poliana should feel better.

As soon as Sir Ainno saw Poliana, he glared at her. How dare she reject
the emperor’s love? Poliana ignored his anger. She just gave birth to a
baby, so what could he do to her? He would never lay a hand on her, at
least until she recovered.

But Poliana still had to apologize to Sir Ainno about something entirely
different. She said to him, “I’m sorry I didn’t get to attend your wedding. I
also apologize for not getting you a wedding gift.”

“It’s alright. Everyone agrees that the gifts you gave to Cekel from your
own wedding plan were more than enough.”
“Is Lady Seki doing well?”

“She became the head of the royal maids.”

Poliana was surprised at the unexpected news. Knowing Sir Ainno and
his stubbornness, she expected him to make Cekel retire from her job.
Sir Ainno believed that a true highborn lady should not have to work at
all, even as a royal maid. Oftentimes, influential ladies volunteered as
the maids to the royal members to gain even greater reputation, but Sir
Ainno insisted that a truly powerful noble lady did not need to take this
job to be recognized. Although his statement was true, people still hated
his arrogance.

So how was it that this infamous Sir Ainno’s wife became the head of the
royal maids? Sir Ainno, looking annoyed, explained that he had no
choice. After many of the Acreian nobles were imprisoned and removed
from their positions, many of the maids who belonged to these families
also left the Yapa castle. They were short on maids, and so finally,
Lucius the First ended up offering the position of the head maid to Cekel,
who was married and now one of the highest-ranking ladies of the
kingdom.

Cekel accepted the position without consulting her husband. Sir Ainno
became furious, but Cekel refused to change her mind. She said to him,
“It’s not like you asked for my permission when you proposed to me.”
Sir Ainno had no answer to this. He initially considered nagging the
emperor to take away her job, but this was when Lucius the First
decided to go on the tour of the kingdom. Sir Ainno was going to have to
leave Yapa for almost a year, which would leave Cekel all alone. He felt
that it would be better for her to have a job during this time.

After a short chat, Poliana finally said to him, “Congratulations on your

marriage.”

“Congratulations on your marriage too, Marquess.”

“…”

Poliana didn’t look very happy but Sir Ainno ignored it. Suddenly, she
realized why Sir Ainno laughed whenever he saw her and why he
insisted on becoming the best man to her groom at her wedding.

‘He knew how the emperor felt about me.’

It shouldn’t have been a surprise since Sir Ainno and Lucius the First
were best friends. When she thought she was going to marry Frau, Sir
Ainno tried his best to get out of this duty, but now, Poliana knew he
would insist on acting as the emperor’s best man.

Sir Ainno glared at Poliana. She made a huge mistake by drunkenly

sleeping with the emperor, and now, she rejected Lucius the First’s love.
Sir Ainno hated her for it, but this did not change the fact that he still
owed her. He said to her grudgingly, “I will repay my debt.”

“What debt?”

“You don’t have to know the details. Bye.”

After he left, Poliana wondered, ‘Did I lend him money in the past or
something?’ She felt confused and no matter how hard she tried, Poliana
could not remember anything. And the way he said he was going to
repay her… It didn’t sound good. Did she perhaps do something bad to
him, and now he planned on “paying back” for whatever she did to her?

One of the knights from the First Division looked at her accusingly. Many
of the knights continued to chat among themselves about the shocking
situation. They thought that Poliana should not have any more children
with the emperor in case they resembled Poliana. They wanted to keep
the royal bloodline “beautiful.” These rude knights were, of course,
quickly punished by Sir Mahogal and Sir Beke.

Sir Mahogal didn’t say much to Poliana when he saw her. He simply told
her that if she needed anything, he would be there for her. Poliana
teared up at his warm and kind words. Sir Beke said a similar thing, but
knowing what he was like, Poliana just nodded and thanked him. If Sir
Aeke offered the same words, she would’ve believed him more.

Lucius the First wished to remain in Sitrin with Poliana and Gerald, but
he was obligated to complete the tour. There was a publicly released
schedule, and if he didn’t follow it, people were going to become curious
as to why. At this point, he couldn’t let people know about Poliana and
Gerald.

The day he left Sitrin, Poliana waited at the country house entrance to
say her goodbye to the emperor. She looked up at him with
determination. Many things, some of them very unfortunate and
unexpected, might have happened but no matter what, Lucius the First
was always going to be her emperor.

Even though she may soon no longer be his knightess…

Poliana clenched her fists just thinking about this future. The emperor,
who betrayed his knightess, said to her, “I like people who make great
efforts and hard workers. You know why, don’t you?”
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“Because you yourself work hard, your highness.”

“Exactly.”

Lucius the First nodded and continued, “What I did was wrong, Pol. I
ended up betraying you. Instead of understanding how you feel, I
thought only of my love for you. Since we must get married, I thought
you would have no choice but to accept my feelings for you. I didn’t
respect your wishes to not get married. I forgot all about why I have been
so patient all these years. I just thought of my own dreams for us. I know
what I did was wrong and what must happen is unfair to you, but Sir Pol,
you realize the truth, right? We cannot leave Gerald a bastard, and we
can’t have him adopted by another woman when his birth mother is alive
and well.”

Poliana clenched her teeth and nodded, “Yes, your highness. I

understand.”

Her mistake was to act emotionally and reveal her worries and fears to
the emperor. This was what was going to happen anyway, so what was
the point?

“Pol, I want to make it up to you. I will. I will do everything I can do to

make you happy. I will work my hardest for you; I will work harder than I
ever did.”

“Your highness… Unfortunately, there are things that can’t be

accomplished no matter how much effort you make.”

Chapter 305: Story 21. Tardy Brother – Chapter 305

Story 21. Tardy Brother

Chapter 305
Poliana tried her best to accept her inevitable future as the empress and
the wife of the emperor. Of course, this did not mean she suddenly
developed love for him. Although she still enjoyed Lucius the First’s
beauty, the fact was, Poliana still could not see him as a man.

The emperor said to her before leaving, “I know, Pol. But I will still make
my best effort. I have never ignored or denied the fact that you are a
woman. In fact, it is because I know how much you suffered unfairly for
being a woman, I know you are the strongest person there is.”

“Your highness…”

“So Pol, that is why I want you to reach the highest status a woman can
dream to reach. I want you to be happy as a woman and as a person. I
want you to enjoy all of these things and still remain strong.”

He offered his hand and when Poliana took the back of his hand to her
lips to kiss, the emperor shook his head. Instead, Lucius the First took
Poliana’s hand and kissed the back of it. He acted with utmost respect
and love that Poliana was too shocked to pull away. Lucius the First’s
beautiful smile made her freeze.

‘Just how could a man be this beautiful?’

“Sir Pol, you are the strongest person I know.”

Something happened to Poliana’s heart just then. She felt like something
burst inside of her. Her cheeks flushed and her entire body felt hot for
some reason.

‘What is happening to me?’

Her heart began to beat fast and excitedly and Poliana could not tell
why.

***

The emperor told her to wait until he returned to get her. Was it an order,
or a request? It didn’t really matter because Poliana wasn’t planning on
going anywhere. Gerald was too young to travel far, which meant that
she had to stay by his side in Sitrin.

In truth, Poliana was certain her son would be fine without her. Gerald
was extremely healthy and if she remembered correctly, he was
developing at a much faster rate than Princess Luminae. Poliana was
still recovering from childbirth, but Gerald was doing very well.

Studying her son, who looked just like his father, Poliana thought
secretly, ‘Please don’t resemble me in any way.’

Before he was born, Poliana prayed that her child would look just like her
and not like the emperor. Her prayer was clearly not answered; Gerald
was an exact copy of Lucius the First. Now that it was too late to hide his
existence, Poliana wanted the best for him.

Poliana’s physical traits were not ideal. She was too small, and she
lacked true talents. She practiced harder than anyone, but the result was
never satisfactory. On the other hand, Lucius the First was an amazing
knight. His skill as a fighter was not well known because it was
overshadowed by Sir Ainno who never left the emperor’s side, however,
Lucius the First was a very skilled knight. If he was just a simple
nobleman, it was most likely that he would’ve been drafted to the First
Division. Poliana hoped that Gerald will have his father’s physical
talents.

A few days after the emperor left, another guest arrived at Sitrin. This
time, it was someone Poliana expected. Someone who she actually
invited and arrived too late.

Poliana didn’t go out to greet him, and the guest probably knew why. Her
adopted brother, who was many days too late, visited Poliana in the
country house. Even considering the fact that Donau lived a long
distance from her, his arrival was extremely late. The emperor now knew
everything, and Poliana couldn’t help feeling annoyed.

Her adopted brother arrived too late while the emperor dropped by
without any notice. At this very moment, Poliana was frustrated with both
of them. The thing she resented the most, however, was her own life.

Why was this happening to her?

Although she wasn’t too happy with Donau, she still greeted him with a
smile. After all, he was her brother and she would never be unkind to
him for something like this.

“I’m sorry I arrived late, Sir Pol. Vanessa was sick so I couldn’t leave
right away.”

“If your wife is sick, why would you leave her at all? Why did you come
here?”

“She’s fine now.”

It was Poliana who asked him for help, but now that he was here, she
was asking him why he came. Donau felt like he was being treated
unfairly. Poliana then nodded and replied, “Well, sounds like you had a
good excuse for being late, so you’re fine. I forgive you.”

Since he was married, Donau should always think of his family first.
Even though Poliana asked for help, he made the right decision to take
care of his sick wife first. If he left his wife and came here, Poliana
would’ve been very angry at him.

Poliana tapped his shoulders proudly. “You’re all grown up now. It

seems like only yesterday when you were acting like a spoiled boy.”
“So what happened? If there is anything I can help, I will, of course, do
my best.”

“It’s all over now.”

Sir Donau was too late to help Poliana. If he arrived before the emperor,
perhaps he could’ve done something for her. It seemed that Donau’s
timing was always a bit off.

Donau, looking guilty, apologized sincerely, “I guess I’m too late. I’m
sorry, Big Sis.”

“If Vanessa was sick, you were right to stay home to take care of her.
Was she seriously ill?”

“She had a fever and there was a chance it might have been some kind
of an epidemic, so I couldn’t get here right away. Sis, what’s wrong?”
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Poliana took a few steps back from him. She understood that Donau
wouldn’t have come if he was infectious, but she was the mother of a
newborn. She needed to be extra careful. When Donau took a step
towards her, Poliana took three steps back.
When she waved at him to stay away, Sir Donau grumbled, “I came
because we found out that it’s not an epidemic.”

“But even then, I want to be careful. Go wash up first, we’ll talk after you
clean up.”

Sir Donau sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s ironic how you, who
used to keep her hair short because you were too lazy to wash your hair,
are telling me to wash up.”

This was true. There were times in the past when Donau was immature
and spoiled while Poliana rarely washed her hair. More specifically, she
used to find it annoying to have to dry her hair, which was why she kept
it short. At the time, Sir Ainno used to find her disgusting, which wasn’t
fair. She washed more often than most. Washing her hair once a week
should’ve been more than enough during the war, right?

Of course, as the head of the Second Division, Poliana now understood

the importance of personal hygiene. If any of her guards washed only
once a week, she would’ve punished him severely. Cleanliness was
especially important for anyone who served the emperor closely.

Poliana, still keeping her distance from Donau, insisted, “We will talk
after you wash up.”

Chapter 306: Chapter 306

Chapter 306

Sir Donau leisurely enjoyed the wonderful hot spring of Sitrin. Based on
Poliana’s attitude, it seemed that whatever pressing matter his sister
asked about was resolved now. He had been traveling at a grueling pace
to get here, so Donau has been feeling tired. Being in the steaming
water helped greatly. He was used to washing with cold water since the
south was always so hot, so it was nice to enjoy a warm bath.

After the bath, he was treated to a feast. Sir Donau was thankful for such
luxurious treatment, but he could not stop thinking, ‘What was it that she
needed help with? It doesn’t look like anything big happened recently…’

Poliana wasn’t the type that would exaggerate or overreact. If she sent a
message asking for help, she most likely really needed help. The letter
sounded like an emergency and Donau was supposed to leave his home
immediately.

But just before he was about to leave, Vanessa fell ill with a fever. It was
possible that there may be an epidemic going around, which forced Sir
Donau to stay home. Thankfully, Vanessa got better, and the doctor
announced that it wasn’t an epidemic.

Just like when he rode to Yapa to rescue Poliana from the gold digger,
Sir Donau rode as hard as he could without making a stop, but when he
arrived at Sitrin, the place seemed quiet and calm. Everyone working in
the castle and the country house looked relaxed. Even Poliana herself,
who asked for help, looked fine.

‘What happened?’

Sir Donau ate alone in the dining room. He expected Poliana to be

dining with him, or at least be in the room if she already ate, but there
was no sign of her. He thought she might drink with him afterward, but
Poliana never showed up even when his meal was over.

Sir Donau became confused.

‘Just what is going on?’

Did she send that message from the shock of what happened with Frau?

But that happened months ago…

After the Frau incident, and when Poliana arrived at Sitrin, she stopped
communicating with anyone. She stopped sending any messages after
the last one, in which she stated that she wanted to rest quietly. No one
thought this was odd since Poliana deserved to take a vacation.
Everyone assumed that she needed time to recover from the shock and
humiliation of what happened with Frau Sneke.
Sir Donau’s curiosity was satisfied when he was escorted to a room by a
maid. The room he entered felt familiar; his own wife and child had a
similar one. In the south, the baby rooms were designed to have plenty
of windows to keep it cool. In Sitrin, where it was much cooler, the
windows were shut tight to keep the cold wind from entering.

The sweet scent of a newborn baby… No one could forget it after

experiencing it once. It was such a comforting and wonderful scent…

‘This is a…. baby room?’

Poliana was sitting on a chair and reading by a crib. When Sir Donau
entered the room, Poliana looked up.

“There you are.”

“Sis, what is this…?”

Hesitantly, Sir Donau walked up to the crib. He was shocked and

confused, and so many thoughts crossed his mind. The mistress of Sitrin
was Poliana. So if a baby room was created in her personal home, the
baby had to belong to the lady of the land, which was Poliana. It was still
unknown who the father might be, but Poliana had to be the mother.

‘C-could it be that she had that gold digger’s baby? No, that can’t be! My
sis isn’t like that…’
Donau shivered in fear as he walked up to check on the baby. When he
looked inside the crib, the baby’s face wasn’t what he expected at all.
Donau was anticipating seeing a small baby that resembled either
Poliana, Frau, or an unknown person, but instead, the baby’s face
looked just like someone else he knew very well.

Not Poliana and not Frau. It was…

“His highness?”

Inside the crib, a miniature version of Lucius the First was sleeping
soundly. Sir Donau couldn’t have been more shocked. There was no
doubt that the baby belonged to the emperor. This was clearly a royal
prince, so why was such an important baby here and not in Yapa? And if
the emperor had a son, this would’ve been the biggest news of the
kingdom, so why haven’t Donau heard about it earlier?

“Sis, w-what is going on here?”

The first scenario Donau thought of was the fantasy story the knights
talked about sometimes. The emperor goes on a picnic and ends up
sleeping with a beautiful and mysterious woman. The emperor forgets
about the incident, but the knight who accompanied the emperor
remembers. The woman becomes pregnant and the knight takes care of
the lady. The older knights sometimes dreamt of becoming such a loyal
and gentle hero.
The Poliana Donau knew would be willing to do such a thing. Was this
what happened? Was this why Poliana asked for his help?

Sir Donau looked at Poliana questioningly. They have known each other
for a very long time. They were close enough to each other that when
Poliana looked at Donau with a subtle shake, Donau stammered. “T-that
can’t be…”

Donau tried to deny it. “Sis, tell me it isn’t so! What happened!”

“This is your nephew, say hello to Gerald.”

“Gyaa!”

Sir Donau began to pull his hair out. Thankfully, he still had enough
sense in him to keep his scream quiet since there was a sleeping baby
in the room. What Poliana was telling him… It was such a scary thought
that Donau didn’t know how to digest the news. He desperately wanted
Poliana to tell him she was just kidding.

Donau looked at her with despair, but Poliana just shook her head
mercilessly.

No one else was in the room, yet Donau whispered the question, “What
happened?!” Poliana remembered the fateful night with the emperor with
a sigh and regret.
“I got drunk and made a mistake.”

“With his highness?”

When Poliana nodded, Sir Donau suddenly slapped her back hard.

Slap!

It hurt so much that her eyes widened. She knew she deserved it, but it
still hurt too much.

“Hey!”

“You need to be punished, this can’t be happening.”

Sir Donau continued to slap her back loudly. Poliana let him do what he
wished for a while before getting angry. Again, she knew she deserved
it, but getting punished by her younger brother was too humiliating.
Donau wasn’t putting all of his strength into the slaps, but he was still a
muscular man and her back was on fire now.

“Stop hitting me!”

“You know you deserve this, right?!”
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“That’s why I let you slap me a few times. That’s enough now, so stop!”

Sir Donau began to breathe heavily, trying to calm himself down. After a
few seconds, he asked the very important question, “Does his highness
know about this?”

“He didn’t.”

She said it in the past tense. Sir Donau quickly realized what his late
arrival must’ve caused. Poliana obviously asked for his help with hiding
her baby and Sir Donau was too late to do anything. The emperor
already knew everything now.

“So, I was really too late. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. Vanessa was sick, so it couldn’t be helped. Besides, it’s all over
now.”

Poliana acted like her life was over. Sir Donau looked at her in frustration
and pity. “So when’s the wedding?”
Chapter 307: Chapter 307

Chapter 307

Poliana asked, “So you think I need to get married too, huh?”

“Of course. Is there another choice? There is certainly nothing I can do

to change this. You obviously can’t leave the prince as a bastard,
especially when he looks just like the emperor.”

“Yeah, I guess. I guess there’s no other way,” Poliana murmured bitterly.

The prince’s life was much more important than her own, so it made
sense that she needs to sacrifice herself. If it was a daughter, however,
would she have had another choice?

Poliana decided not to think of the what-ifs. She should’ve felt grateful
for bearing a healthy son. Isn’t that what every woman dreamt of?

Lady Rebecca ended up losing her life to give birth, yet people still felt
disappointed in her for giving birth to “only” a daughter. Meanwhile,
Poliana was alive and well with a healthy son. She was even promised
the position of the empress along with the love confession from the
emperor.
‘I know I should be thankful. What a lucky woman I am.’

She knew being sarcastic about the royal family was inappropriate, so
she did not voice her thoughts out loud. Others would think she was
acting spoiled, but Poliana couldn’t help feeling this way.

It was time for Dog Stew, no Gerald, to be fed. Poliana quickly did her
duty before talking with her adopted brother. Poliana was the one who
mostly talked while Donau listened.

The first thing she explained was the reason why that unexpected night
with the emperor happened. That very day, she cut off the Frau’s penis
and got drunk with the emperor in the inn. They drank late into the night
and Poliana ended up taking advantage of the emperor. Sir Donau
flinched when he heard this part. Glancing uncomfortably at her, he
asked, “Umm… It can’t be that you took advantage of him, Sis… It
doesn’t make sense…”

“Shut up. I told you I was the one who did it, so who are you to tell me
otherwise?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“I will do the talking, so you just shut up and listen.”

Sir Donau was late to arrive and help Poliana, so he lost his right to give
his opinion. Or perhaps even if he came on time, Poliana would’ve
forced him to listen and nothing more. Both before and after the emperor
found out about their baby, what Poliana truly needed was someone who
could listen to her, not someone who can give her a solution to her
problem.

Poliana wasn’t asking for him to agree with her wholeheartedly. She
knew very well what she did wrong. What Poliana wanted was for Donau
to tell her that although she made a mistake, he still felt sympathetic
towards her and that there was nothing she could do about her situation.
Poliana just wanted him to console her.

Poliana told Donau that when the emperor and herself woke up the next
morning, neither of them could remember what happened. They spent a
long time arguing about who was at fault, and in the end, they agreed
that they would forget about the whole thing. Unfortunately, within a few
weeks, Poliana learned that she was pregnant. After contemplating for
days, she decided to run away to her castle in Sitrin.

Sir Donau slapped her back again when he heard the part about her
running away. What happened with the emperor that night could be
partly blamed for her drunkenness, but running away was a decision she
made when she was fully conscious. What she did was very wrong.

Poliana argued, “How dare you hit the marquess?!”

“I don’t care if you are the marquess or the future empress. I am
punishing you as my big sister. I told you not to drink so heavily like that
before! I warned you many times before!”

“I didn’t drink because I wanted to! I drank because I wanted to forget!”

“You forgot, alright! You forgot the most important part!”

During the war, Sir Donau had to be the one cleaning up after Poliana
just because she was his adopted sister. Donau also didn’t like to drink
himself, so he often nagged her to stop overdrinking so much.

Something shocking finally did happen from Poliana’s drinking, and

Donau could not help slapping her back.

Slap! Slap!

There were so many feelings Donau felt. He was relieved that it wasn’t
Poliana who was raped by some random man while drinking. He was
also glad that of all men, it was the emperor she ended up spending the
night with. Of course, he was also angry that of all people, she had to
sleep with the emperor. It made things so much more complicated.

Poliana explained what happened before Donau arrived. While he was

delayed with his ill wife, the emperor paid a special visit, and Poliana
ended up telling him the truth. And now… It was all over.
Poliana shook her head in regret. She wished she could drink an entire
bottle of hard liquor, but all she had in her hand was a cup of water.
When she drank it like she would drink wine, Sir Donau realized that
Poliana must’ve stopped drinking. He agreed with her decision, because
after what happened from her drinking, why would she ever want to taste
alcohol again?

Sir Donau did not enjoy drinking. Some, who did not like to drink, still
choose to drink if they needed to be consoled. Donau, however, was not
one of these people. Alcohol made him feel nauseous and it gave him an
awful headache.

Poliana continued to drink water while Sir Donau drank watered-down

juice. They weren’t drinking alcohol, but they talked honestly as if they
were.

“So his highness must’ve asked you to marry him.”

“Yup.”

Poliana was the most loyal and accomplished knight of Acreia. She was
also one of the closest acquaintances of the emperor. She now had
Lucius the First’s son, so if the emperor refused to marry her, it would be
the greatest embarrassment on her part.
Sir Donau thought of the consequence of this event. The emperor finally
got a male heir and the marquess was going to become the empress.
Lucius the First and Poliana had an excellent and affectionate
relationship. Poliana was undoubtedly one of the most loyal women in
the kingdom. The likelihood of their son, Gerald, becoming the next
emperor was very high.
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But what if the emperor married more women? And what if his other
wives had sons too? There would be a rivalry between the emperor’s
sons for the throne. Of course, if Gerald continued to grow up to
resemble the emperor so much, and if he had half the intelligence and
charm of Lucius the First, he was going to be the most likely one to take
the throne.

Just as Duke Luzo agreed, the marriage between the emperor and
Poliana was a smart idea. As a foreigner who achieved so much and
became powerful on her own… Poliana would strengthen the emperor’s
own power in the government.

Donau thought with a shiver, ‘So… She could really become the next
empress… This is really happening!’

Poliana was not the daughter, sister, or granddaughter of a loyal

nobleman. She WAS the loyal noble herself. She was powerful and
influential on her own, which meant the emperor himself could not
disrespect her easily.
Sir Donau suddenly shivered again. When he thought about the fact that
his adopted sister might really become the empress, he felt shocked and
impressed at the same time. Donau murmured, “So you are really
becoming the next empress.”

“Well, I have been thinking, and…”

“Yes?”

Chapter 308: Chapter 308

Chapter 308

“Here’s my plan, Donau. His highness and I get married to make Gerald
his legitimate son, then we get divorced, and I return to Sitrin alone.
Gerald can be raised in the Yapa castle.”

Poliana thought it was a good idea, but Donau looked unconvinced. “You
can’t do that. Lady Stra had a good reason to ask for a divorce, but your
case is different. If you and his highness get divorced, people are going
to gossip about it to no end. They will say you only married each other
because of the child.”

“But it’s true! The only reason we have to get married is because of our
son!”
“Sis…”

“Arghh!”

Poliana grabbed her face and screamed. There was one more thing she
didn’t get to tell her adopted brother.

The fact that Lucius the First confessed his love for her.

At the time, when he told her he loved her, Poliana felt betrayed by the
emperor. She was angry, disappointed, and despaired; her emperor was
understanding, nonetheless.

After the emperor left Sitrin, Poliana has been thinking a lot about this.

‘There is no way his highness loves me. Maybe he just said it to console
me and make me feel better.’

This was her best guess at this point. She was only making an excuse,
but Poliana didn’t even realize what she was doing. She, in fact, began
to be suspicious of what the emperor said to her. Lucius the First was
the perfect man except for his odd sense of humor, so how could
someone like him be in love with her? The more she thought about it, the
more she became convinced that this whole thing was just an act.
Lucius the First was a kind and gentle emperor. He most likely pitied
Poliana, who was conned by a gold digger into a terrible marriage. She
then ended up giving birth to his child. Her thoughtful emperor, who felt
sorry for her and worried about her reputation and pride, most likely lied
to her that he loved her to spare her feelings.

Knowing the emperor, Poliana knew this was a very likely possibility.

“Hahaha!”

Poliana suddenly felt relieved. She laughed out loud, making Donau
flinch in surprise. His eyebrows went up, wondering if his adopted sister
was finally losing her mind after such traumatic events.

“Sis…”

Donau reached out to her to console her, but Poliana didn’t give him her
hand. Instead, she slapped the table and continued to laugh, “Hahaha!
It’s so funny! It’s too much!”

“Sis, are you alright? Sis? Sir Pol? Did you mix alcohol in your water or
something?”
“Oh gosh… Donau, maybe I really did lose my mind. Maybe I am going
crazy.”

“Why? What happened?”

“I am so embarrassed. I actually really believed him! I mean, look at me!

How could I have been so stupid?”

Poliana kept giggling hilariously, which made Donau scared.

‘Did she start doing drugs instead of drinking?’

Donau’s worry was justified. It wasn’t uncommon for a retired knight to

find comfort in drugs for their physical and emotional pains. As Poliana
continued to laugh like a madwoman, Donau’s concern worsened. He
grabbed Poliana’s glass and smelled it. He could find anything odd with
it. He even tasted it a little, but it was just water.

‘Maybe you need to drink a lot of it to feel different…’

“Sis, what happened? Tell me.”

“Hahaha. I am such a fool.”

“What are you talking about?”

Donau asked her as he gulped down some water. Poliana replied, “His
highness confessed his love for me, and I actually believed it for a
second. Hahaha, how ridiculous.”

Sir Donau coughed from the water going down the wrong pipe. He then
spewed out some water onto Poliana’s face. Calmly, Poliana wiped
away her face and asked, “Are you ok?”

“Sis, what did you just say?”

“His highness told me he loved me.”

Cough! Cough!

Sir Donau began to cough again uncontrollably. Poliana walked up to

him and slapped his back. It was partly to help him, but also partly as
revenge for his earlier slaps.

“I know, right? It’s so stupid and funny. I can’t believe I fell for it!”
Poliana pushed the stray hair up and away from her eyes. She hasn’t
been trimming her hair during the pregnancy, so now, her hair was
rather long. One thing Poliana learned from it was that the longer the
hair, the easier it was to tie it behind her back and keep it away from her
face.

Sir Donau seemed even more shocked by what she told him than when
he first saw Gerald. He kept asking her again and again if she was sure
about what she heard. Poliana answered him yes and returned to her
seat. Sighing heavily, Poliana explained, “I was so shocked at the time,
and his highness was such a good actor that I actually believed him; I
must be getting stupid or something.”

“Umm… Sis, can you tell me the details? I… My brain isn’t working well
so I am still having a hard time understanding…”

Poliana told him about what happened. Lucius the First confessed his
deep love for her and proposed to her. Since they had a child, it was
obvious that they now had to get married, but what Sir Donau focused
on was the “love” part, not the “proposal” part. When he insisted on
hearing more about how the emperor revealed his feelings for her,
Poliana replied, “There wasn’t much to it. After he found out about
Gerald, his highness told me that he has been in love with me for a long
time. That’s all, and I believed it and acted so foolishly…”

Poliana covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. She

remembered how she cried in front of him, thinking that he really meant
what he said. What was she going to do now?
It seemed that Poliana decided for herself that Lucius the First didn’t
mean what he said. Sir Donau, however, argued, “Why would you think
he lied?”

“Hmm?”

Poliana was surprised by Donau’s reaction. She expected that her

adopted brother to laugh with her and tease her. Instead, Sir Donau
frowned and said to her in a low voice, “Why do you think that?”

“Why? What do you mean? Isn’t it obvious? Why would his highness be
in love with me?”

“Why can’t he fall in love with you?”

“It’s not that he can’t. He is the emperor, so he can do anything he

wants. I’m just saying why would he? Why would his highness like
someone like me?”

“What’s wrong with you? Why would you say ‘someone like you?’”

It wasn’t that Poliana had low self-esteem. In fact, she believed she was
quite a catch since she was powerful and rich, however, this wasn’t
about politics. It was a matter of the heart.
Poliana replied, “I’m not saying I’m lacking. I’m saying that it just doesn’t
make sense. Why are you arguing with me about this? You’re the one
who isn’t making any sense.”

“No, it’s you who is talking nonsense. Sis, what you are doing right now
isn’t right. You’re ignoring and dismissing his highness’s feelings.”

‘My brother is a naïve idiot.’

Chapter 309: Chapter 309

Chapter 309

Poliana became frustrated with Sir Donau’s argument. She had a good
reason for believing the emperor’s words to be a white lie because she
has been thinking about this constantly ever since Lucius the First left
Sitrin.

“Listen, Donau. Our emperor is very kind.”

“I agree.”

“And now, he and I are going to be forced into an unwanted marriage. All
because of my mistake, right? So, imagine how I would feel if he sighed
and looked obviously frustrated. I would be upset, right? And knowing
how thoughtful his highness is, don’t you agree that he would rather lie
to me to make me feel better? He told me he loved me to spare my
feelings and pride.”

“But that’s just your guess, Sis, and nothing more. The emperor I know is
indeed very kind, but he is not the kind of man who would lie and make a
false love confession just to make someone feel better, even if it’s you.”

“Gosh, Donau. You’re being too stubborn. I am not just one of his many
knights; I am closer to him than most!”

“That is exactly why he wouldn’t lie about something like this.”

“Normally, he wouldn’t, but this is a special case.”

Poliana felt certain about her reasoning. She took a sip of water to wet
her mouth. She bit her lips, feeling embarrassed to be talking about such
a subject with her adopted brother.

Sir Donau remained quiet and waited for Poliana to continue patiently.
This was an extremely serious and sensitive topic, and he wanted to get
to the bottom of this even if it took all night.

Lucius the First was indeed a kind and gentle man. He was so caring
that it sometimes annoyed Sir Ainno greatly. Most of the time in the past,
Poliana thought Sir Ainno was being rude, but recently, she couldn’t help
but agree with him. It was true that sometimes, the emperor’s kindness
was too much.

The way he handled the gold digger situation… And now how he
confessed his “love” for her…

A con-man named Frau Sneke almost succeeded in marrying Poliana.

Unfortunately for her, Poliana really liked this man. He was ugly, fat,
weak, and poor, but she still genuinely liked him.

Even before she decided to marry him, she thought Frau Sneke was a
good guy. When she decided to have him as her husband, she grew to
like him even more just because he was going to be her family. Poliana
remembered giggling in happiness just thinking about him.

When she learned what kind of man Frau really was and what he
planned on doing, Poliana punished him while still showing him mercy.
She chose to be kind and let him live because he had a son.

Poliana was hurt very badly. She wasn’t sure if she would ever recover
from betrayal like this. This was why she drank that night, which
unfortunately resulted in an even bigger problem.

Lucius the First was with her the entire time. When she was in such pain,
the emperor witnessed it and tried to console her. He was there to see
her suffer, so didn’t it make sense that he was trying to be kind when he
told her he loved her?
This was Poliana’s guess and she thought it sounded logical.

And… She hoped she was right.

Poliana said to Donau, “He was just trying to be nice because he knew
about what happened to me with the gold digger. He felt sorry for me so
he was being kind.”

“Sis, I know how traumatized and hurtful you must’ve felt about the
whole Frau incident. Everyone who’s close to you knew about it. But Sis,
think about it. You and the emperor have to get married no matter what,
right? You two will be seeing each other every day for the rest of your
lives, which means that if he lied about his feelings for you, he will be
found out soon enough. You will know after a while, right? So why would
he lie when he knows he will be caught? Why would the emperor do
something so stupid?”

The two looked at each other intensely. Suddenly, Poliana burst into
laughter and slapped the table. “You are kidding, right? Hahaha.”

“So, you still think his highness lied?”

“Of course! There is no way his highness likes me that way.”

“Sis…”

“Think about it.”

Poliana looked down at the table and continued, “I am ugly, old, and not
at all lady-like. I am the opposite of his highness’s type, which is a proper
lady who is fragile and beautiful. There is no one in this world who would
ever look at me as a woman.”

Poliana thought secretly to herself, ‘This is why I got fooled by that jerk.’

Frau Sneke was the only person who seemed to see her as a woman,
and this was exactly why she fell for him. Even though he was an ugly
unattractive man, Poliana felt like a woman when she was around him.
Every other man treated her either like one of them or a genderless
being. When Poliana took her top off, the other knights covered their
eyes, not for her or for propriety, but to protect their eyes from her
ugliness. The other knights accepted her as a knight, but they, to this
day, could not accept her as a woman. Poliana was fine with this
because this was the only reason why she could remain a knight herself.
She needed to remain a woman who did not feel embarrassed when
taking her shirt off. She needed to be “one of them.”

“What man in this world would ever like me as a woman?”

“You are very mistaken about that, Sis. There are men who see you as a
woman.”
“Where?!”

“You just have to trust me that there were, and there will be in the future
too!”

“No, you’re wrong!”

Donau felt frustrated. Poliana was a very logical and objective person,
but when she feels strongly about something, she could be incredibly
stubborn. No one could change her mind, except perhaps the emperor.
Sir Donau, however, did not think this was bad quality in her; in fact, it
was her stubbornness that allowed her to become so successful.
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“Sis, I am serious. You may not know about it, but there had to be
someone who was in love with you and just couldn’t confess his feelings
for you.”

“No way.”

It was clear that Poliana couldn’t be convinced. She felt so strongly

about it that her entire body was tensed up, making her look even uglier.
Donau was annoyed and had to stop himself from slapping her back
again.
Sir Donau used to have a crush on Poliana. He even proposed to her
before realizing this truth. Poliana refused him, but if he had known how
he felt about her before proposing… Perhaps they would’ve been
married by now.

If Sir Donau was smarter and braver enough to admit that he saw
Poliana as a woman… Things could’ve been very different. In the end,
however, Sir Donau married Vanessa and was gifted with a beautiful
daughter. Thankfully, Donau was very happy with his life.

As soon as he learned that he was to marry Vanessa, he gave up on his

love for Poliana. Now, Sir Donau loved his wife and his daughter with all
of his heart. Vanessa knew this very well, which was why she was
understanding whenever Donau went out of his way to help Poliana.

Donau, frustrated, asked her, “Sis, if what you are saying is true, are you
telling me that you are someone who could never be loved by anyone?
And you are still insisting that the emperor lied?”

Chapter 310: Chapter 310

Chapter 310

Poliana nodded. “Yes, exactly.”

Sir Donau suddenly stood up and left the room without a word. Poliana
slumped on the table, waiting for her brother.

‘Did he go out to bring me a drink? But I don’t drink anymore…’

Poliana assumed that Sir Donau went out to get something, and she was
right. It was a pair of gloves he brought, and he threw them at Poliana’s
back. He threw it so hard that they made a loud slapping sound.

“Arghh! What was that?!”

Poliana stood up with a scream. When she turned around, she found
Donau looking coldly at her and announced, “You have insulted those
who are dear to me, Sir Pol. As the second son of Duke Ribo, I ask you,
Marquess Poliana Winter, to a duel.”

“Dear to you?”

“Yes, that’s right. You have insulted my sister and my emperor. I will fight
you for their honor.”

Poliana gaped at him in confusion. Those dear to Donau… His emperor

and his sister were Lucius the First and Poliana herself. She could
understand that calling the emperor a liar could be construed as an insult
to Lucius the First, but what about her? Was it because she said there
was and could be no man who likes her as a woman?
But that wasn’t fair! How could she be punished for insulting herself?

When Poliana tried to pick up the gloves, which fell to the floor, Sir
Donau moved quicker and grabbed them first. Donau never forgot that
Poliana just went through childbirth. She was a patient, which meant she
shouldn’t be moving too vigorously. But of course, Poliana never listened
to the doctors. She accepted the request willingly.

“Fine! Who will be our witness?”

Fortunately, there was someone in Sitrin who came from the greatest
bloodline in the kingdom.

Gerald, the soon-to-be legitimate son of Lucius the First, the emperor of
Acreia!

When Donau named the baby, Poliana’s eyes narrowed. Gerald could
barely open his eyes, so how could he stand as a witness to their duel?

Sir Donau shook his head and explained, “What I meant was that we are
both honest knights, which means we should not need a witness. We will
know who the winner is and we both know we won’t lie about it.”
If they swore to Gerald’s life to fight a clean duel, they, Gerald’s own
mother and adopted uncle, certainly were going to keep their promise.

***

The next day in the country house back garden, Sir Donau and Poliana’s
duel took place.

A wet nurse was to be an honored guest while Gerald was to be the

official witness. The newborn and the wet nurse, however, decided to
remain inside and watch through the window to protect Gerald from stray
rocks and sand.

There was no doubt that Sir Donau was the winner. In the beginning,
Poliana did very well for winning a few sets, but soon enough, Sir Donau
won most of them.

The adopted brother and sister knew each other’s fighting habits very
well. Their favorite attack and defense move, and special tricks… In the
past, they used to be each other’s sparring partner, which was even
beforehand, it was obvious who was going to be the winner.

But still, Sir Donau did not assume he was going to win. Poliana also did
not assume she was going to lose. This was a smart thing since Sir
Donau was actually shocked by Poliana’s ferocity at the beginning sets.
‘When did my sister become such a vicious swordsman?’

High, high, low, low, right, left, right, left… Poliana moved without a
break or hesitation. Her attack became stronger and less predictable
than the last time they fought. It was all thanks to her training with the
First Division. She was able to quickly improve her stamina and skills as
well as her brutality. Sir Donau could feel that she has become much
more ruthless. He was impressed at how much Poliana has improved
during the last few years they have been apart. He thought he knew all
of her very well, but obviously, Poliana was someone who never stopped
improving herself.

Poliana was feeling the same way about her little brother. Sir Donau,
who moved to the south, has been mostly on desk duty. Despite it, it was
clear that he hasn’t been lazy about his training. There was an obvious
improvement in his strength. It was much harder for Poliana to defend
herself against his attacks. Sir Donau was also much faster now, and
before Poliana could blink, his elbow struck her nose hard. Poliana took
a step back to brace herself, but in the end, she ended up kneeling on
the ground from the shock of it.

“Sis, I won, right?”

“Dammit! My nose…”

Poliana grabbed her nose. She could not even lift her head up because
of the intense pain. A doctor, who was standing nearby just in case, ran
towards her. When the wet nurse saw Poliana’s nosebleed, she almost
fainted. Gerald, not understanding what was going on, just watched
them with his round eyes.

Poliana asked, “My nose isn’t broken, right?”

In the past, Sir Ainno broke her nose once. Poliana knew she was lucky
that her nose didn’t heal the wrong way at the time, in which case a
doctor would’ve had to break it again to reset it. All the knights knew how
painful it was to reset one’s bone.

The doctor shook his head, “No, it’s not broken, Marquess.”

“Good.”

Her nose ached terribly, and her ears were ringing, but Poliana was just
happy to hear that her nose wasn’t broken. Sir Donau, who was
watching worriedly, looked relieved. He didn’t mean to hurt her, but
during a duel, one needed to focus only on winning.

Poliana was doing and thinking the same thing, so she did not blame
Donau for almost breaking her nose. A knight needed to do his or her
best whenever they were in a fight, even if it was an unofficial duel.

Although he didn’t do anything wrong, Sir Donau, however, could not

help feeling guilty. Poliana was a woman after all, and he didn’t want to
permanently scar her face. Even Sir Ainno felt apologetic after breaking
her nose and making her lose her molar.

“I am so glad I didn’t break your nose, Sis.”

“Totally. It broke once, so it would be awful to have it broken again.”

The bleeding stopped quickly and Poliana accepted her defeat easily.
She apologized to Sir Donau properly, but he still didn’t think it was
enough.

“Sis, I hear you apologizing, but I know you still aren’t accepting the
truth.”

“If you were me, would you be able to do that?”

Sir Donau looked at Poliana with serious eyes and called her by her
rank, “Sir Poliana.” Although they weren’t related by blood, to him,
Poliana was family. She also used to be his superior, his mentor, his
colleague, and his friend. She taught him many precious life lessons he
will never forget. She made him into a proper man. Sir Donau always felt
thankful to her, and he wished her happiness.

He hoped Poliana would lead a happy life. She didn’t have to become
the happiest person in the kingdom; Sir Donau just wished she would be
as happy as the other people in this world.
Chapter 311: Chapter 311

Chapter 311

It was okay if everyone thought she looked unhappy as long as Poliana

herself felt happy. Sir Donau wanted to see her smile with joy. “It’s okay
for you to ignore someone’s love for you. It is understandable that you
want to pretend that he doesn’t love you, but Sir Poliana, please do not
deny the fact that someone loves you. The truth is that there was a man
who loved you and there is someone right now who loves you. Please do
not deny their existence.”

Although it took him a long time to realize it, Sir Donau used to be in love
with Poliana. Of course, he proposed to her before realizing his true
feelings, and his proposal was rejected; his first love ended rather sadly
and abruptly.

After marrying Vanessa and learning to love her, Sir Donau later realized
that what he felt towards Poliana was really love. This was why he felt
sorry for Lucius the First. There was a time when Sir Donau believed his
love for Poliana would be a burden for her. Perhaps this was why it took
him such a long time to realize his feelings.

Sir Donau believed in the emperor. There was no way that Lucius the
First would make up such a lie to a loyal knightess; the emperor that
Donau knew would never lie about something like this.
For a long time, Donau didn’t even know that he was in love with
Poliana. Lucius the First was different, however. The emperor was a
better man and he had the courage to confess his feelings to her. Donau
was on the emperor’s side. He wished Lucius the First best with his love
life. Donau was willing to do whatever was necessary to help the
emperor.

Of course, at this point, how Poliana felt was the most important thing.
Sir Donau would never pressure her into anything, but he wanted her to
recognize and admit, at least, that the emperor’s love was real.

“It wasn’t I who was insulted, so what would be the point of you
apologizing to me?”

“Gosh! What do you want from me, Donau?”

Sir Donau might have won the duel, but this still didn’t mean it was
enough to change Poliana’s mind.

Sir Donau insisted that there were men, and was one that currently loved
her. Poliana kept insisting that he was mistaken by saying the same
thing. Her self-defense mechanism kicked in, and to protect herself from
another disaster like with Frau Sneke, Poliana didn’t want to even admit
the possibility of love in her life.
Sir Donau didn’t even witness how Lucius the First confessed his love
for her, but he was certain that the emperor meant what he said. Sir
Donau talked like he had seen the emperor’s heart and knew for a fact
that Lucius the First was in love with Poliana.

Finally, after arguing for a few more minutes, Sir Donau said to her,
“Well, it looks like you will never apologize to yourself for depriving
yourself of love, so the least you can do is to apologize to the emperor. I
heard that his highness decided to cut his tour short and return to Yapa,
is that right?”

“Yes, that is what I heard.”

Now that he had a son, there were a lot of things Lucius the First needed
to take care of. He shortened his tour immediately and was on his way
back to the capital city. The emperor had always been a workaholic, so
no one thought that it was strange for him to want to return as soon as
possible.

“Then, we should go to Yapa too.”

“What?”

Poliana flinched, clearly not wanting to return home. She ran away from
that place not 10 months ago, so why would she want to return? Sir
Donau insisted, “I am a little worried about leaving Gerald here, but it’s
not like you take care of him much, right? I assume you let the wet nurse
do most of the work, which means your presence here isn’t necessary.
So why don’t we go to Yapa and find out for sure how the emperor really
feels about you.”

Sir Donau was telling her to return to Yapa with no plan or a good
reason. She became angry.

“Hey, this is none of your business… You aren’t part of this problem…”

“Am I a nobody to you? Am I not part of your life?”

“…”

“Sis, I am not just a random person. I am your family, which is why I am

here and I am insisting that we do something about this situation. His
highness didn’t just propose to you. He told you he loved you and you
are pretending that he lied about it. You are assuming that what he feels
for you is actually responsibility and pity. You can’t do that, Sis. That’s
not fair for you or the emperor. I am telling you this because I want you
to be happy.”

Poliana became speechless and Sir Donau looked at her with sadness.
It was obvious that his adopted sister did not believe in true love, at least
not for herself. He thought angrily, ‘That damn gold digger. He ruined
everything.’
If Frau Sneke didn’t hurt Poliana, perhaps she would’ve been more
receptive to the emperor’s love. Perhaps she would’ve believed in true
love.

Donau continued, “I know that marrying his highness will not bring you
happiness. In fact, you will end up losing a lot. You would be better off
marrying someone else. But it doesn’t help you to keep denying his
highness’s love for you. This marriage needs to happen no matter what,
so won’t it be better to confirm that his highness really is in love with
you?”

Sir Donau put his hand on Poliana’s shoulder and shook her gently.
Poliana was looking confused and blank as he added, “Do you
understand the significance of this?! His highness, the most beautiful
and powerful man in the kingdom, confessed his love for you! Doesn’t
that make you feel good?”

“What is the point of me feeling good as a woman when my pride as the

knight has been crushed?!”

“How does the emperor’s love crush your knightly pride?”

“If what he told me is true, that means his highness saw me as a woman
and not as a knight! If I was a man like you or like all the other knights,
he…”
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“Sis!”

Sir Donau interrupted her harshly. Poliana was making a huge mistake
and he needed to stop her before she went too far.

“Sis, you are a knight! Even if someone loves you as a woman, this
doesn’t change the fact that you are a knight.”

“But if I marry his highness, I will have to give up being the head of the
Second Division. They will also confiscate my title and land…”

“That is all his highness’s fault.”

“What?! How dare you!”

Poliana glared at him angrily, but Sir Donau didn’t look away. He
continued, “The fact that you have to lose your status… It can’t be
helped since he is the emperor, which means it is all his fault. Think
about it. If anyone else fell in love with you and married you, you
wouldn’t have to give up anything. For example, if Duke Luzo loved you
and married you, you wouldn’t have to give up being a knight. So the fact
that you have to give up so much is all his highness’s fault.”

Chapter 312: Chapter 312

Chapter 312

Sir Donau’s words shocked Poliana. She had never thought about her
situation this way. She felt a little guilty about using Duke Luzo as an
example since he was a happily married man, but she decided to
imagine what it would’ve been like.

Let’s say Duke Luzo was still unmarried and fell in love with Poliana.
Because he was an obedient man, it was very likely that he would’ve
listened to whatever Poliana had to say and follow her wishes. She
would’ve insisted on staying in Yapa and continue working as the head
of the Second Division, and she was certain that someone like Duke
Luzo would’ve chosen to stay in the capital city with her. He would’ve
worked for Lucius the First in the Yapa castle.

Things would’ve been similar to other men too. She hated to even
imagine such a thing, but if for some reason she married Sir Ainno, she
wouldn’t have had to lose so much of what she achieved.

Marrying any man other than Lucius the First would’ve given her the
chance to keep what was hers. So why of all men, did it have to be her
emperor? Ironically, it was the emperor who gave her everything she
desperately wanted to protect. Now, it was that same man who was
about to take everything away from her.

“Haha…”
Until now, there hasn’t been anyone Poliana could talk to about her
situation. She has been feeling alone and frustrated, but now, she felt a
little more relaxed. When Poliana laughed quietly, Sir Donau smiled as
well. He loved her smile. It made him feel happy to see her happy.

When Sir Donau smiled widely, his missing canine looked very
noticeable. The emperor gave him a fake ivory tooth to wear as a gift,
but Sir Donau never used it once after unwrapping the present. He
claimed that he would keep it in perfect condition as a family heirloom.
Although he would never admit it, the truth was that Donau did not want
to look ridiculous with a fake tooth.

Sir Donau said to Poliana, “To be honest, what happened that night is
your fault in big part, Sis. I mean, getting drunk with the emperor like
that…”

He wasn’t talking about a woman drinking alone with a man. He was

referring to a knight drinking so much that she is unable to protect her
emperor. Indeed, this could actually be considered a crime.

Poliana laughed in embarrassment while Donau looked at her like a

school teacher reprimanding his student. “I am his highness’s knight as
well as your brother, Sis. Technically, I’m unable to take anyone’s side. If
I’m forced to choose, the right thing for me to do is to side with his
highness, but this time… I am going to be on your side, Sis.”

“What?”
“Whatever decision you make, I will stand by you. I will support you no
matter what, so let’s first get to Yapa. What you find out there isn’t
enough to convince you… If you still don’t want to become the empress,
then don’t. You should do whatever you think is right. Get married and
divorced if necessary. But don’t deny what he is feeling for you. Please
don’t run away this time.”

Running away without a plan was a stupid thing to do. Poliana has
already done it once and she learned her lesson now. Poliana nodded
firmly. Now that she had an ally, she felt stronger. Even though she
knew there was nothing Donau could do to help her situation, she was
still glad that he was here with her.

***

That night, Poliana remembered the time when she held a sword for the
first time. It happened so long ago, yet she could remember it like it was
yesterday.

She was beaten badly because she didn’t hold the sword right. She had
to move like her life depended on it. She practiced so much that her
hands bled. To survive, she learned to kill. She learned to be vicious and
merciless. Poliana learned what the boys her age learned rather than the
things the girls were supposed to learn.

On the day she killed a man for the first time, Poliana did not cry.
Sometimes, Poliana saw old knights who were afraid of the dark. The
knights who killed so many people… The darkness reminded them of
death, and they shivered in silent fear. Many knights believed that the
souls of those murdered by them would eventually find them. These
knights waited for the ghosts of their victims to knock on their windows.

Poliana betrayed her homeland, Aehas. She might have killed fewer
men than many of the knights her age, but she was one of the most
hated figures during the war. She was certain the Aehasian royals
probably cursed her, but Poliana wasn’t afraid of the ghosts or the
curses.

There was only one thing she was afraid of in this world.

Poliana remembered the first day she held the sword. Not the day she
held it for the first time, but the day she held it as a knight who was
recognized for the first time.

The day she met the emperor…

It was a freezing day, yet she couldn’t feel the cold at all. At the time, she
screamed for a sword to swear her loyalty to the emperor, but no one
offered it to her. Finally, it was Lucius the First who gave her his own
sword.

The emperor’s sword…

And now, his highness was about to take away her sword. However…
He was still her emperor.
Remembering the day at the cliff brought back a wonderful feeling to
Poliana. Her heartbeat became faster just thinking about it. Swearing her
loyalty naked to the emperor was an honor. All the days she spent with
the emperor was an honor. Each of them was precious to her. The
wonderful memories were enough to make her eyes tear up.

The emperor and the knightess. Everyone, including themselves,

believed that their relationship would never change. Poliana was certain
of it because she believed that Lucius the First would never see her as a
woman. The only situation that would force him to treat her as a woman
would be if they were the only two people left in this world and they were
burdened with repopulating the kingdom.

Poliana had never forgotten how he said that he would rather sleep with
an ugly prostitute than with her.

Lucius the First already apologized for this comment, but Poliana always
found comfort in it. She, in fact, was thankful for her lack of beauty. If she
was a beauty, the emperor would’ve slept with her on the day they first
met and killed her, perhaps. Even if she didn’t die, Poliana believed her
life would’ve been worse if she was beautiful.

Lucius the First’s love confession made her feel betrayed rather than
happy. Even now, after a few days, she still wasn’t happy about it.
However, she wished she reacted better. She was so emotional at the
time, and Poliana regretted how she acted in front of the emperor.
Poliana was imperfect and she was a woman, but no matter what, she
was a knight. She was Lucius the First’s knight; she betrayed her own
country and chose him.
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Suddenly, Poliana realized that she didn’t need the emperor’s

permission to remain a knight. Even if he refused, she decided that she
will remain his knight forever.

“Hahaha.”

Now that she knew what to do, Poliana could see things more clearly. As
soon as the sun rose the next day, she went to Sir Donau.

“I am going to Yapa right now. You can stay here and rest before going
back home.”

“I’m going with you!”

Sir Donau quickly wrote a letter to his wife, parents, and his in-laws
about his delay in returning home. He knew that when he was going to
be in trouble with his family, but he could not send Poliana alone to the
capital.
The brother and his sister finally set out to Yapa. They, of course, had no
idea what awaited them there.

Chapter 313: Story 22. Happiness- Chapter 313

Story 22. Happiness
Chapter 313
When Poliana announced her travel plan to Yapa, the head of the Sitrin
guards tried to gather some of his best men to escort her. Poliana,
however, refused, “I’m fine on my own.”
“Mistress, it could be dangerous.”
The head of the Sitrin guards was insistent and Poliana understood. If
she was in his position, she would’ve done the same. Even the best of
young knights could face danger when traveling alone. All the powerful
and important figures needed to be protected at all times. For example,
Lucius the First was always shadowed by Sir Ainno. When Sir Ainno
wasn’t available, the emperor was guarded by many of his loyal knights.
Except for very special and rare occasions, Lucius the First never forgot
his importance, which was something Poliana needed to learn. She
needed to take care of herself better. The emperor did this very well
because he knew that if he got hurt, those around him will suffer even
more.
The head of the Sitrin guard informed Poliana that he would gather a few
of his very best knights. Poliana contemplated, not liking the fact that she
would be taking the best fighters away from Sitrin for her personal use.
‘I will just take a few knights but leave most of the guards behind.’
With the change in the Acreian military law, all the knights and the
guards of different cities now belonged to the kingdom. Lucius the First
made it this way to strengthen his hold, but Poliana realized a
disadvantage of this change. In the past, the nobles could use their
families’ knights as their personal escorts. However, now that all of the
knights belonged to the emperor, using them for personal protection
seemed inappropriate. It felt like abusing the emperor’s own personal
army, but it would look even stranger if she hired more guards for herself
with her own money.
Sitrin was not very far from Yapa. The road to the capital was also well
paved and safe.
Poliana said to the head of the guards again, “I’m fine on my own. I can
go by myself.”
Sir Donau offered firmly, “No, you can’t go alone, Sis. I will travel with
you as an escort.”
The head of the guards seemed relieved, “If Sir Donau is accompanying
you, then I am happy with that. Thank you, Sir Donau.”
Sir Donau traveled alone from the south to Sitrin, which was a much
more dangerous and long journey. Poliana understood why the head of
the guards seemed relieved, but she couldn’t help feeling bitter towards
their double standard. No one became concerned when Sir Donau
decided to travel alone, but when Poliana decided to go by herself,
everyone seemed adamantly against it.
Poliana decided that it was all because of her lack of skills. If she was
the genius knight of the century like Sir Ainno, people would’ve felt
comfortable letting her travel all over the kingdom by herself. Poliana
chose not to think that it was because she was a woman. It had to be
because of her lack of skills.
Gerald’s wet nanny was upset with Poliana’s travel plan. The nanny was
head over heels over the newborn, who was the most beautiful baby she
has ever seen in her life. She was clearly a slave to Gerald’s beauty and
charm.
The nanny understood that all noble ladies did not raise their babies
themselves, but she still believed that a mother should not be absent
from the newborn’s side for at least a few months. When she showed
her concern, Poliana replied simply, “This boy survived the hardest
training in this kingdom. He also was a baby who made me crave the
worst tasting food in this kingdom. Gerald is perfectly healthy so he will
be fine without me for a while.”
Poliana believed that her son would be able to survive even if he wasn’t
fed for three days.
The most worried among those in Sitrin was the head of the vassals. His
mistress has already brought something, more specifically someone,
incredible to Sitrin. He became anxious about what she might do next
when she returned to Yapa. Poliana tapped the vassal’s back kindly and
said to him, “I will make sure Sitrin doesn’t get involved in whatever
happens next.”
“Mistress! Just return home safely!”
Poliana looked at him oddly and thought, ‘He is talking like I am going to
Yapa to die or something.’
And just like that, the brother and the sister left the Sitrin castle. Sir
Donau made sure their pace was slow since it was only a few months
ago that Poliana gave birth. At first, Sir Donau insisted on Poliana riding
the carriage to travel more comfortably. He was planning on driving the
carriage while Poliana rested inside. Of course, Poliana refused to be
treated this way. She insisted on riding her own horse, and Sir Donau
knew he couldn’t convince her otherwise. He shrugged and let her do
what she wished.
While they traveled, Donau begged Poliana to tell him whatever she was
going to do before she does anything. He knew he couldn’t stop her from
making mistakes, but Donau at least wanted to be aware of what was
coming. Poliana revealed what her plan was to him.
“I want to remain a knight till the day I die, Donau.”
“…”
“After talking to you yesterday, I thought about it all night last night. I am
his highness’s knight. If he orders me, I would be only happy to jump into
a ring of fire. I am willing to do anything for him, even if it means I will
lose my reputation or even my life. For his highness, I can even give up
being a knight. However, this only applies when his highness and I
remain the emperor and his knightess. But if what he told me is true…
That he loves me… Then this is different. Our relationship will no longer
be strictly the emperor and the knightess.”
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“Sis…”
“You are right, Donau. His highness’s love confession might be real. I
admit that it is possible that he might be in love with me, but that still
doesn’t mean I want to become the empress.”
“I can understand that.”
People said that a woman’s happiness comes from marrying a good
man and forming a nice family, but this did not apply to Poliana. Poliana
was the happiest when she was allowed to hold her sword. Even if she
became part of the warmest family, if she was forced to give up her
sword, Poliana knew she wouldn’t be happy.
Poliana then murmured, “But I realize that I can’t leave Gerald as a
bastard.” She knew she needed to make her son legitimate. This
determination wasn’t from her motherly love but from her loyalty to the
royal family. If Lucius the First had several sons already, Poliana
wouldn’t have felt so strongly about this. However, the emperor only had
one daughter. There was a good chance that he will sire more children in
the future, but there was no guarantee. For now, Gerald needed to
officially become the emperor’s son to preserve the royal bloodline.
In addition, Gerald was her son, which meant that she should take
responsibility.
“Exactly, so what do you plan to do?” Donau asked.

Chapter 314: Chapter 314

Chapter 314

Poliana’s face crumpled into an ugly frown. She has never been a reader
of a romantic novel, which meant she had no idea how to deal with her
current situation.

‘I better start reading some of those lady’s novels from now on.’

“First, I will marry the emperor.”

Sir Donau, knowing Poliana very well, finished her sentence for her,
“And then you are going to divorce him. Fine, fine. I got it. It’s so funny
how naïve you are, Sis. From now on, your nickname should be the
‘Witch of Naivety.’”

“Stop making fun of me.”

“Just stop thinking only from your perspective and start seeing this
situation from his highness’s point of view. He is in love with you but
because of many reasons, he wasn’t able to tell you about it for a long
time. But miraculously, he ended up spending the night with you and you
ended up having his baby. And now, he gets to marry you! Do you really
think his highness will ever sign the divorce paper?”
“What if I tell him I will hate him if he doesn’t divorce me?”

Sir Donau coughed and asked, “What? Are you like three years old or
something? Besides, do you really think you can hate the emperor?”

“No, I can’t. How could I ever hate him?”

She could hate her own parents, but she could never hate Lucius the
First. This was one thing Poliana felt certain of in her life. The emperor
did upset her by confessing his love to her, but this didn’t mean that her
trust of him was lost. This was especially true because the emperor did
not force his love on her or asked her to love him back in return.

Lucius the First was the first emperor ever to unite the entire continent.
He was able to accomplish this in only 10 years. He ruled this world; he
was the most powerful man in this world.

Yet this great man did not force her to accept his love. In fact, he kept
his feelings hidden for her own happiness. Poliana was still uncertain if
the emperor meant what he said, but… She remembered him hugging
her tightly and consoling her when she cried.

Sir Donau said to her, “Good luck, Sis. I am always on your side.”

“You give me pretty words, Donau, but I prefer action over words.”
“Well, for now, you will have to be satisfied with my words.”

Even though Donau would’ve been happy to help her, he didn’t feel right
getting involved. This was a matter of love and he wasn’t a part of it. In
addition, this was also a political situation between the emperor and the
powerful marquess.

When he thought about it, this case could be considered the most
scandalous event of the century. A foreign knightess, Marquess Winter,
bearing the emperor’s heir… It was a shocking story.

‘An unknown knightess from a small kingdom becoming the marquess of

Acreia and eventually the empress… What a story. What a life for a
woman.’

If the writers ever heard about this, there would be thousands of

romantic novels written based on Poliana’s story. Those who didn’t know
her closely would think her life was perfect. She might have had some
difficulties at the beginning of her life, but she hit the jackpot when she
gave birth to the emperor’s son.

‘But what’s the point of this? This is not what I wanted.’

This wasn’t the luck Poliana was hoping for. Donau knew this very well
too. He knew that his sister would refuse such luck if it wasn’t something
she wanted.
But no matter how you looked at it, this was such a sweet love story. The
beautiful emperor falling madly in love with his knightess… Any ladies
would die for such a life. Sir Donau suspected that the people of Acreia
would be fascinated by Poliana’s story.

***

Poliana and Sir Donau arrived at Yapa in the middle of the day. The city
gate was wide open and because it was daytime, those entering did not
have to provide their identification. Poliana, however, made a point of
going to see the gate guards because she heard in the previous village
that Lucius the First finished his tour much earlier than expected and
was already in Yapa.

For some reason, the guard couldn’t meet Poliana’s eyes. He covered
his mouth with his hand and kept looking down on the ground.

Poliana thought to herself, ‘Well… Some guards are like that, I guess.’

Most guards were very proud of their positions, but in front of a real
nobleman such as Marquess Winter, they knew they could not compare
in terms of power or authority. Poliana did not blame the guard for
looking weak and shy. She asked, “When did the emperor return?”

“About a month ago.”

Sir Donau was impressed, “He must’ve pushed hard to make it here so
fast.”

Poliana was impressed as well. To travel that fast…

Another guard reported Poliana’s arrival to his superior. Poliana

expected to be seen right away, but no one said anything to her. Poliana
didn’t think too much about it.

‘I guess everyone is busy.’

The guards at the gate could not meet her eyes until she left. Poliana
was a little disappointed at how weak the men were; they were
supposed to protect the city, yet they couldn’t even look at her in the
eyes.

Yapa, as the capital city of Acreia, was a very busy and well-developed
city. The streets seemed to be even more crowded than Poliana
remembered. She decided to go to the royal castle immediately. She
wanted to see the emperor right away, which was why she even bathed
in the previous village.
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Suddenly, Poliana saw a large crowd in the city center. It seemed that
there was an outdoor theater going on. An actress holding a sword
caught Poliana’s eyes. Was it a story about a knightess? Poliana knew a
few of them and feeling curious, Poliana stopped her horse.

As she watched, Poliana gaped. She grabbed Sir Donau and

stammered, “Donau… That looks like… Could it be…”

“I think you are right, Sis.”

Any story that gets re-enacted in the city center has to be something that
is wildly popular. Most likely, every poet in the kingdom was singing
about this story. It had to be the biggest tale that everyone in the city
wants to watch in a theater.

Poliana and Sir Donau found a few Yapa bards and asked about it, and
quickly, they learned that their suspicion was correct. Everyone in Yapa
was talking about the love story between the emperor and his knightess.

The story went like this. The emperor and the knightess meet as
enemies but the knightess swears her loyalty to the emperor because
she sees him as the true ruler of the world. During the war, the emperor
falls in love with the knightess. Their relationship continues to be
platonic, but the emperor begins to see his knightess as a woman. The
emperor suffers from heartache and in the end, he confesses his love to
the knightess, who accepts his proposal.

The bards and the poets claimed that this story was fictional, but anyone
who heard it could easily figure out the truth. It was obvious that the
story was about Lucius the First and Poliana Winter.
Chapter 315: Chapter 315

Chapter 315

The original story of Lucius the First and Poliana was already
fascinating, but the bards and the poets apparently added even more
interesting and false details to the tale. The people of Yapa were
captivated by it.

Poliana gritted her teeth. “F*ck! What is going on here?!”

She could now understand why the guard at the gate acted so shyly
around her. He was covering his mouth the entire time, and she thought
that either he was honored to meet the powerful marquess or he was
hiding his bad breath, but it seemed that she was wrong; he was
obviously trying to hide his smile.

‘Is that why none of the knights came to greet me even when they
must’ve heard the report of my arrival?’

She has been absent for a long time. She expected either Sir Wook or
Sir Jainno to come down and see her in person, but no one showed up.
At the time, she assumed that they were all very busy.
Obviously, she was wrong.

Sir Donau asked, “Sis, what will you do? I think you have been
ambushed.”

“I know… I underestimated the emperor.”

Whoever made the first move, especially if it was a surprise one, often
had the greatest chance of winning the battle. It seemed that the
emperor took advantage of this tactic. Sir Donau and Poliana, who came
storming into Yapa, were both impressed by the emperor and
disappointed at themselves.

Poliana’s original plan was to enter Yapa confidently and request to

meet the emperor without giving him any notice or warning. She was
going to surprise him, but her plan was now useless. The emperor
clearly made his first move and now, Poliana needed time to come up
with a new strategy.

For now, she decided to head towards her own home in Yapa. Poliana
had always hated to go into a battle without as much information about it
as possible. This unfamiliar and unexpected scenario was quickly
making her angry and violent. Before she lost her calm, Poliana needed
to gather as much information as possible.

‘Dammit… His highness probably already knows that I am here.’

The butler greeted his mistress happily when she arrived. He acted
much more formally than usual as if he was greeting the empress of this
kingdom.

“Mistress, you should’ve sent a message to let us know of your arrival so

we could…”

“I saw a theater in the city center on my way here.”

The butler abruptly turned towards Donau. “Sir Donau! You are here as
well! How nice! I will get your room ready immediately.”

Poliana yelled, “Don’t change the subject!”

She knew she was in trouble by watching how her butler acted. ‘Dammit!
This is bad.’ She was also angry at him. There was no way the butler did
not know about the story that was going around in Yapa. He should’ve
sent her a message to let her know what was happening!

Poliana was about to blame him, but she stopped herself. The butler was
introduced to her by the emperor; therefore, he was indebted to Lucius
the First for this honorable position in the marquess’s household. It was
no wonder that the butler’s first loyalty went to the emperor.

In addition, Poliana hid the existence of Gerald from her butler. She
didn’t trust her own butler to tell him the truth, so how could she blame
him? Besides, the butler probably thought this situation was a great thing
for her. In fact, everyone in Yapa was probably envious of her.

Poliana could feel that she was in the enemy’s territory because she
wasn’t comfortable even in her own home.

“Dammit!”

She slapped her forehead loudly in frustration before urging her butler to
tell her everything.

What did happen since the emperor’s return to Yapa?

The first thing people thought of whenever they discussed their emperor
was his beauty. Lucius the First of Acreia was considered the greatest
beauty of the century.

The next thing about the emperor was his luck with the talented people
around him. If Lucius the First was considered the greatest beauty, his
closest friend Sir Ainno was called the greatest genius of the kingdom.
Some even believed that Sir Ainno was the main reason why the
emperor was able to unite the kingdom so quickly and efficiently. In
addition to Sir Ainno, the emperor had many other gifted loyal men
around him. They flocked to him like moths to a flame.
The third most well-known fact about the emperor was his incredible
ability to gather information. During the conquest, although the Acreian
army was considered politically and culturally unsophisticated, no one
could deny its ability to collect and use information. With it, Lucius the
First was able to come up with extraordinary battle strategies.

Spreading false rumors based on what he knew was the emperor’s

specialty. In fact, this tactic helped greatly when conquering the midcontinent
region. Because he knew very well the power of information,
Lucius the First was very interested in the rumors among the locals.

Poliana knew the emperor’s methods very well because she was by his
side for 10 years and witnessed them all. And it seemed that Lucius the
First used his old tactic to make his move. He was clearly the one who
began spreading the “fictional” story about an emperor and a knightess.
It was a smart move because it succeeded in surprising her.

It seemed that the story was widespread even before the emperor
arrived at Yapa. A few popular bards sang about it not long after the
emperor left Sitrin.

There were already many romantic stories involving a knightess, but this
particular one became a sensation. It was because the characters in the
story clearly reminded people of the real people.

The most beautiful emperor and his loyal knightess.

It was clearly about Lucius the First and Marquess Poliana Winter, and
this fact made people crazy about the story.

Whether the stories and songs the bards sang were true or not didn’t
really matter to people. What mattered to them was the fact that their
emperor was now single, and the “unknown” knightess was also very
single. People’s imagination went wild with excitement.

The story was a typical one. A knightess, who led a harsh life,
overcomes her difficult situation and ends up in a romantic relationship
with the gorgeous emperor.

It was a simple but perfect story.

And what did the people want?

Happy ending!

H! A! P! P! Y! E! N! D! I! N! G!

What do we want?
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Happy ending!

Romantic stories with sad endings were not the trend nowadays. It
hasn’t been very long since the war ended, and the kingdom was finally
finding its peace. It was time for stability and celebration, and the people
demanded a happy ending for this popular story.

Luckily, the bards were only too happy to oblige.

So the emperor and the knightess fell in love with each other and lived
happily ever after!

Love forever!

Although the beginning and the ending of the story was the same, there
were many slightly different versions of it in the capital city. One of them
involved the knightess running away after finding out that she was
pregnant with the emperor’s child.

When Poliana heard this version, she flinched. Her arms became
covered in goosebumps. She asked the butler, “Could it be that
someone has been spying on me? Or did the emperor spread this
version on purpose…?”
Chapter 316
The noblemen of Yapa were concerned; they were more worried about
the emperor’s marriage than their own children’s lives. They did not
believe him when Lucius the First claimed that he would take care of his
marriage plan.

It was understandable that the emperor was hesitant about remarrying.

He lost all of his three wives tragically; one died while giving birth to his
daughter, the other was divorced, and the third left him and their
marriage was annulled. Lucius the First was indeed extremely unlucky
when it came to marriage. It was no wonder he didn’t want to get married
again.

So why, all of a sudden, was there a rumor about a romantic relationship

between his highness and Marquess Winter?

The nobles believed that it was a political agenda. They thought that the
emperor was trying to strengthen his authority by uniting with the
powerful Marquess Poliana Winter. To them, that had to be it!

Those who did not see the emperor’s sad expression believed this logic,
however, those who heard him talk about Poliana believed the rumor.
They had no choice because they saw the true feelings on the emperor’s
face. Of course, when these men claimed that the emperor had to be
truly in love with Marquess Winter, people laughed at them.

Things got even more interesting when Duke Luzo and Marquess Zeese
sided with the truth. These two noblemen stated that the rumor was
indeed true, but their claims began to be seen as a political move. Many
noblemen began to believe even more that the union between the
emperor and Poliana had to be a political move.

Things have been calm after the incredible removal of the Acreian
nobles and elders and Sir Ainno and Cekel’s wedding, but now with the
new rumor about the emperor’s love life, Yapa was again buzzing with
excitement.

Everyone had their own interpretation and guesses, and people were
dying to know the truth. Was it really a political move? Or if it was really
true love, then how the heck did Poliana capture the emperor’s heart?

And then… Poliana returned to Yapa. As soon as she entered the castle,
Poliana sighed. She could feel everyone, both the servants, the knights,
and the high-ranking noblemen staring at her.

People greeted her as if everything was normal, but none of them could
hide their intense curiosity. Poliana preferred those who believed that the
emperor was making a political decision. People who believed there was
something more personal going on between the emperor and Poliana
smiled at her knowingly, which annoyed her. These people tried to hide
their smiles by looking down or covering their mouths, but Poliana could
still tell what they were thinking. She wanted to punch all of them in the
faces.

“Sir Pol!”
The knights of the Second Division came out as soon as they heard she
was in the castle. Most of them had knowing smiles on their faces;
Poliana’s men believed in the rumor.

Poliana showed them the cutthroat gesture. It wasn’t one of the official
sign languages used among the guards, but it was enough to let the men
know that they better keep their mouths shut. The knights of the Second
Division flinched. They looked at each other quietly before leaving
Poliana alone.

Poliana was giving off a vicious aura and the men knew not to annoy her
when she was like this. She was here to visit the emperor, which was
why she was dressed neatly. If she was holding her sword in her hand,
the knights knew there could’ve been a bloodbath.

Poliana pouted angrily, but Sir Donau said to her, “You need to think
positively. I mean, everyone’s reaction is actually better than I expected.”

“Hmm…”

“Sis, nothing you worried about has come up yet.”

“So far anyway. You never know.”

“Sis, you need to feel more confident about yourself. This means that
people are accepting you.”
“Hmm…”

Poliana nodded grudgingly. It was strange how people were not reacting
the way she expected. Poliana thought her old nicknames would come
up. “The witch who seduced the emperor” and “The ugly wh*re.” She
expected people to say that this was all because she was a woman. She
thought people would say that this was why a woman should not be
allowed to become a knight.

These ugly words… Poliana used to ignore them because they weren’t
true, but now… She expected what happened to confirm what people
were thinking, but it seemed that she was wrong.

There now appeared to be two groups of people in Yapa. Some who

thought the rumor was true and some who thought the emperor had a
political agenda. One good thing at least was that no one called her a
seductress anymore. She was too powerful all on her own now that she
no longer had to seduce anyone for power. It was nice to realize that she
had become so influential, but it was still annoying that people seemed
to have so much fun with the gossip at her expense.

Poliana said to Donau, “It’s still too early to tell how people are going to
react.” She had only met a few noblemen in the castle so far.

The relatively positive reaction from the public was due to two reasons.
One was because Poliana was now a powerful figure, but more
importantly, because the emperor made sure the rumor focused on his
one-sided love for her. Many didn’t believe this based on Poliana’s looks
and personality, but surprisingly, there were some who thought this was
possible. The woman who spent the most and the longest time with
Lucius the First was Poliana Winter. They traveled the entire continent
during the war and some people believed that the deep comradery could
have developed into something more.
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Most noblemen married for political or financial reasons. It was very rare
for a noble couple to begin with love. In most cases, the husband and
wife learned to respect each other over time and develop affection
towards one another. This was how most noble marriages worked.

So this rumor of the emperor and Poliana was considered scandalous.

Poliana used to love gossip like this, but now that it involved her, it
wasn’t fun at all. Her confidence in getting what she wanted out of this
situation dropped significantly, and when she saw the emperor’s
servants outside his room, she lost all of her assuredness.

Master Chail and all the other servants bowed to her respectfully when
they spotted Poliana. They were all very polite people to begin with, but
their behavior towards her was especially formal. The way they bowed to
her was usually reserved only for royal members, for example, the
empress.

Master Chail said to her ceremoniously, “I do apologize to you,

Marquess Poliana, but unfortunately, I must humbly ask you to wait just
a moment outside. Please forgive me.”
“Humbly? Forgive you?”

“It is only right to behave respectfully in front of a very important lady, of

course.”

It seemed that Master Chail was ready to begin calling her “Your
highness.” Poliana wanted to reply sarcastically, but she stopped herself.
It was obvious that Master Chail knew about the existence of Gerald.

Chapter 317: Chapter 316

Chapter 316

“It’s actually a very common scenario, Mistress.”

When the butler explained, Poliana sighed in relief, “Is that right?” The
truth was, Lucius the First also had the same reaction as Poliana when
he first heard this version of the story.

So far, the stories they talked about were the versions that were popular
among the commoners. What really mattered, however, was the version
that was going around among the nobles. Poliana asked the butler, “I
won’t get angry at you so just tell me the truth. What are the details of
the story his highness spread?”
Poliana was the main character of the rumor as well as the victim. She
had all the right to know everything about it. When she looked at him
persistently, the butler looked away and replied, “It was nothing that
would hurt your reputation, Mistress…”

“Just tell me right now!”

Poliana promised not to get angry, but she ended up screaming at him.
She hated how she lost this battle. She should’ve expected the emperor
to make such a move. In addition, Poliana was also displeased at how
the commoners seemed to cheer for the romance between the emperor
and herself.

Did the knightess really have to become the empress for the story to be
considered a happy ending? Was that really the only way?

“There haven’t been any rumors about his highness the prince. I have
only heard about how the emperor is in love with you…”

Argh!

Poliana covered her face with both of her hands. She was about to slap
herself in frustration, but instead, she changed her mind and punched
the wall. Sir Donau tried to stop her from assaulting the building.

“Sis, you need to stop. You are going to hurt your hand.”
“Let me go!”

“You need to do what the doctor told you!”

Before leaving Sitrin, her doctor begged her to be careful with her body.
It could take years before her body healed completely from the recent
childbirth, so she needed to minimize any vigorous movement. It wasn’t
a difficult order for most ladies to follow, but it seemed that it was an
impossible task for Poliana. She knew she should take care of herself
better, but Poliana couldn’t help punching the walls. Her butler told her
that the general public didn’t hear anything about the baby, but it was
clear that the butler himself knew about the existence of Gerald, which
meant that Lucius the First told the truth to those who were close to him.

This secret was bound to be known to everyone in the near future, but
Poliana was disappointed. The emperor should’ve given her time to
prepare herself. If she knew that he was going to do this, she wouldn’t
have come to Yapa.

She screamed his name with respect and resentment, “Argh! Your
highness!”

“Sis, just calm down.”

“How can I calm down?”

“But Sis, you must realize that if his highness didn’t care about you at all,
he could’ve just ordered you to marry him. He wouldn’t have done
something so subtle and unnecessary if he didn’t care.”

It was true that if Lucius the First was a callous man, there would’ve
been no reason for him to spread such rumors. He would’ve just ordered
her.

When Poliana began to look more relaxed, the butler added,

“Overexcitement isn’t good for you, Mistress.”

Sir Donau pulled her towards a chair while the butler offered her a cup of
warm water. Poliana drank it slowly on purpose and by the time she
emptied the cup, she felt a little better.

She asked, “So who knows?”

Since Sir Ainno and a few knights of the First Division were present in
Sitrin when the whole thing happened, their names did not have to be
mentioned. Poliana could imagine a few people that would’ve been told
about it. This wasn’t just a matter of marriage but also about the next
heir. Most likely Duke Luzo, Sir Bentier…

‘Oh wait. It’s not Sir Bentier anymore. He is now Marquess Zeese.’
After the removal of Marquess Seeze, the Seeze family no longer
existed. Sir Bentier was “forgiven” thanks to the hard work he did for the
emperor, and in return, he was given a new name and a title. The same
letters from the old name were used to create the new name of Zeese.
He wasn’t given the dukedom right away to keep up the pretense of him
not being involved in the removal of old marquess Seeze, but it was only
a matter of time before he became Duke Zeese.

Poliana could guess a few names. She insisted on her butler to answer
the question, and he finally replied, “All I know is what the emperor told
me. I do not know anything else about this situation.”

“You look like you know more…”

“I am telling you the truth, Mistress. I know you are disappointed in me

for not informing you of the situation in Yapa sooner, but I hope you
know that everything I do is for you. Everything we do in this household
is to make you happy. Your happiness is our own happiness, Marquess
Winter.”

Poliana knew this. She knew that her butler kept silent about the rumors
because he knew that they would not harm her. The butler, and
everyone else in Yapa, probably was happy for her. She was hurt by a
gold digger recently, and now it turned out that the emperor was in love
with her. This had to be wonderful news for her, right?

Everyone wanted a happy ending. People around her truly hoped for
Poliana’s happiness. She felt grateful for their loyalty, but…
Even though she should’ve been happy, Poliana could not smile.

***

Lucius the First injected a single rumor to the Yapa society.

The emperor’s desperate one-sided love for Marquess Winter.

At first, no one believed this story. The members of the Intelligence Unit,
who were ordered to spread this rumor, had a difficult time convincing
people of this tale. The situation, however, changed after the emperor
returned to Yapa.

Everyone knew how Lucius the First enjoyed romance gossip, so one of
the noblemen said to the emperor as a joke, “Your highness, there’s a
rumor that you’re in love with Marquess Winter. Isn’t that hilarious?”
There were two reactions people expected from Lucius the First.
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1) “You shouldn’t say such a thing! Such a rumor would upset Marquess
Winter. She is a single lady while I am divorced and a widower! It
wouldn’t be fair for her to be treated this way!”
2) “Haha, it is true that Marquess Winter is very dear to me!”

Instead, Lucius the First decided to help legitimize this rumor. With clear
sadness and loneliness on his beautiful face, the emperor replied, “How
did you know?”

The noblemen gasped in shock. So it was true?! This ridiculous rumor

was actually true?!

They didn’t want to believe it. Every nobleman wanted to deny it and
they began to analyze everything that happened recently.

It has been over a year since Lady Rebecca’s death. The royal mourning
period was finally over, and immediately after the year ended, Sir Ainno
and Cekel got married. The noblemen of various regions sent their best
ladies to Yapa as the candidate to become the emperor’s next wives.
Some of these women were those who did not make it during the first
round. They have remained unmarried all these years in hopes of trying
again.

But when the emperor was asked to choose his next wives, Lucius the
First refused, “I will be the one who makes the decision about my
marriage.”

Chapter 318: Chapter 318

Chapter 318

Poliana asked Master Chail, “His highness must be very busy with work,
then?”

“He will be with you very shortly, Marquess Winter.”

One of the special privileges Poliana had was to walk into the emperor’s
room without his permission. However, she did not misuse her power
unless necessary because she didn’t want to interrupt the emperor when
he was busy running the kingdom; she understood how annoying it was
when one’s focus gets disrupted.

Sir Donau asked while they waited, “Sis, are you going to go in alone?”

“Yes.”

“I think it would be better if I go in with you.”

“But this is a personal matter.”

“But Sis…”
Sir Donau looked down and Poliana and continued, “To be honest, you
have no chance against the emperor’s charm. He is a master of words
and you clearly aren’t. I am afraid you’ll just get convinced by him.”

“…”

“Because you aren’t very good with words…”

Poliana flinched and replied with a red face, “But I still always make sure
I get my message across!” It was true that she wasn’t the best speaker
in the world, but she never had any problems telling people whatever
was necessary. In the past, when she was a nobody, she had to keep
her mouth shut in front of her superiors, but this was no longer
necessary. In fact, it was now those around her who had to keep their
mouth shut.

A few minutes passed by after she was denied to enter, so Poliana

turned to Master Chail, saying, “How much longer?”

“Just a little while…”

Chail begged her and Poliana nodded. She decided that it was a good
idea to come to the castle with Donau. If she was waiting alone, it
would’ve been too boring.

Poliana asked him, “So Marin is doing well, right?”

“Yes, Marin and Martin are both very healthy.”

Martin was Sir Howe and Vaxi’s son while Marin was Sir Donau and
Vanessa’s daughter. They were cousins born within a few days apart.
The two children got along very well, perhaps because their mothers
were twins.

Sir Donau added, “Both kids are so very strong…”

He looked pleased and proud. Poliana nodded and replied, “So I guess
they resemble their mothers.” Those who didn’t know the family well
would’ve assumed that the children resemble their maternal grandfather
Sir Rabi. However, Poliana knew the truth; she knew what monstrous
power the twins, Vaxi and Vanessa possessed!

Poliana witnessed these strong untrained ladies carrying around a deer

without any difficulty. Poliana couldn’t help feeling jealous because she
herself did not possess such power.

Sir Donau continued, “We already carved both of their names on the
training wooden swords you sent.”

‘Both?’
So not just the boy Marin but the girl Marin as well? Poliana did not ask
Donau if he really meant to allow his daughter to hold a sword. Marin
was Sir Donau’s daughter, but a girl’s training was a responsibility and
the right of her mother.

If Vanessa wished to teach her daughter how to fight, the only person
who could disagree with her was Marin’s father and Vanessa’s husband,
Sir Donau. Based on how Sir Donau looked so excited and proud, it was
most likely that he agreed to teach Marin how to use a sword.

It wasn’t uncommon for a knight’s daughter to be taught the basic skill of

how to protect herself. Just the fact that a girl was given a sword didn’t
mean she was going to become a knight.

Poliana replied, “I see.” Sir Donau grinned. It was just a small smile, but
it was obvious he was truly happy. Poliana smiled back.

As they chatted about children, Master Chail hesitantly approached

them. He has been faithfully serving Lucius the First all his life, and there
was one question he desperately wanted to ask.

“Marquess Winter, is it true that the prince resembles his highness…”

Before Poliana could answer, Sir Donau replied instead, “There is no

denying that he is his highness’s son.”
“Oh my, I cannot wait to meet him!”

Chail clenched his fists excitedly. He seemed happier now than when his
own child was born. Master Chail continued to grin happily as he added,
“Haa… A baby prince who resembles the emperor… I feel ecstatic. I am
so glad I had my son early. He will be just slightly older than the prince,
which means he will get the honor of serving the next emperor. What an
honor for our family.”

It was considered the greatest honor to serve the royal family for
generations. The servants, as well as the knights, felt this way, which
was why Poliana understood how Master Chail must be feeling right
now. If it wasn’t her own son they were talking about, she would’ve been
feeling happy for Chail too. She might even have been jealous since she
didn’t have her own child who could serve the next generation of the
royal family.

After a fairly long wait, the emperor finally gave his permission for an
audience. Poliana walked into the room looking determined. As soon as
she was inside, she bowed and greeted him, “Marquess Poliana Winter
is here to greet you, your highness—”

When she looked up, her eyes widened. She could not finish her
sentence because her mouth was gaping. She used both of her hands to
cover her wide-open mouth. She thought about running away, but the
door behind her closed firmly. There was going to be no escape today.
She tried to look away, but her body would not listen to her.
Lucius the First, the most beautiful emperor in history, was standing in
front of her. Today, his beauty was vastly enhanced, making him look
like a perfect statue. His golden hair shined like that of a fairy under the
light. His already-gorgeous green eyes looked especially lovely today.
Wearing his favorite color, red, Lucius the First was the god of beauty
himself. The jewels he wore sparkled along with his golden hair and his
face, a perfectly clear complexion, strangely made him look masculine
rather than feminine.

Lucius the First looked so perfect that he almost looked like a doll.
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The new lighting, the best outfit, and the best accessories… The
emperor was dolled up, and knowing how beautiful he looked, he smiled
proudly and triumphantly.

“Oh, you are here, Pol.”

“Y…you are so beautiful, your highness!”

How could anyone look this lovely? Poliana forgot all about her battle
plan and just stammered with her fists clenched, “You look so lovely
today, your highness!”

Yes, indeed her emperor was the most beautiful man in the world!
Poliana silently thanked the former emperor and the empress for
creating such a perfection. Her eyes felt cleansed from witnessing such
beauty.

Lucius the First’s beauty was considered a legend when he was in his
20’s, but now in his 30’s, the emperor was becoming even more
gorgeous. How could this be possible? It seemed that there was no limit
to his exquisiteness. Could it be that he was growing more beautiful
every day?

Poliana exclaimed, “Your highness! You look perfect today! Your beauty
must be the work of the gods! Everyone in the kingdom must see you so
they can enjoy it! You must let everyone witness your gorgeousness!
Yes!”

Chapter 319: Chapter 319

Chapter 319

Poliana couldn’t think at all. It was obvious that Lucius the First’s beauty
could be used as a weapon to distract his enemy.

The truth was, the emperor has been preparing for this day since he
returned to Yapa. He ordered his room to be redecorated completely.
The carpet, the wallpaper, and even the furniture were all replaced so
their colors could enhance his look.
Poliana continued, “How could you look even more beautiful than the
priceless jewels you are wearing, your highness? The red cape you are
wearing looks especially perfect on you today. I am sure it costs a
fortune, but if I was allowed, I want to give up my entire wealth to buy
more of them for you…!”

Her training, when she was working as the emperor’s personal guard,
was at work now. Sir Mahogal taught her how to give proper
compliments to the emperor, and Poliana couldn’t stop herself from
babbling. She thought even the flooring was making the emperor look
more beautiful when suddenly, she realized what was happening.

This was the emperor’s tactic!

‘This is why he made me wait outside!’

It was too late for her to realize this. By the time Poliana could think,
Lucius the First was already holding her hands. When she saw him upclose, Poliana
blushed. The emperor even smelled beautiful.

She said to him, “Your highness! This isn’t fair! You aren’t fighting f-fairly.
Your highness! You can’t do this!”

“Haha.”
Lucius the First didn’t make an excuse. He just quietly escorted Poliana
to a chair that was placed next to his own. Poliana kept repeating how
he was being unfair, and when she was seated next to him, she became
confused. ‘Why is he sitting next to me? Why isn’t he sitting in front of
me?!’

Poliana tried to keep her distance from him by sitting as far away, and
the emperor did not try to get closer. Poliana asked, “So, you spread the
rumor about us?! How could you! That’s not fair!”

“There is no such thing as a fair play in a war.”

“But this isn’t a war!”

“Of course, it is. This is the cruelest war there is. The war for love; a
battle to gain a woman’s heart.”

If this was indeed a war, Poliana was at a disadvantage. Lucius the First
already made a first surprise move, and now, she was bombarded with
his unearthly beauty. But the emperor disagreed with her assessment, it
was he who was always going to be on the losing side because he was
the one in love. It was always going to be Poliana who had the key to
ending this battle.

Even the emperor of this entire kingdom was weak when he was
standing in front of the woman he loved. Lucius the First never forgot his
weaker position. He was reminded of it every day, and instead of
complaining about it, he was ready to use it to his advantage.
To win, one must do anything and everything necessary. The emperor
was ready to do whatever it took to win Poliana’s heart.

Poliana said to him, “I…”

She was finally beginning to get used to the emperor’s beauty. It was a
very difficult task, but thankfully, she spent a long time with him in the
past, so she had at least some tolerance for him. Poliana remembered
the words she planned to say to him before coming to Yapa. She was
going to tell him about her plan.

‘Let’s do this!’

“Your highness, you and I…”

“After leaving Sitrin, I thought about our situation deeply.”

“Pardon?”

Poliana became quiet as the emperor continued, “I thought about how

the Pol I know would react. What would she say? Would she want to
marry me just because we had a child together now? Before I left, I told
you that I hoped you would become happy. You shouldn’t deny the fact
that you are a woman.”
Lucius the First looked down a little before adding, “Later, I asked myself
why I said such a thing to you. I know you aren’t an idiot. You would
never deny yourself happiness, right? Then suddenly, I realized that your
definition of happiness was different than mine. This wasn’t what you
wanted. I assume you came here today to tell me this, right?”

The emperor smiled and said what Poliana was going to say, “You were
probably going to tell me now that you are willing to marry me for Gerald.
But you can’t give up being a knight, so you want a divorce right after our
wedding. You want me to say yes to this plan, right?”

This was exactly what Poliana was going to say to the emperor. When
Lucius the First looked at her and held her hands. Poliana could not pull
away as he asked, “Did I get it right?”

“Your highness is incredibly intelligent, wise, and… knows me very well.

If you already knew what I was going to say, why did you do this?”

“Because you don’t know.”

“Don’t know what?”

“Happiness.”
Poliana frowned. She certainly knew what happiness was. It was the day
she met the emperor and he accepted her as his knight; the day that he
told her that if all of his knights were like her, he would’ve been able to
conquer the continent twice as fast. It was the day when she was able to
help his highness. The day she gained a new brother Sir Donau… and
the day she saw the emperor’s smile on that cliff.
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All these days… They were Poliana’s happiness.

“Your highness, I do know what happiness is like.”

“No, you don’t. You don’t know and that is why you are refusing this. You
may know a part of it, but not all of it. You don’t know all the different
kinds of happiness you can enjoy in your life. Only those who have
experienced it can know, and since you haven’t, how would you know? I
realize that your definition of happiness is different than others, but Pol,
you haven’t experienced the joy others have. So how can you know if
you don’t want it? You have never experienced the kind of happiness the
other women felt in their lives, so how can you say that you don’t want
it? You are frustrated that other people don’t understand your definition
of happiness, but you are doing the same thing. You are not willing to try
the things that make other women happy.”

This was the truth. Poliana became speechless and Lucius the First took
his chance. He squeezed his hands around hers, taking her silence as
her acceptance. Even if it wasn’t, it didn’t matter. He was going to do
whatever it took to make his dream come true.
He said to her, “So please, give me a chance to show you.”

Poliana felt shocked. She could see herself in the emperor’s eyes. She
could see that in this very moment, she was the only thing in his eyes.

Lucius the First continued, “I will show you what happiness feels like. I
will show you the true joy of a woman being loved. I will teach you what it
is like to be loved by the emperor. I promise that my love for you will
never change.”

Chapter 320: Chapter 320

Chapter 320

Poliana asked, “Your highness, do you really… Do you really mean what
you said?”

“The moment we stood on that cliff, my feelings for you have never
changed; my love for you will be eternal.”

Ever since he has fallen for her, Lucius the First has been Poliana’s
prisoner. Poliana’s hands, still held by the emperor, warmed up. Slowly,
she tried squeezing back, and by doing so, she was able to feel her own
heartbeat at the tips of her fingers. Until now, she has been trying to
deny it all, but now, Poliana couldn’t believe how she could’ve missed it.
This man’s feelings for her were obviously pure and how could anyone in
this world be able to ignore such a beautiful man’s sincerity?

Poliana’s cheeks blushed. It wasn’t that she had fallen in love with him,
but now that she knew the truth, she had a new responsibility.

She could no longer deny it. She couldn’t ignore it either.

And… She needed to give him a chance.

Lucius the First liked those who worked hard and made efforts because
he was the same way. Poliana was just like him. There were times when
she worked so hard without even a purpose in life. If someone was
making an effort for a clear goal, she needed to be decent enough to
give that person a chance.

Even if she didn’t want him to succeed…

Poliana didn’t want to be the kind of person like her Acreian superiors
used to be. She answered, “Alright, your highness.”

“Thank you, Pol.”

Lucius the First bowed lightly and his golden hair blinded her eyes. They
say the emperor’s crown is too heavy for him to bow, but in front of the
woman he loved, it was too easy. Poliana said to him, “I’m only giving
you a chance.”

They had to get married no matter what because of Gerald. This didn’t
mean Poliana was in love with the emperor. Her blushing was just a
natural physical reaction because Lucius the First was too beautiful. He
was clearly a man, yet it seemed logical to call him beautiful. The
emperor replied, “I know. I have spent 10 years uniting the continent. I
would be happy to spend as much time, or more if necessary, to win the
heart of the woman I love.”

Lucius the First finally let her hands go. Poliana was expecting him to at
least kiss her hands, but when he didn’t do anything, she felt
embarrassed. The emperor escorted her to the door holding her arm like
a gentleman.

“You must be tired from the long trip. Don’t drop by anywhere. Just go
home and rest.”

“I’m fine, your highness.”

“But I am not fine with it. Sir Pol, getting stabbed and giving birth are two
very different things. Please do not treat your health so lightly and listen
to those who care about you. You need to especially listen to me, the
man who loves you.”
Poliana felt shy and embarrassed, but Lucius the First seemed happy.
He thought of his current situation.

Love.

Now that he knew Poliana was aware of his feelings for him, he wanted
to keep saying it over and over again. He wasn’t shy about telling her
how he felt. In fact, he felt proud. Lucius the First was ecstatic. Finally,
he didn’t have to hide how he felt. He could tell her he loved her as much
and often as he wanted. Poliana was giving him the chance to pursue
her.

For the first time, Poliana saw him not only as an emperor but as a man.
He could feel the difference because although she was giving him the
same compliments, that he was beautiful, she was saying it differently. It
was definitely worth getting dolled up for her today.

The emperor turned the knob and opened the door for her. What an
honor to have the emperor of this kingdom personally open the door!
When Sir Donau saw the emperor, he yelled helplessly, “You look so
beautiful, your highness!”

***

Sir Donau shook his head. Just as he expected, Poliana had no chance
against the emperor. It wasn’t just the matter of the emperor’s convincing
words; it was Lucius the First’s unbelievable beauty, only a blind person
could resist him.
Today, the emperor was more beautiful than usual if that was possible.
Even Sir Donau, a man, felt his eyes water from the honor of it. So, it
was no wonder that Poliana, who was alone with the emperor in the
room, had no chance of winning this battle. It was obvious that Lucius
the First planned this meeting; this was his chance to seduce her and he
was successful.

The surprise rumor attack and now this… This battle was over. Sir
Donau had no doubt who was going to be the winner in the end.

Lucius the First ordered Poliana to rest, and she followed it faithfully. On
her way home, she received several attractive offers, but she refused all
of them. Her colleagues asked her to go out drinking, her men begged
her to drop by the breakroom for some snacks, and the maids wanted to
have fun with her, but Poliana said no to all of them; she even skipped
visiting Princess Luminae.

Poliana and Sir Donau went straight back to her home.

At the dinner table, Sir Donau said to Poliana, “I will be returning home
tomorrow.”

“Wouldn’t that be too tiring for you?”

“Well, my presence here isn’t going to be helpful at all, so…”

Sir Donau was clearly insinuating that Lucius the First was going to win.
Poliana replied in annoyance, “You told me you were going to be on my
side!”

“Of course, I will always be on your side, but you lost, Sis. You got
seduced.”

Poliana exclaimed, “What could I have done? I can’t help the fact that his
highness is so beautiful!”

“In the past, you would’ve just simply admired his beauty and nothing
more.”

This fact was the reason why Sir Donau was convinced of the emperor’s
victory. It was true that Lucius the First’s beauty would’ve never worked
like this on Poliana before. She saw the emperor only as her ruler and
not as a man at the time. But now… Poliana’s eyes and heart wavered
like a fragile tree branch against a wind. Was it because they slept
together that night?

One could not blame her for being human. In fact, it was odd that she
never saw the emperor as a man before. Poliana replied, “I can’t help it.
Whenever I see his highness, I keep thinking about that night.”
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“I thought that it was unlikely you would be happy marrying the emperor,
but perhaps I was wrong. Who knows? Maybe it would be really good.”

Really good? Suddenly, Poliana remembered that night. The emperor’s

hot breath on her neck… It was nothing like how she felt with all the
other men in her life. Even though the emperor’s breath smelled of
alcohol, it felt sweet and warm on her skin. Instead of feeling unpleasant,
which would’ve been her usual reaction, Poliana remembered feeling
passionate.

‘F*ck.’

Poliana blushed again as her thoughts turned to that night. Why couldn’t
she stop thinking about it? Sir Donau sighed as he watched her. He had
no idea what his sister was thinking. He said to her, “I will support
whatever decision you make. You can get divorced after the marriage or
choose to become the empress. You can even refuse to marry him if you
wish, but there is one thing I don’t want you to do.”

“Running away?”

Sir Donau shook his head and answered, “No. It’s unhappiness. I don’t
want you to miss out on happiness on purpose.”

“I’m not an idiot. Why would I choose unhappiness on purpose?” Sir

Donau laughed quietly, “I want you to be happy. You don’t have to be
the happiest woman in the kingdom, but I really hope you will find your
own happiness, even if it is a small one.”
Chapter 321: Chapter 321

Chapter 321

Poliana stretched her body in her bedroom. After dinner, she exercised
lightly, and she felt good. She would probably get a good sleep tonight.

Poliana looked around, noticing how different her room looked. While
she was gone, it was normal for the butler to maintain the house by
keeping it clean and organized, but it seemed that her butler completely
changed the place during her absence.

The walls, which were covered with damaged and patched up

wallpapers from Poliana’s frequent assault, were now redone. New clean
wallpapers covered them. The flooring and the furniture were also
replaced to match the new walls, making her room look like that of a
proper lady. To be honest, Poliana felt out of place in her own room.

Poliana laid down on the bed and closed her eyes. As soon as she did,
the image of the shockingly beautiful emperor popped up in her head.

“Oh, no…”

‘I need to think about something else.’

Poliana tried to keep her mind busy. She needed to come up with
something complicated to think about, and suddenly, she remembered
the two conversations she had earlier that day.

What was happiness? Everyone’s happiness was different. What made

Poliana happy was very different from what would make Sir Donau
happy. What would make Poliana happy would also be different than
that of Lucius the First.

But how about Poliana’s happiness compared to the other women’s?

Poliana Winter was a woman, but would the things that make other
women happy also give Poliana happiness?

Then, Poliana thought of another question. What made women happy?

Poliana remembered the women in her life. The first one she thought of
was Lady Rebecca, but she was no longer living. Poliana didn’t feel right
thinking about what would’ve made her friend happy, so she went to the
next lady in her life.

Lady Tory. Lucius the First informed Poliana that Lady Tory now had a
job. Poliana had been so busy that she didn’t send even a single letter to
Tory, explaining what was happening in her life. Poliana decided that
she should visit Tory tomorrow.

What about the twins? Poliana guessed that if the Bika sisters’
happiness was proportional to their husbands, the twins were probably
leading happy lives now. Vaxi and Vanessa were living the lives their
parents wanted for them. As long as nothing unexpected happens, the
girls would lead stable and content lives.

‘Oh, there is Liana too. I almost forgot.’

Poliana remembered her stepsister. She hadn’t thought of Liana in a

very long time. Liana married a decent man and was leading a modest
life. Poliana remembered seeing two healthy-looking children running
around. Perhaps Liana had more babies by now. Either way, Poliana
thought that it was a decent life for Liana.

Many other women crossed her mind. The wives, mothers, daughters,
and sisters of her colleagues… And then, there was Stra.

The biggest incident Poliana remembered was the phantom pregnancy.

When it happened, Lady Stra was extremely unhappy and Poliana did
not try to sympathize with her or understand her.

Marrying a good man, having babies, and forming a happy family. This
was the definition of a woman’s happiness according to most people.
Lady Bika believed that Poliana was extremely unhappy because she
didn’t have these things, but at least, she did not force this idea on
Poliana.

But Poliana wasn’t unhappy. She didn’t lie to herself about what made
her happy. Working hard for a goal, her emperor, has always been
Poliana’s definition of her happiness. Of course, at the moment, her
“goal” was holding her back a little. She had to admit that she was a tiny
bit unhappy at the moment.

Poliana always thought she would be happy to follow Lucius the First
wherever he went. She wanted to be always a step, or perhaps half a
step, behind the emperor. She would’ve been content with such life, but
now, it seemed that Lucius the First wanted her to get closer to him.

‘Oh, Dog Stew!’

Bang!

Poliana punched her pillow hard. She thought of her son who was left
back in Sitrin. If she didn’t have Dog Stew, no, Gerald, would the
emperor have confessed his love for her? He told her he hid his feelings
for her happiness, so Poliana assumed that the answer was no.

She wanted to blame Frau for everything, but she knew this wasn’t true.

‘Why did I have to drink?! Why? Why? Why!’

Poliana was now certain that alcohol was a huge hindrance to one’s
happiness.
***

The next day, Sir Donau got ready early to leave the capital city. Poliana
wanted him to stay a while longer, but she didn’t say anything. He
accompanied her all the way to Yapa, which meant he has been away
from his family for too long.

Poliana filled Sir Donau’s bags with gifts. Donau protested, “Why are you
keep putting things in my bag? I can’t take them all. There are too
many.”

“They’re bribes.”

Poliana held her hands together politely and said to him, “Please make
sure you put in good words for me to them. Make this situation as
wholesome as possible.”

She was worried about her two old superiors. If they became angry at
her… She knew Sir Bika wouldn’t come all the way to Yapa since he
was busy working as the viceroy, but Sir Baufallo certainly would be free
to come after her. Poliana could imagine Sir Baufallo traveling all the
way to the capital city just to punish her. She didn’t think she would be
able to endure the disappointment of the two older men she respected
so much.

Sir Donau said to her, “Please stay out of trouble.”

“Alright, I got it.”

“And don’t run away again. You know there isn’t any point, right? This
continent is just one big kingdom now, and it’s not that big anyway. You
should know since your hobby is studying maps.”

“I said I got it.”

“Please be happy.”

Poliana, feeling awkward, rubbed her fingers. She was well into her
thirties now. She was the head of the Winter family. She was a fully
grown woman and she had it all, yet people around her kept telling her to
find happiness. It was a very confusing situation.
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They were pressuring her to become happy!

‘Do I look that unhappy and unstable to everyone?’

Sir Donau looked at her with hopeful eyes. He knew his sister was a
capable woman, but she had a long road ahead of her. To a married
person, Poliana, a single girl, looked naïve and young. Just because he
was married now, Sir Donau felt more mature.
Poliana watched her brother leave and when he was no longer visible,
she returned to her room to get ready. She was going to visit the royal
castle, but because she was still on vacation, she couldn’t wear her blue
uniform.

Thankfully, Poliana had plenty of outfits that were appropriate for going
into the castle. When the butler saw her getting ready, he said hesitantly,
“Mistress, you have plenty of robes, so is it necessary for you to wear
those pants…”

She wasn’t dressed any differently than usual, but the butler was still
worried about what the other nobles might say. Poliana hasn’t changed,
but the way the others saw her certainly did. The butler was certain that
people will judge Poliana more harshly for her clothing.

Poliana replied coolly, “Don’t worry, I’m more powerful than most of
them.”

Chapter 322: Chapter 322

Chapter 322

There was no one in Yapa who could make a fuss about her outfit to her
face. Well, perhaps Duke Luzo had the right to do so, but Poliana knew
he was too fragile to do such a thing. The rest of the high-ranking
noblemen, who were older and possibly just as powerful as her, would
never say anything negative to her face because they knew how much
the emperor favored her. Ever since all the elders were imprisoned and
removed from their stations, the other nobles have been staying quiet
and docile. The emperor’s authority has been strengthened
tremendously after that event.

When the young ladies and maids of the castle saw Poliana, they
surrounded her excitedly.

“Have you returned to work then?”

“No, I am still on vacation.”

The maid obviously all wanted to know if the rumors were true, but none
of them had the courage to ask outright. They just followed Poliana, who
was on her way to the lady’s quarters. Her plan for today was as follows;
visit Princess Luminae, then Tory, and then Stra. If she had some time
left at the end, Poliana also wanted to visit Rebecca.

As the group got closer to the lady’s quarters, the maids became
hesitant. They were becoming too far away from their workstations, and
soon, they would have to return to their work. If they didn’t ask the
question now, they might not get another chance!

While the maids contemplated, the head of the maids suddenly

appeared. The women, when they spotted their boss, all walked away
quickly. Poliana greeted the head of the maids, “Long time no see,
Cekel… Lady Seki.”

“Just Cekel would be nice, Marquess.”

“Congratulations on your marriage, my lady.”

“Please, you don’t need to be so formal with me. I’m not a duchess yet.”

Cekel Seki, now the wife of Sir Ainno, replied calmly. Poliana studied her
because she has been worried about Cekel for a while. Cekel was
forced to marry Sir Ainno, who was a well-known jerk. Was Cekel
unhappy?

But thankfully, Cekel looked perfectly content and Poliana was relieved.

“…”

Cekel remained quiet. She has always been a woman of few words, but
Poliana could tell that there was something Cekel wanted to say. Poliana
waited patiently and after a few minutes, Cekel finally sighed and said to
her, “Good luck.”

“…thank you.”
Cekel knew what it felt like to be enthusiastically pursued by a man.
Although most women saw Poliana with envy, Cekel was well aware of
how it was not always a good thing to be loved, especially by a powerful
man such as the emperor.

It has been a little over a year since Poliana last saw Princess Luminae.
Poliana was surprised at how big the princess has grown.

Princess Luminae was beautiful in a different way than her father. While
everything about Lucius the First reminded people of the sun, his golden
hair, his pale skin, and his light eyes, the princess possessed a beautiful
combination of light and dark. Her hair was jet black against her
alabaster skin. Her eyes were dark maroon and all of her features
resembled those of her father. Princess Luminae was no doubt the most
adorable child in the kingdom.

The little girl’s eyes widened when she saw Poliana. Poliana saw the
princess often when she was here, but it is likely that the baby could not
remember those times. Poliana wasn’t bothered by the girl’s stare, but
she still felt awkward because of the wet nurses and the nannies. The
women were clearly curious about the rumors as well and Poliana
couldn’t tell how they felt. Were they upset with her, or were they okay
with the situation?

The most obvious answer was that they were unhappy. After all, Poliana
slept with her dead best friend’s husband.
“Princess Luminae, I am Poliana Winter. It has been a long time since
we last met.”

“No!”

‘No? She doesn’t like me?!’

Poliana staggered a little at the princess’s reaction. One of the maids

helped Poliana stand up while the nannies explained, “M…marquess…
The princess has been obsessed with the word ‘no’ lately…!”

“That’s right, Marquess! The princess didn’t mean anything by it. We

didn’t tell her anything about you…”

“Yes! We only told her that she will be getting a new mother soon, so it is
a good thing…”

Poliana replied, “It’s fine. I am more bothered by how hard you are trying
to explain her reaction…” Poliana didn’t say a word, yet the nannies
seemed unreasonably anxious. And they were telling the princess that
she was getting a new mother? That Poliana was going to be her new
mother?

This was not the right way to do this.

For now, without the empress and the emperor being single, Princess
Luminae was the highest-ranking woman in the kingdom. It was clear
that the women who were serving the princess needed to be trained
better.

‘Should I point this out to them or not?’

If there weren’t any rumors about the emperor and herself, Poliana
would’ve reprimanded them immediately, but at this moment, she was in
an awkward position.

‘Do they think I will be marrying the emperor?’

The princess’s maids were looking at Poliana oddly and she couldn’t tell
what they meant by it. However, the truth was that those serving the
princess were not unhappy about Poliana marrying the emperor. Having
Poliana as a mother would be better for the princess than some strange
lady. On top of that, Poliana was a good friend of Lady Rebecca and the
nannies have seen how affectionate Poliana was with the princess in the
past.

Unfortunately, Poliana had no idea the women felt this way. She felt
uncomfortable.

Princess Lumina suddenly grabbed Poliana’s sleeve again and yelled,

“No!”
The little girl pointed at one of the nannies and repeated herself, “No!”

It seemed that the nannies were telling the truth. Apparently, the
princess even said “no” to her father before, too. Poliana held the
princess in her arms and listened to the maids about how Princess
Luminae has been. After a few minutes, Poliana said to the baby, “Your
highness, I will be leaving now.”

Princess Luminae screamed, “No!”

One of the nannies explained, “I think the princess doesn’t want you to
leave. Her highness hates it when people leave her.”

“Hmm…”

Poliana looked at the princess’s bed. It was a large bed for such a little
girl, but there was only a small room left on it due to the fact that it was
filled with so many toys, handkerchiefs, and pillows.
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Poliana was certain of one thing.

‘Her Highness doesn’t like to let go of things.’

Her greed must’ve been from both her mother and her father the
emperor.

Poliana gently pulled the princess’s hands away from her. Princess
Luminae began to tear up, realizing Poliana was about to leave.

“Nooo. Poliii….”

“Yes, Princess. My name is indeed Poliana. I am not on duty at this point

so I cannot stay long, but once I return, I will be here to protect you.”

Poliana gingerly unraveled the princess’s hands from her sleeve.

Suddenly, she realized that she was treating the princess with more
kindness than her own son, Gerald. Poliana has been feeling
disappointed that she was missing out on watching the princess grow
up, and now, it seemed that she was making the same mistake with
Gerald.

Chapter 323: Chapter 323

Chapter 323

On her way to Yapa, Poliana never once worried about Gerald, but she
did feel a little guilty.
‘When I return to Sitrin, I will be nicer to him.’

Both Gerald and Princess Luminae were raised in luxury. The only
difference, perhaps, was that Lucius the First loved his daughter while
Poliana only felt dutiful towards Gerald as a parent. She even
considered bringing Gerald to Yapa and leaving him here. She knew she
was being cruel.

‘But I can’t help liking the princess more. She never negatively affected
my life while my own son does.’

If she never got pregnant, none of this would’ve happened!

Poliana took a deep breath, trying to calm down her sudden burst of
anger. She put on a kind smile and consoled Princess Luminae, who
pouted and finally let her go.

The nannies said to Poliana, “The princess likes you so much, Marquess
Winter. Once you become her mother, she will like you even more.”

“That’s right. Her highness loves you. She will be the happiest princess
once she gets a new mother.”

‘Why are they acting so enthusiastic about this?’

The nannies and the maids were especially nice to her, making Poliana
think. After a short while, Poliana finally figured it out. She was more
likely to be kind and affectionate to the princess than a random lady
chosen by the emperor. This was why the women serving the princess
obviously liked this situation. This, however, made Poliana feel even
more pressured.

As she left the princess’s room, Poliana murmured to herself, “Hmm…

Happiness…”

Lucius the First ordered to let Princess Luminae have anything she
wanted. This was why her bed and her room were filled with so many
things. Poliana remembered Lady Rebecca telling her she didn’t want a
daughter because a princess’s life was not as good as that of a prince.

Princess Luminae was going to grow into a beautiful woman. She was
young, yet her beauty was already blinding. Everyone around her loved
her. She had a doting father and although she lost her mother at a very
young age, this wasn’t an unusual thing. She was beloved and cared for.
Everyone was kind to her; the princess’s life was going to be that of
luxury and comfort.

So what was a woman’s happiness?

Most women would dream of a life of a wealthy lady. A happy lady would
begin her day by sleeping in as much as she wanted without worries.
Her days would consist of eating the delicious food made for her and
watching her children run around the beautiful garden while chatting with
her lady friends. Her home will always be kept warm by the maids and at
the end of the day, she would talk about her day in her husband’s arms.

Or did most women believe true happiness came from jewels and silks?
Or was it better to be beautiful with important blood coursing through
your veins?

Perhaps it was all of these things together that could make a woman
truly happy. And the one person Poliana knew that had them all was
Princess Luminae, but did this guarantee that she would lead a happy
life?

Poliana asked herself again.

What was a woman’s happiness? And why did she keep wondering
about a “woman’s” happiness?

Poliana was deep in her thoughts when suddenly, someone greeted her,
“Long time no see, Marquess Winter.”

It was the person Poliana has been planning to visit. Poliana felt lucky
that she ran into her, although this was expected since the lady worked
here.
Poliana wondered how she should proceed. After some brief
contemplation, Poliana greeted back, “Indeed, Baroness Leef… It feels
strange calling you by this name.”

“Haha, I know. It feels odd to be called by that name, especially by you,

Marquess.”

Lady Tory received the position of Baroness from Lucius the First a few
months ago. Now called Baroness Leef, Tory bowed to Poliana
elegantly. This could be a very awkward situation since their stations
have changed. Although Tory wasn’t Poliana’s direct superior, she still
was higher ranked than Poliana. The unspoken rule among the nobles
was to treat your past superiors with the same respect as you showed
them before.

Although this could be a very uncomfortable moment, Poliana refused to

forget all the time she spent with Tory. They were friends and this fact
will never change.

Tory said to Poliana, “There is no need for you to treat me so formally.”

“Alright.”

When Poliana grinned, Tory smiled as well. Poliana was one of Tory’s
favorite people in the world.
They walked together to Tory’s place. Tory’s room was the same as the
ones used by the castle maids. Though she may no longer be the lady of
the castle, Tory still used to be the emperor’s wife until recently. Poliana
wondered why Tory chose to live in the castle when she could’ve lived in
her own house outside the castle. She didn’t have to ask, however,
because Tory offered to explain anyway. “His highness gave me a
house, but it would’ve been too dangerous for a woman to live alone
outside.”

The Third Division was responsible for keeping the city of Yapa safe.
The capital city was a rather safe place, but Tory wasn’t referring to the
common thugs and thieves on the street. The unfortunate truth was that
Tory was the most hated lady in the noble society.

Many noblemen resented the emperor and the chancellor as well, but
these two men were impossible to get to. A single woman with no family,
however, was an easy target.

Tory was a whistleblower. Lucius the First, who gained the most from
Tory’s public outburst, was only happy to offer Tory bodyguards. Tory,
however, refused. She also was offered to stay with Sir Bentier, but Tory
didn’t want this either. Tory wanted to live alone for as long as possible.
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Tory didn’t go into details of her life and Poliana didn’t ask. Poliana
wanted to be respectful of Tory’s wishes no matter what. It was most
likely that Tory was more curious about what was happening in Poliana’s
life, but Tory was a proper lady. She didn’t ask about the latest rumors.
Poliana asked, “How’s work?”

“I am proud to be serving the royal family every day; it’s an honor.”

For someone who said she was happy with her job, Tory looked very
tired. Poliana thought, ‘It can’t be helped I guess.”

Tory was given the position of the “Inner Palace Management Officer,”
which was a brand-new job that never existed before. It was created by
the emperor to help the mistress of the castle run the palace. Before,
when the emperor was unmarried, the lady’s quarters were managed by
the head of the maids and the head of the servants, but now, Tory, as
the Inner Palace Management Officer, was to run the place.

Based on the job description alone, Tory was above the heads of the
maids and the servants. Tory was, however, only a baroness at this
point while the heads of the maids and the servants belonged to many
powerful families. For example, Cekel, the current head of the maids,
was going to be the future Duchess Seki.

So, who would obey a young woman such as Tory, a notorious snitch
who betrayed her own family and so many other Acreian noblemen?

Chapter 324: Chapter 324

Chapter 324
In a way, Tory was probably having a tougher time than Poliana lately.
Poliana climbed up from the bottom to get where she was. The other
knights respected the time she spent on the battlefields, especially
because they witnessed her talent. Tory, however, was a different story.
She was given her current position by the emperor and she hasn’t
proven herself yet. People respected the emperor and therefore followed
Tory’s orders to an extent, but Tory had a long way to go before she
gained their respect and acceptance as well. Poliana thought
sympathetically, ‘She’s probably having a really hard time right now.’ If it
was Rebecca, she would’ve screamed, “This is too hard! I hate this! I
hope everyone dies!” If it was Stra, she would’ve just cried.’

But this was Tory, and Tory chose to endure it quietly. She refused to
share her hardships with anyone.

Poliana murmured, “It must be tough…” She was giving Tory a chance
to rant, but Tory shook her head and replied, “Stra is helping me out a
lot, so it’s okay. You heard Stra became the second head of the maids,
right?”

“Yes, I heard about it when I got here.”

Originally, Lucius the First offered the same position to Stra as he gave
to Tory. Stra, however, refused, feeling uncomfortable with the position
that never existed before. She said she would rather take a well-known
position, and in the end, she became the head of the maids.
‘Oh my god.’

Poliana was surprised to hear the details. Her butler only told her that
Stra became the head of the maids, but he didn’t tell her how she came
to this position. Poliana couldn’t believe how generous her emperor was
in hiring his ex-wives. There was even a rumor that the emperor was in
love with them.

In a way, Poliana was also impressed with both ladies, who agreed to
work in the castle.

‘I guess they are stronger than I thought.’

Poliana asked, “Then Stra is here as well…?”

“Yes, she works mostly in the lady’s quarters. She said she is too busy
today to join us, but she would really appreciate it if you drop by to see
her.”

Tory suddenly smiled and added, “Speaking of Stra… She told me that
she knew about this for a long time.”

“Umm… about what?”

“How his highness is in love with you, Marquess.”

So finally, Tory brought up the topic of the year. This was especially
strange since it was the ex-wife of the emperor who was talking about
this subject.

Poliana became rigid, shocked, and uncertain. She would’ve preferred if

Tory threw a cup of cold water at her or even slapped her. Poliana
tensed, but Tory just sighed. It wasn’t that Tory was angry at Poliana.
Tory explained, “Haa… I can’t believe how slow I have been. It was
happening right in front of my eyes, so how could I not have noticed it?
I’m ashamed of myself. Stra said she had known from the very
beginning. She said that every time his highness looked at you, his eyes
would shine brightly…”

“Not me. I wasn’t like that.”

When Poliana replied edgily, Tory laughed and continued, “If you were
the one in love, we would’ve all known about it immediately. I think it
would’ve been very obvious.”

Tory thought it was a good thing that it wasn’t Poliana who fell in love
with the emperor first. In fact, this was a very good thing. If this knightess
fell in love with the emperor first, this story would’ve ended tragically.
Tory was certain of it because she knew that Poliana the knightess, who
was honest and obedient to the emperor, wouldn’t have been able to
accept her own feelings.
Tory said to her, “I realize that we, Stra and I, have no right to bring up
such a subject, even if it is the most popular rumor nowadays.”

Well… Actually, the ex-wives of the emperor probably had more rights
than most to bring up this very subject, but Tory smiled and continued,
“But we still wanted to talk to you about it as your friend. Stra loves this
situation, by the way. She said she has been secretly hoping for
something like this to happen for a long time.”

Poliana blinked slowly. So in addition to the princess’s maids, the

emperor’s ex-wives were all for Poliana marrying the emperor. Why were
people okay with this situation? Why was everyone happy for her?
Poliana couldn’t believe it. She desperately wished someone would
come up to her now and scream at her about how wrong this was.

When Poliana didn’t say anything, Tory added, “I’m going to remain
neutral until you make your decision. Whatever you do, I will support you
completely, Marquess”

Tory was now the second ally, next to Sir Donau, but Tory’s reason for
her support was different from that of Donau.

“Marquess Winter, Stra thinks that the happiness of you and his
highness would be the best outcome, but I feel a little differently. Even if
you choose the path that might lead you to unhappiness, I want you to
be the one making this decision. Even if you choose the path that will no
doubt bring you sadness, as long as you have a logical reason behind it,
I am sure it will be the right decision.”
Tory gave up a comfortable life on purpose. If anyone else gave this
opinion to Poliana, it would’ve been inappropriate, but Tory was the one
person who could say such a thing without sounding fake.

“And Marquess, I also heard about the birth of the prince. What an
honor.”
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“Umm… Does Stra know about that too?”

“No, this fact will remain a secret to most people for a while longer. I was
told only because my position requires me to know these things. Once
you marry the emperor, I will be there to take care of many things for
you. Oh, now that I think about it, perhaps his highness created my
position in order to help you, Marquess, in case things happen the way
he wants. He might have done it subconsciously or intentionally.”

“Well, at that time, I was actually preparing my wedding with Frau Sneke,
so I don’t think his highness would’ve been thinking about me…”

This was definitely not something Poliana thought of before. If Tory was
right… It wouldn’t matter if it was intentional or not. Poliana couldn’t help
feeling guilty. Tory was very proud of her position. If she wasn’t the exwife of
the emperor, things wouldn’t feel so complicated to Poliana.
Fortunately for her, Tory didn’t care about these things at all, and she
had one more thing to tell Poliana, “Of course. His highness is a very
thoughtful man, however. I think that perhaps since he wanted to marry
you, but he thought he couldn’t, he probably considered marrying
someone like you. And if he did, then he would need someone like me to
help the future empress. But there is something else I want to tell you.
Please don’t forget that the choice is yours. It is your right.”

“The choice?”

“Yes, you’re not the one being chosen; you are the one choosing.”

Chapter 325: Chapter 325

Chapter 325

Many ladies in the past told Poliana that she should find a man who
could satisfy everyone’s expectations.

“Marquess Winter, you are one of the very few women, perhaps the only
one, who has the right to choose her own husband. So we hope you
marry someone amazing.”

But what Tory was telling her right now wasn’t the same thing. The
definition of a “good husband material” in most ladies’ minds was the
same as that of a “good wife material” except for the gender.
A good husband material was someone young, good looking, from a
good family, kind, and talented.

The ladies thought that since Poliana was a successful and powerful
woman, she had the right to get a “perfect” husband. If this was the
case, there could be no one better than Lucius the First. He was
certainly gorgeous, talented, and from the best family, there was. In fact,
Poliana should’ve been honored.

The problem was that it wasn’t Poliana who “chose” this. She was
“chosen.” Normally, a woman would’ve bowed with great appreciation.

But Tory advised Poliana, “It doesn’t matter if you have a prince with the
emperor. Your right to choose does not change.”

“Your way of thinking is a little bit too progressive. The fact is, I cannot
have Gerald remain a bastard.”

“Then what were your plans when you ran away to Sitrin?”

Poliana replied quickly, “I was going to forge the papers.”

“Then, you can still do that.”

The head of the Second Division and the ex-wife of the emperor casually
chatted about illegally forging government papers. Poliana replied, “But I
was caught. It’s too late now.”

“No, it’s not. If you act strong, his highness won’t be able to do anything
about it. You have all the power, Marquess. This is your choice and no
one else’s.”

Tory bowed and apologized quietly before continuing, “What I am about

to say may sound cruel, so forgive me. But here are the facts. The death
rate of children in this world is very high. There could be an unexpected
accident or a plague, which doesn’t discriminate between commoners
and nobles. Lady Rebecca’s sister, who was a princess of her own
kingdom, drowned. One of my relatives had five children but only two of
them survived to become adults. Just because you had a baby, and just
because your son is the child of the emperor, doesn’t mean you should
give up your right to choose. I really hope you don’t.”

“…”

Poliana never realized that Tory was even more radical than Rebecca.
At the same time, Tory was also very cold.

Oftentimes, people equated being cold to being rational. Tory was the
most rational and emotional person Poliana knew. Tory was realistic, but
it was her passionate nature that made her choose the unknown life over
her comfortable one.
Tory’s difficulty in life did not end just with the loss of her station. The
conflict at work was also not the hardest thing Tory had to go through.
What Tory found most challenging in her current situation was her
relationship with other people.

Tory betrayed her own people in front of everyone. The proof of her
claim was the conversations she remembered from the past. After this
incident, Tory’s intelligence made people nervous, and her ability to
remember made them feel suspicious of her.

Tory made everyone change how women were seen in the kingdom. A
woman was no longer just an animal that could walk on two feet. A
woman was no longer just a silent property like a house or a carriage.
Men saw, for the first time, that a woman had a mouth; a mouth not only
just to eat but to speak.

The problem was, half the population was women, which meant it was
impossible for the men to be wary of every woman. It would be too timeconsuming. It
would also mean that they would have to give up
everything they believed in. So the men of Acreia decided to believe the
easiest explanation they could come up with.

Tory was an exception.

Sadly, the other women did the same. They did not wish to become
untrusted by the men. It was going to make their lives too complicated,
so in the end, the women decided to ignore Tory as well.
Everyone chose to see Tory as an exception and nothing more.

A special case.

Thankfully, Stra did not listen to the suggestions of those around her.
Everyone thought she should move away, but instead, she returned to
Yapa. She was going to keep her promise to take care of Princess
Luminae, and to help Tory, she chose to become the head of the maids.
Cekel, who also became the head of the maids, was happy to interact
with Tory, but everyone else… They chose to ignore Tory.

Tory became the one person who people decided they could never
share their secrets. Her reputation was ruined beyond repair. People
didn’t even bother to insult her or show contempt. Instead, they did the
worst thing that could be done to a person.

People ignored Tory.

The maids and the servants followed Tory’s orders, but they did not
respond in any way. Even when Tory ordered the wrong thing, they did
not correct her.

Tory was the most distrusted figure in the kingdom, yet it was she who
Lucius the First trusted enough to reveal the existence of his son,
Gerald. She should’ve been appreciative and supported the emperor
without question, but Tory chose to do something else. She decided to
support Poliana to make her own decision because Tory remembered
that it was actually Poliana who trusted her first. Even if Poliana chose
the wrong path… Tory was going to be there for her.

“To be honest, it would be a good thing for me for you to become the
next empress, Marquess Winter, because I know you will give me the
power to handle everything in the lady’s quarters. This will make my
place here more solid and meaningful. Even if you chose to take control,
you would still need my help because I know much more about running
this place than you do, but do not think too much about how other
people, including myself, feel about this situation. The most important
thing is what you want, Marquess. You are not a bird trapped in a cage.
You are free to choose whatever you wish.”

Even before Tory broke out of her own birdcage, Poliana has always
been a free person. If Poliana chose to go into the cage because of the
egg she laid inside, that was going to be her choice and Tory would
support it. however, it would be such a sad thing if Poliana felt like she
had no choice other than this just because she felt responsible for her
child. Even if Poliana chose to be free, there were going to be plenty of
people who are only happy to raise Gerald. Everyone probably told
Poliana she was needed to raise Gerald and make things right, but this
wasn’t true. Everyone knew this but refused to tell Poliana.

A bird inside a cage. A flower inside the greenhouse. A fish inside a

bowl.

A woman trapped inside the walls…

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Poliana wondered, “Am I actually about to walk into the inside of the
walls…”

The place Rebecca was so desperate to escape… Was Poliana about to

make the biggest mistake of her life? She couldn’t tell. Just because she
had a baby… The fact that she believed marriage was a necessity
meant she was trapping herself?

If Gerald didn’t resemble Lucius the First so much, it would’ve been an

easy matter to fix. Just a few forged papers would’ve been enough.

Tory shook her head and replied, “You can choose to marry the emperor
if you wish, Marquess. What I am telling you isn’t that you should not. I
am telling you that you can do anything you want; you are free to
choose.”

“It’s just that if I choose to get married, I might feel guilty even though I
am not doing anything wrong… I might feel like I lost.”

“Please don’t think that way. This is your choice and if anyone says
otherwise, you let me know and I will punch them in the face.”

When Tory clenched her fists bravely, Poliana laughed.

Chapter 326: Chapter 327

Chapter 327

The emperor refused to take his eyes off of the mirror. Inside, a man of
perfect beauty was smiling back at him. People sighed in ecstasy as
they admired him, but to Lucius the First, what he saw in the mirror was
not enough.

Firstly, his skin did not shine as much as it used to. After he got married,
he worked constantly, wanting to forget Poliana. During this time, his
skin aged terribly, and the emperor regretted his bad decision. He
should’ve known better.

A new chapter in his life was beginning and he needed to make himself
more beautiful in order to seduce Poliana. Lucius the First believed that
his beauty was the greatest weapon he had to make Poliana fall in love
with him. Everyone knew that Poliana was the knight who was most
proud of the emperor’s looks. Lucius the First was ready to use whatever
was necessary.

Sir Ainno shook his head and argued, “I hate to disagree with you, your
highness, but I really don’t think the marquess is going to fall for it.”

No! That can’t be! Lucius the First wanted to deny it, but Sir Ainno shook
his head again. If Poliana was going to fall in love with the emperor just
for his beauty, she would’ve done it a long time ago. She would’ve, in
fact, be seduced by him the very first moment she saw him.
The emperor replied, “It’s okay even if she isn’t madly in love with me.
What is most important is to make her feel good whenever she sees
me.”

Lucius the First’s plan was simple. He was going to show her the things
she never experienced before. He was going to make her feel the kind of
happiness she never felt. This was his strategy. His hope was that slowly
when she learned how great is to be loved, she would be more
accepting of him. She might even come to love him.

Poliana was a noblewoman who had never felt the love of a family
before. This was probably why she did not know how to give love as a
family. Just look at how she treated Gerald. Poliana showed much more
affection towards Princess Luminae than her own son!

Poliana loved power and wealth. To make her want to marry him, the
emperor should’ve enlightened her about the kind of power she would
wield as the empress rather than confess his love to her.

He was going to let Poliana know the kind of power she never had
before.

The power of a high-ranking noble lady.

Currently, women did not hold much power in Acreia. Normally, an

empress would be respected as the most important lady of the land, but
she still did not have any authority.
This was, however, going to change. If necessary, Lucius the First was
willing to actively make it happen. When Tory ordered the guards, no
one obeyed. But the emperor was going to make sure that Poliana, as
the empress, would have the same power over the guards as he did.
She would be the very first empress to hold such power. The emperor
was certain Poliana would be an amazing ruler.

Sir Ainno said to him, “Good luck.” He still did not think the emperor
could pull this off. In history, women have always belonged to men, first
to their fathers and then their husbands. Poliana was a rare exception.
She achieved her own power as an independent woman, and she loved
being who she was. She would certainly gain a little more power when
she became the empress, but would this be enough? Normally, Sir
Ainno always tried to think positively when it came to the emperor’s
suggestions, but in this matter, he couldn’t agree. Sir Ainno believed his
friend was making a mistake. Instead of trying to win her over, Sir Ainno
thought that the emperor should try to trap Poliana. A man must do what
he must for love, right?

The emperor said to his friend, “And the thing is, my Pol has no immunity
against men. Except for that jerk Frau, she hasn’t had much experience
and I am going to use this to my advantage. She has begun to see me
as a man and she will be mine.”

Lucius the First remembered very well how Poliana used to blush when
the handsome royal guards treated her like a lady. It took everything he
had to hide his jealousy and envy.
Now, he finally had a chance to be with her. He knew better than any
man how to treat a lady right and he was going to make her blush.

While the emperor imagined all the things he was going to do, Sir Ainno
watched him curiously. It was a rare sight to see Lucius the First acting
like a lovesick schoolboy. The emperor was acting abnormally, and Sir
Ainno finally looked away.

Why did the emperor love Poliana so much?

Sir Ainno, in the past, wouldn’t have understood the emperor at all, but
now, he had to admit that he could sympathize with Lucius the First,
even if just a little. Love was such a scary illness. Even though a man
knew he was acting stupid, a man in love was helpless in stopping
himself.

‘Pool Lucius…’

Sir Ainno looked at his friend and thought secretly, ‘I hope he gets
dumped.’

Even if he does, Poliana would have no choice but to marry the emperor.
Because she gave birth to a prince, marriage was necessary to make
him legitimate. The first-born son of the emperor could not remain a
bastard. If Poliana wanted to get a divorce later, that was her choice.
Suddenly, a bell rang, indicating someone was here to visit the emperor.
With Lucius the First’s permission, Master Chail entered and informed
the emperor who was here.

“It’s the first Lady Seki.”

“Let her in.”

There were two Lady Sekis living in Yapa. One was Sir Ainno’s wife
while the other was Sir Jainno’s; Duke Seki the Senior’s wife, Sir Ainno,
and Sir Jainno’s mother, lived in Nanaba now.

To avoid confusion, people called Sir Ainno’s wife the first Lady Seki
while Sir Jainno’s wife was the second Lady Seki.
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Cekel entered and bowed respectfully. Sir Ainno, whose face has been
like a cold statue, lighted up immediately. He walked up to his wife and
asked politely, “Dear wife, please give me the honor of allowing me to
kiss your beautiful hand.”

“Please stop doing this in front of his highness.”

“Who cares, wife? He is a friend.”

Cekel couldn’t help feeling awkward and embarrassed. ‘But he’s your
friend, not mine!’

Sir Ainno didn’t care. He enthusiastically and lovingly kissed the back of
Cekel’s hand and looked up. Before Cekel could stop him, he also
kissed his wife’s two cheeks and her forehead before tucking her hair
behind her ear.

“You look so lovely as usual, my wife.”

Sir Ainno was clearly in love. This honeymoon phase was suiting him
very well and Lucius the First watched in jealousy. Was his friend acting
this way on purpose in front of him? The emperor chewed his lower lips
and thought, ‘I am dying of envy! I am going to do the same thing with
Pol! Soon! Very soon! You’ll see!’

Chapter 327: Chapter 326

Chapter 326

Even after leaving Tory’s room, Poliana couldn’t stop thinking about their
conversation. She was impressed when Tory said she would support her
even if Poliana chose the path that would lead to an unhappy life.
Poliana also liked the fact that Tory understood how an unhappy life
could still come from the right decision. Tory said that as long as one
could find pride in one’s life, it had to be worth living.

‘I think of all people, Tory must know what pride is.’

Poliana had plenty of pride in herself too. She was proud to be a knight
who served the emperor. She was one of the fighters who followed
Lucius the First to the end of this continent.

Unfortunately, her pride only extended to herself as a knight and not as a

person. Was it because she wasn’t worthy? Poliana felt especially down
at the moment after the emperor confessed his love to her.

Poliana kept walking until she arrived at her destination. This was the
place she planned to visit if she had any time left today.

Rebecca’s grave.

Only those with royal blood could be buried inside the castle. The Bikpa
royal family members were buried at the far end of the castle so a new
burial site was created for the Acreian royals. It was said that the very
first one to be buried here was a young wife of the emperor. It would’ve
been worse if it was a child, but still, this did not make the situation any
better.
Poliana put down the flowers and a bottle of wine in front of the grave. If
Rebecca was still alive, how would she react?

“Pfft.”

Poliana laughed. She could help it.

The emperor Poliana knew was strangely innocent and pure. If he was
still married to any of his wives, Poliana knew he would’ve never
confessed his love to her. If Tory and Stra left him and Rebecca was the
only remaining wife, the emperor would’ve made her his empress.

Lucius the First was willing to remove Tory as his wife for a political
reason, but he wasn’t the kind of man who would abandon his wife
because he loved another. He was a kind man and although some
thought it was a weakness, Poliana liked this side of him.

‘But I am a little bothered by the fact that he was so nice to the ladies
when he was supposedly in love with me. Hmm… He’s kind of a
playboy.’

He was the emperor, and the best one there was, which meant that he
had all the right in the world to enjoy the beautiful women. Poliana
understood this but still felt strange about it.
She contemplated long and hard and she finally came up with an answer
to why she didn’t feel right about it. It was the fact that Lucius the First
left the woman he loved alone and married the other ladies instead.
Normally, didn’t men be impatient when it came to love? Didn’t men go
right into action for the women they loved? Was it normal for a man to be
so patient and wait this long?

Only when the woman in question was married or too young.

‘So why did his highness…’

Poliana sighed and looked at Rebecca’s grave. She bowed in apology,

realizing that she should be focusing on Rebecca rather than her own
problems.

“If you were still alive…”

What would’ve happened if Rebecca was still living? Would Princess

Luminae’s bed have been a little neater perhaps? Lady Rebecca
would’ve taught her daughter that although it was good to be greedy,
she should learn to hide it from others.

‘And Rebecca would’ve been so happy about Tory becoming Baroness

Leef.’
Tory was the second woman to hold her own title that was not earned by
marriage. It was not a high-ranking position and it only came with the
job, but still, it was a memorable occasion. Poliana was no longer the
only woman with her own title. She was no longer the one and only
exception. Tory’s title meant that it was possible for more women to gain
their own ranks.

But then… If Rebecca was still alive, would things have happened this
way? Probably not. Lucius the First wouldn’t have offered Tory this
position. He only did this because he no longer had any wife to take care
of the inner palace. If Rebecca was still alive, she would’ve become the
mistress of the royal palace and there would’ve been no need for this
new position.

As expected, the dead did not speak. Rebecca did not answer Poliana’s
questions. The knightess looked lonely as she stood in front of her
friend’s grave. She lost the friend she needed to spill her secrets. This
unexpected loneliness was not a welcoming event.

Poliana has never been perfect. Every year, she believed she hoped she
would become wiser, but it never seemed to be enough. When she was
young, she thought becoming an adult would mean she knew the world,
but Poliana learned that this wasn’t the case. She was all grown up now,
but she still felt like a little girl inside.

In public, she acted confident and capable, but when she was alone, she
couldn’t help thinking about her decisions over and over again. The
doubts and regrets were constant unpleasantness in her life.
Did everyone feel this way or was it just her? Was she somehow more
lacking than the most?

What is a choice? What is happiness? What did the emperor mean when
he said he was going to make sure she learned what true happiness
was?

***

While Poliana contemplated deeply, the emperor, the cause of all her
problems, wasn’t thinking at all.

“Hahaha! I am so happy that I was born beautiful!”

A woman’s happiness… A woman’s choice… The emperor had no time

to even consider these deep meaningful questions. His thoughts were
simple. All he wanted to do was date Poliana. He wanted to love her and
show her his affection. He wanted to give everything to Poliana.
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Lucius the First’s focus was on seducing Poliana, which meant that
making himself even more beautiful was his priority. He studied himself
in the mirror and announced, “A smart person always uses his strength
to his advantage. Hahaha.” The emperor looked satisfied while Sir Ainno
looked sour. The knight admitted that his friend was indeed handsome,
but it was still very hard to watch the emperor acting this way.
Sir Ainno said to him, “If she was the type that cared about looks, she
would’ve fallen in love with you a long time ago.”

“Inno, you don’t know anything.”

Lucius the First smirked and continued, “There is a huge difference

between a beauty just standing around and that same beauty smiling at
you directly.”

“Is that so?” Sir Ainno smirked back.

The emperor thought he was much wiser when it came to love, but the
undeniable truth was that Sir Ainno, although inexperienced with women,
was able to marry the woman he loved. He was able to capture her into
marriage, which was a legally binding contract. There was, of course, the
pesky possibility of a divorce, but Sir Ainno was doing his best to make
sure his beloved wife never leaves him.

Meanwhile, all the emperor was doing was just admiring himself in the
mirror.

Chapter 328: Chapter 328

Chapter 328
Lucius the First writhed in envy at Sir Ainno. He continued to chew on
his lower lip until the emperor realized a bloody lip wouldn’t help his
beauty. He stopped immediately.

Meanwhile, Cekel slapped her husband’s hand as he continued to kiss

her. She then approached the emperor and made her report. Currently,
Cekel was serving two positions. In addition to being the head of the
maids, unofficially, Cekel also was a member of the Intelligence Unit.
Lucius the First decided that Cekel would do a better job than her
brother, Sir Deke, who could be absent-minded sometimes. The
emperor already gave jobs to Stra and Tory, so he thought it would be
perfectly alright to hire Cekel secretly.

So far, Lucius the First was pleased with Cekel’s work. She was a logical
and sensible woman who did not believe in silliness. She did not waste
her time gossiping with Master Chail or enjoy sending cryptic messages
like some members of the Intelligence Unit did. So far, Sir Deke was the
one who mainly collected the information and Cekel mostly worked as
the middle person who reported to the emperor. Cekel was a very
efficient messenger and never wasted the emperor’s time.

Cekel said to him, “Your highness, Marquess Winter is headed towards

Lady Rebecca’s grave.”

“Hmm… I see.”
A bitter smile appeared on the emperor’s face. In the royal grave site
located in the old capital city of Nanaba, there were many graves of his
ancestors. In Yapa, however, there was only one. It saddened him
greatly that it was that of his young wife.

Lucius the First couldn’t help feeling guilty. His wife died giving birth to
his daughter… And now, he was courting her best friend. At least, he
had one excuse. His love for Poliana began long before Rebecca and
Poliana became friends.

“Lady Cekel, how are the nobles reacting to the rumor?”

“Most of them are showing positive reactions. Those who genuinely wish
for the good of the kingdom are worried about Marquess Winter’s
bareness, but they are not against the marriage itself. Those who are
more suspicious believe this whole thing is a scheme to strengthen your
power, your highness, but even these people are not against the
marriage.”

The one who had the most power in the suspicious group was Duke
Luzo, but once he heard about Gerald, he kept quiet. As soon as he
learned that Poliana gave birth to the emperor’s heir, he was all for the
marriage.

When Sir Bentier heard about Gerald, he sighed and asked about the
wedding plan. Lucius the First wanted his and Poliana’s wedding to be
the biggest and the most extravagant event ever. Now that the elders
were gone, there was no one who would disagree with the emperor,
which was a pleasant surprise to Lucius the First. But this was how
things were supposed to work. He was the emperor of the entire
continent, which meant he should be treated with the utmost respect.

Lucius the First, however, could not help but feel suspicious of the
noblemen’s reaction. They were talking about the emperor’s new wife,
which was a huge deal, yet no one had an opinion about it? If this trend
continued, it meant that whatever the emperor decides to do in the future
will not be met with opposition. Lucius the First decided that this did not
mean he should relax. It just meant that he should put more thoughts
into his decisions. He needed to become more careful and alert.

“I never forced any of the nobles from keeping quiet…”

“Your highness, everyone believes that you have a thoughtful logic

behind this decision.”

Sir Ainno chuckled and muttered, “Thoughtful logic? That’s funny.”

What a rude knight! To be rude to the emperor like this, especially in

front of his wife! Lucius the First threw a paperweight at Sir Ainno. The
royal paperweight was very heavy with a pointy end. It could be very
dangerous to throw such a thing at someone, but Lucius the First wasn’t
trying to hurt his friend. It was their habit of throwing this paperweight
around. Sir Ainno always caught it and threw it back at the emperor as a
joke.

Smack!
The pointy end of the paperweight hit the middle of Sir Ainno’s forehead!
The knight groaned loudly, “Argh!” Lucius the First yelled in shock,
“Inno!”

Cekel ran towards her husband in shock, “Husband! Oh my god! Are you
alright?” Sir Ainno slowly but purposely leaned towards his wife, so he
was in Cekel’s embrace. Sir Ainno’s movement was so natural that the
emperor almost fell for it.

‘Wait a minute! There is no way that Inno would stagger like that just
from the paperweight!’

The emperor saw right through his friend, but Cekel had no idea. She
caressed her husband as she said to the emperor, “Your highness, I
understand that my husband’s comment was rude, but I don’t believe
throwing the paperweight at him was the right punishment.”

The play of throwing the paperweight back and forth only happened
when the emperor and Sir Ainno were alone. Lucius the First found this
situation so unfair that he couldn’t even come up with an excuse.

“I… I…”

Cekel continued, “You could’ve suspended him, or if you found him

unforgivable, you could even order him whipped. But throwing the
paperweight like that… That was uncalled for, your highness.”
“But he…”

Sir Ainno was Cekel’s husband now, so she naturally took his side. In
addition, if one only saw what happened just now, everyone would agree
that Lucius the First was wrong in this situation. Even if he was the
emperor, throwing things in anger was not a good habit.

Sir Ainno, still happily in Cekel’s arms, put his hand on his forehead as if
in pain. The emperor could tell his friend was only acting, but he couldn’t
say anything.

Sir Ainno was clearly doing everything possible to gain Cekel’s sympathy
and affection. Everyone knew that Sir Ainno was the toughest man out
there. He often said that a man should never show that he was in pain,
yet here he was, groaning and moaning.

Sir Ainno said to his wife weakly, “My dear, it’s okay. It is all my fault.”

“I can’t believe it hit you right in the forehead… Are you ok?”

“I think I’m feeling a little dizzy.”

“Oh no…”
Sir Ainno gave a knowing look to the emperor. They were friends long
enough for Lucius the First to know what Sir Ainno wanted from him. The
emperor gritted his teeth. He used to joke about how Sir Ainno was the
type who would betray his friend for love, and it seemed that this was
really happening.
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The emperor shivered in loneliness, envy, and frustration. Lucius the

First murmured finally, “You should both go home early today. If you
don’t feel better by tomorrow, you may stay home, Sir Ainno. You too,
Lady Cekel. You are his wife so you should be by his side to take care of
him.”

Indeed, the honeymooners should stay in bed all day tomorrow perhaps.

The emperor scratched at his desk in loneliness. He needed Poliana, not

just because he was lonely, but he also wanted to gossip about Sir
Ainno with her. If Poliana was here, she would’ve told Cekel what was
happening. Poliana would’ve told her exactly how Sir Ainno was lying to
his wife’s face. Cekel trusted Poliana, so she would’ve believed the
knightess.

The emperor needed his most loyal knight. His knightess Poliana Winter.

He needed to get to work immediately. There was no time for him to

mope around. Look at his friend! Sir Ainno was doing whatever it took to
make his wife like him. He even betrayed his emperor and friend! Lucius
the First wanted to hit Sir Ainno, but he also knew there was much he
needed to learn from his friend.

‘Poliana!’

There was no time to be patient now.

Chapter 329: Chapter 329

Chapter 329

Lucius the First went in search of Poliana. It wasn’t a very difficult quest
since Poliana Winter was the most famous figure inside the Yapa castle
at the moment. Everyone who spotted Poliana remembered her and
talked about her. Lucius the First followed her trail easily. When he
asked people where they last saw her, they answered and gossiped
about it afterward.

Meanwhile, Poliana was chatting with her guards. They asked her,
“Boss, what is your secret to success?”

“Boss, tell us everything that happened!”

“When would you like us to give you your retirement party?”

Poliana has been feeling guilty for abandoning and neglecting her
Second Division due to a personal reason. When she visited the Second
Division breakroom, she was swarmed by her men.

They welcomed her and closed the door quickly. They had so many
questions for their boss, and because Poliana felt guilty, she let them
trap her in the room until their curiosity was appeased.

Let the questioning period begin!

Poliana was shocked to find out that her men were true believers of the
rumor. The guards of the Second Division were in love with the story of
how Lucius the First fell for their boss. When they prodded her for
details, Poliana was flabbergasted as she replied, “You really believed
that rumor that his highness is infatuated with me? You men are the
royal guards of Acreia, so how could you be swayed by such a silly
story?”

“But boss, we are indeed the royal guards; we are the knights who
provided personal protection for the emperor! We have heard and seen
the truth, so how could we not believe it?”

When the guards of the Second Division heard the rumor, they actually
were suspicious of it. It wasn’t because Poliana was their boss but
because they knew her well. Her guards knew Poliana much better than
most of the high-ranking noblemen. While the nobles knew Poliana as
the marquess, her men knew her as their boss as the head of the
Second Division. In reality, Poliana was more a knight than a marquess.
So when the men first heard the rumor, they assumed that it was spread
for a political purpose. They were sad to see Poliana retire, but if it was
what the emperor wished, it couldn’t be helped.

But then… These knights learned the truth soon after. The First Division
was returned to their old posts and the Second Division knights were
called to provide the emperor and the princess their protection. When
the knights worked close to the emperor, they quickly learned that Lucius
the First was indeed in love; he didn’t make an effort to hide his feelings.

The emperor was really in love with their boss!

Of course, there were still a few in the Second Division who were
suspicious of the emperor’s true intention. Unless his highness had a
strange taste, how could he fall in love with such an ugly woman as
Poliana? This didn’t make sense at all!

But the face the emperor made whenever Poliana’s name was
mentioned clearly indicated that his feelings for her were deep. So how
was it that no one realized this until now?

‘We had no idea!’

The knights didn’t know. Poliana herself was ignorant of it. Even though
Poliana spent so much time with the emperor, she never suspected a
thing.
According to Lucius the First’s confession, his love for Poliana began at
the cliff after he conquered the world. No one knew about this until the
emperor explained the details.

No one except for Stra.

Although some of the guards were still doubtful, no one in the Second
Division was against this marriage. To be honest, Poliana felt a little
betrayed when the men asked her, “So when will be the wedding?”

‘I thought they didn’t want me to retire!’

Since the empress of the kingdom could not also be the head of a
military division, her marriage meant she had to retire. In the past,
whenever she joked that she was going to retire, her men used to
protest, “But Boss! You need to stay here for another 30 years! You
need to be here for a long time so you can teach my son when he
becomes a knight himself!”

She missed these times.

Her second in command grinned, asking if he was going to be the next

head of the Second Division. She understood his excitement since she
herself used to be in his shoes. It was a good thing to give young men a
chance to climb the ladder.
But Poliana couldn’t help feeling upset. She asked, “I thought you guys
didn’t want me to retire.”

The men, dense as usual, said with smiles, “Boss, it’s time you become
happy.”

This again! Happiness… Stupid happiness… F*cking happiness…

The knights told her it was time she became happy. She needed to
become happy. So did this mean she has been unhappy this whole
time? Poliana asked, “So marrying his highness will make me happy?”

“Well, why wouldn’t you be? The young and beautiful emperor is in love
with you!”

Poliana wanted to ask them if a young and beautiful lady’s love will make
them happy, but she didn’t bother. She knew the answer. She knew all
of the men would nod and say such a thing will certainly make them
ecstatic.

“Boss! Think about your age! This is going to be your last chance that a
man falls in love with you!”

“Come on! Be serious! This is probably her FIRST and the last chance!”
“But what about that doctor?”

“He was after her money! His highness is genuinely in love with her!”

“I just can’t believe why! The emperor has such a strange taste! Why did
he fall in love with the boss?”

“When a man and a woman spend a lot of time for a long while,
sometimes love can develop.”

“But we never fell in love with the boss even though we spent a lot of
time with her!”

“Love does not require logic or reason. You love someone just because
you do. Period. His highness loves our boss so much that he doesn’t
even notice her face; it must be true love.”

‘Bastards.’

They knew she was no longer going to be their boss, which must’ve
been why they were talking so rudely.
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Poliana thought in annoyance, ‘I was going to be nice to them because I
have been absent for so long, but this won’t do. They need to be taught
a lesson.’

She was about to order them to straighten up when suddenly, there was
someone at the door.

Knock knock.

The door opened with permission but none of the knights could become
angry at the intruder because the one who entered the room was the
most beautiful being in the kingdom. The golden figure resembling a fairy
appeared and asked, “Is Sir Pol here?”

All the knights kneeled immediately and yelled, “Greetings to your

highness!” The men thought in shock, ‘Oh my god! Did his highness
come all the way here to see our boss?!’

The men were excited about this unexpected event. They were also
excited to tell their wives about it when they returned home tonight.

While the guards couldn’t stop grinning, Poliana couldn’t look directly at
the emperor. She thought she was now used to his beauty, especially
after witnessing him yesterday when he was dolled up, but she realized
that she was mistaken. Lucius the First was even more beautiful today.
Chapter 330: Chapter 330

Chapter 330

Lucius the First’s beauty had always been Poliana’s pride and joy… until
he began to seduce her.

Lucius the First asked her, “You came into the castle, yet were you not
going to visit me, Sir Pol?”

“I did, your highness.”

“Good, then I would like you to spare me some of your time.”

“Of course.”

Lucius the First raised his hand. The way he moved was so elegant that
it took a long time for Poliana to realize what he meant by it. The knights
around them murmured in shock as they also realized that the emperor
was offering to escort Poliana.
Poliana took a step back in shock and the emperor asked, “Are you to
leave me hanging like this?”

“I can walk just fine on my own, your highness!”

All Poliana said was she would spend some time with him. She never
agreed to have physical contacts! Poliana ran out of the break room past
the emperor in embarrassment. Lucius the First laughed and said to the
guards, “Isn’t she adorable? Don’t you guys think so too?”

The emperor was so proud of her. He found Poliana delightful in every

way, but no one in the room agreed and kept their silence.

Lucius the First, feeling awkward, coughed. How come no one else
could see how cute Poliana was? Well, it didn’t matter. Only he knew the
truth, which meant he was going to be the only one who got to enjoy
Poliana.

After the emperor left, as soon as the door closed behind him, the
knights began to talk all at once.

“Oh my god! I can’t believe that just happened!”

“This is not just a regular love.”

“I agree. This has to be true love! The truest love!”

What else could it be? Lucius the First was clearly in love that he was
blinded.

Some of the knights, who were still suspicious of the rumor, knelt on the
floor and announced, “We have been wrong! Your highness! We were
wrong!” After this day, every member of the Second Division now firmly
believed in the rumor.

Meanwhile, Poliana was waiting outside the breakroom. When Lucius

the First came out and offered his hand again, Poliana refused. “I can
walk behind you, your highness!”

“Alright. I like your firmness.”

Poliana sighed in relief when Lucius the First did not insist. All she did
was walk behind the emperor, but everyone stared with interest. Lucius
the First took Poliana to a small dining room inside the castle where only
those closest to the emperor were allowed to enter. As they walked
together, the emperor said to her, “I heard that you haven’t eaten yet, Sir
Pol.”

“That’s correct, your highness.”

“There’s no need to be so tense, all I want is to dine with you.”

“Who says I was tense?”

“I can see it right now.”

Poliana frowned and Lucius the First laughed quietly like an old man. He
replied, “I don’t mind you being tense around me. It just means that you
are conscious of me.”

“…”

Because it was true that she did feel nervous, Poliana didn’t know what
to say. She straightened up, trying to look confident. She has lived as a
soldier all her life, which meant that Poliana had an excellent posture.

The servants standing in front of the dining room opened the door for
them. When they walked in, Poliana was surprised to find the room filled
with a feast.

Roasted meat, boiled meat, fried meat, and tartare… Deer meat, which
was Poliana’s favorite, was cooked in various different ways for her. In
addition, there were other rare dishes as well, including the special fruits
only found in faraway regions. They were brought here especially for
her, but all Poliana seemed to be interested in was the meat.
Poliana murmured, “I think this is a little too much.”

Normally, Lucius the First ate simple food. He was in his mid 30’s and
was very careful not to gain any extra weight. If he was younger or had
more time to exercise, the emperor would remain slim even if he ate all
he wanted. Unfortunately, Lucius the First spent a lot of his time at his
desk to work, which meant that he needed to stick to a strict diet to keep
himself in shape.

This meant that all the food that was prepared in the dining room… It
was all for Poliana. Poliana felt happy and a little nervous at the same
time. Lucius the First replied, “It’s not too much at all.”

She may be the woman he loved, but he still had to reprimand her when
necessary. He said to Poliana, “You were carrying the emperor’s son,
yet all you were eating was the dog stew?!”

“But that is what I craved, your highness! I couldn’t help it!”

It was believed that when a woman became pregnant and craving a

certain food, it was always something she had eaten before.

Something she was used to eating often…

Lucius the First felt hurt and apologetic that the woman he loved craved
the kind of food even the dogs refused to eat. His pride was hurt and
Poliana didn’t have an excuse. She herself felt embarrassed about her
pregnancy craving.

‘Why did I have to want that stupid stew?’

Poliana was also apologetic that she nicknamed Gerald “Dog Stew.” She
knew she should’ve come up with something better.

Inside the dining room, there were only two of them. Poliana didn’t see
any servants or guards. Lucius the First pulled out a chair for her and
smiled kindly.

“Have a seat.”

“Your highness! You shouldn’t have to do such a thing! I should be the

one serving you!”

The emperor replied firmly, “No, I want to do this. Sir Pol, you just enjoy
your time here.” When Poliana hesitated, Lucius the First asked her,
“Are you planning to leave me hanging here again?”

“Your highness, you should take a seat as well!”

Poliana ran to pull out a chair for the emperor quickly before taking the
seat Lucius the First pulled out for her. She had to run all the way around
the table to get the chair on the opposite side and the emperor watched
with a smile.

‘Hmm…’

They sat across from each other and she was used to this. They also ate
together often before, so Poliana felt a little relieved because this was a
familiar scene for her. Of course, how the emperor treated her now was
vastly different than before, but still… No matter what, eating alone with
the emperor was always considered a great honor.
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“Thank you for the food, your highness.”

“I hope you like them. I ordered all your favorite dishes to be prepared.
Enjoy.”

The food was indeed amazing. Although Poliana was still nervous, this
didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy such a wonderful meal. The emperor
watched her chew on the roast with a pleased smile on his face.

“Your highness, aren’t you going to eat?”

“Just watching you enjoy the meal makes me feel happy.”

“That is something a parent would say to a child, your highness.”

“Who cares? I’m just happy to be here with you. By the way, what’s
happening with Gerald?”

Chapter 331: Chapter 331

Chapter 331

Lucius the First brought up the subject of their firstborn. A child this
young grew so much every day and the emperor was worried about
Poliana, who had to leave Gerald behind.

Lucius the First was, however, mistaken. Poliana wasn’t worried at all, “I
left him with the nanny. He’s perfectly healthy.”

“Even if he is, don’t you think he is still too young to be left without a
mother…? I’m worried.”

Poliana replied with absolute certainty, “It’s okay, there’s nothing to be

worried about. They say that when you’re at an early stage of
pregnancy, you’re at a high risk of miscarriage, yet Gerald survived the
First Division’s training. Until now, he hasn’t suffered from any illness.
Not even diarrhea or a cold, which is common with newborns. He’s a
rather big baby, and he’s perfectly healthy.”

“Well, it makes sense since both you and I are in excellent health.”

Lucius the First remembered Gerald’s chubby body with thick bones.
The emperor hasn’t seen many newborns in his life. Just Duke Luzo’s
son, who was almost two years old by now, Princess Luminae who was
born prematurely, and his latest child Gerald. However, it didn’t take an
experienced midwife to see how healthy Gerald was.

Lucius the First and Poliana chatted about different things as they ate.
This wasn’t something new to them as they have often eaten and
conversed together before. They talked easily and Poliana felt
comfortable. When Poliana mentioned how Princess Luminae has yelled
“No” at her, the emperor stated that he had experienced it before as well.
Lucius the First admitted that he felt hurt by it and Poliana agreed.

The next topic that came up was Tory and Stra. The emperor said to her,
“I was so shocked when Stra told me she knew about how I felt.”

“I don’t know how I am going to face her, your highness. I’m ashamed.”

Stra ended up divorcing the emperor, but if she hadn’t, Poliana would’ve
been the one guarding her as the head of the Second Division. Poliana
didn’t know how she should’ve been able to do such a duty when she
knew Stra was aware of everything. Even now, Poliana didn’t know how
to face her. Lucius the First shook his head and replied, “This is all on
me, Pol. It was my burden to carry so you shouldn’t worry about it.”

Everything was the emperor’s fault. It was his mistake not to confess his
love for Poliana earlier. It was his fault for marrying other women and
was selfish enough to keep Poliana close to him. All of this happened
because of Lucius the First.

Poliana was innocent, and if anyone tried to blame the knightess, the
emperor was going to punish them without mercy.

“Pol, I promise you that you will be my only wife.”

“Your highness…. Please don’t say such a thing.”

“I really mean it. Even if you divorce me after we get married, I will not
remarry. You will be my only wife until the day I die.”

“Haa…”

The meal was delicious, but now, Poliana felt like she was going to get
sick. She sighed deeply, wondering if the emperor was threatening her in
a way.
“Your highness… Why me? Why does it have to be me?”

There were plenty of women out there in the world, so why her? Why did
he choose her? Poliana couldn’t understand no matter how hard she
tried. The emperor replied, “Is there any reason why one loves another?
One day, I saw you and I suddenly became your captive. I cannot
explain it, so I’m afraid I cannot give you an answer.”

The emperor remained calm, but it was Poliana who blushed. She
gulped down some cold water to cool down. The beautiful emperor and
his words made Poliana’s heart beat faster. It was a silly question, but
Lucius the First did his best to answer, “But since the lady I love asked
me a question, I should try harder to come up with an explanation. I
believe that even from early on, we were already in love with each other.
I was infatuated with you and you with me, Pol, because don’t you agree
that we loved each other the most in this world? In the beginning, it was
the love and trust between the emperor and his knight, and for me, this
deep feeling progressed into love as a man for a woman. It didn’t take
long before you became so precious for me.”

Lucius the First reminisced the days when he first realized how he felt
about Poliana. He also remembered the day he ended up betraying his
knightess.

“That day when I hurt you after I proposed… You asked me that if I
turned around at the cliff and found another knight, would I have fallen in
love just the same. I said the wrong thing at the time. I shouldn’t have
said what I said to you. The thing is, even if I didn’t fall in love with you
that day at the cliff, I would’ve fallen for you eventually; I’m certain of it.
When I accepted you as my knightess, I knew without a doubt that you
will become someone very important to me. And wasn’t I right? I am sure
you have felt this way before. Haven’t you ever felt that even though you
met someone for the first time, that person will become very precious to
you?”

Lucius the First was right. Poliana has felt something similar to it before.
It was when she first met the emperor. She knew, just as the emperor
did, that Lucius the First was going to be the center of her universe.
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She was right; he became everything to her.

Meeting him was the greatest luck Poliana experienced in her life. It
changed her destiny. Lucius the First often said that Poliana was the
greatest treasure he gained from his conquest. When Poliana heard this,
she couldn’t hide her happiness, realizing that they felt the same way.

The emperor continued, “To be honest, there were times when I tried my
best not to love you, Pol. I made the biggest effort in my life to change
how I felt, but I failed. No matter how hard I tried, it was hopeless. So all
I could do was hide my love. Now that I don’t have to suppress my
feelings, you have no idea how happy I feel.”

The emperor of the greatest kingdom laughed shyly. It was such a

beautiful smile that Poliana felt her heart pounding.

“Sir Pol, I will not pressure you into making any decisions at this point. I
am happy to do what I can do to make you want me. I am happy just for
the fact that I don’t have to hide my love for you anymore. All you need
to do is enjoy it. You just have to watch what I do as the man who loves
you and decide for yourself what you want to do with me.”

Poliana’s face and neck turned bright red. She looked down because
she could not face him. It was Lucius the First who was saying all these
embarrassing things, yet it was Poliana who felt shy and embarrassed.
All she did was eat her meal, so why did she feel this way?

‘This feels different… Why?’

Chapter 332: Chapter 332

Chapter 332

What Poliana experienced seemed strange. The word “embarrassment”

didn’t quite explain it. She was most likely feeling self-conscious and
shy, but Poliana couldn’t understand why.

As she became more and more uncomfortable, Poliana began to eat

faster. She ate like she fought and attacked the food viciously. Although
it was an amazing feast, unfortunately, Poliana could barely taste
anything anymore and she didn’t care. She knew that the only way for
her to escape this situation was to finish the meal and leave!
Poliana ate and ate until she could no more. There was still plenty of
food left on the table and her stomach was beyond full. Lucius the First
filled her cup with water and said to her, “Don’t overeat. You’ll make
yourself sick. I’ll have an even better feast ready for you next time.”

“Thank you for the meal, your highness.”

“You’re welcome. You are probably still tired from your trip, so you
should return home and rest.”

“Your order is my command, your highness.”

“This isn’t an order. It is a suggestion. From now on, everything I say to

you will be a request, not an order. Please understand this.”

“Your highness… Why me, why did you choose me? There are so many
better women out there?”

“Pol…”

Lucius the First looked at her disappointedly, but Poliana continued, “I

am ugly, your Highness. Do you remember telling me how you would
rather sleep with a dirty wh*re?”
Lucius the First replied in a clearly upset voice, “Please forget I said that!
Please, I beg you!” He hated himself for saying such a thing to her in the
past. Poliana hated seeing him so sad, so she decided she will never
bring up this again. It was one of the things the emperor said to her that
she could never forget, but if Lucius the First wanted her to forget it, she
will try her best.

“Alright, your highness. Anyway, I am old and ugly. You are the man
every woman wants, but I am the woman no man wants. So I just don’t
understand why you are pursuing me like this. I realize there is no logic
or reason for love, but still… This still doesn’t make sense. There have
been plenty of beautiful and wonderful ladies in your life, so why do you
want me?”

“You’re being so cruel, Sir Pol. If what you say is right that I am the man
every woman wants, then shouldn’t you feel proud to have me fall in love
with you? You have always been a confident and proud woman, so why
can’t you be happy about my feelings for you?”

“Those are two very different things, your highness. My pride and
confidence have nothing to do with anything here.”

“You are wrong. And even if you aren’t, it doesn’t matter. Also, you are
not ugly. I find you adorable.” When Lucius the First told her she was
cute, Poliana became quiet. She blushed again and to hide it, Poliana
covered her cheeks. They felt warm on her hands and Poliana decided it
was time for her to go.

“I’ll see you later, your highness.”

“Alright. I’ll walk you out.”

Lucius the First stood up quickly. Worried that he might try to pull out the
chair for her again, Poliana stood up immediately, but to her shock, the
emperor was at the door and opened it for her.

‘Dammit!’

This was now the second time she walked through the door that was
opened by the emperor. Such an honor was difficult to endure for her;
her eyes reddened and she felt like she wanted to disappear.

The servant waiting outside quickly ran to the barn to get her horse.
Poliana and the emperor walked leisurely outside. She made sure to
walk slightly behind Lucius the First. The emperor must’ve ordered the
horse to be brought to the back door. When they walked out, there was
no one around, not even a single guard. The servant who ran out to get
the horse was gone, thus, Poliana waited for her ride.

Poliana bowed and said to the emperor awkwardly, “Well then… Have a
good night, your highness.”

What Lucius the First did next made her feel even more uncomfortable.
He bowed politely and asked Poliana, “Please, my lady, allow me the
honor of kissing the back of your beautiful hand.”
The emperor has been dying to ask Poliana this ever since he saw Sir
Ainno do it to his wife. It was such a respectful request, but Poliana froze
as if he stabbed her. She looked like she was about to burst in shock.

“Your highness, you know my hands aren’t beautiful! They are ugly!”

Her hands were discolored and rough with callouses. Her fingernails
were broken and misshaped. Until now, Poliana has been proud of her
hands, but at this very moment, Poliana felt embarrassed.

Lucius the First said to her in frustration, “Smooth and soft hands aren’t
the only hands that are beautiful. Do you think a mother’s hands are ugly
if they are worn from sewing so much? Noble ladies work hard to keep
their skin soft and beautiful while the common women work hard to feed
their families. I believe the hands of all ladies are beautiful, just as I think
your hands as the knightess are beautiful.”

Lucius the First gently held her hands. A man’s hands on her skin…
Since they were both experienced swordsmen, Lucius the First had the
callouses in the same areas as hers. Poliana’s hands were, of course,
rougher. The emperor rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, but
he did not kiss it. He was going to wait until she gave him her
permission.

“Please let my hands go, your highness.”

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“If you are going to refuse me, you must say it outright. Tell me not to
kiss your hand and I won’t, but if you don’t say it, I am going to stand
here and wait.”

The emperor was ready to wait forever for her even if she ran away. He
would wait day and night. He would wait for her for a decade. Perhaps
longer.

Poliana knew she was allowed to refuse him, but it was difficult to say
no. It was because Poliana has kissed the back of the emperor’s hand
so many times before. Love and respect were two different things, but…
Poliana remembered the first time she was allowed to kiss the emperor’s
hand. The happiness and excitement she felt… She would never be able
to forget that moment.

And here was the man who was clearly in love with her. He was looking
at her beggingly and Poliana didn’t have the heart to refuse him. It didn’t
feel right for her to say no when she was given the honor of kissing his
hand so many times before.

Poliana finally said to him, “Do whatever you wish, your highness.”
Lucius the First slowly kissed the back of her hand. Her hand was rough
while the emperor’s lips were soft.

Even though it was the back of her hand he kissed, strangely, Poliana
felt her palm feeling ticklish. In fact, her neck, back, breasts, feet, ears,
and even her teeth felt sensitive.
It was just a simple kiss on her hand, but Poliana became filled with
strange emotions. The unfamiliar feelings refused to disappear even
when she went to sleep that night.

Chapter 333: Chapter 333

Chapter 333

Just as she promised, Poliana visited Princes Luminae again, but as

soon as she walked in, the little girl pointed at her and screamed, “No!”
But when Poliana got closer, even though the princess said no again,
she raised both of her arms, wanting Poliana to hold her. Clearly,
Princess Luminae didn’t know what the word meant. All she wanted was
for Poliana to give her a hug. The princess waited impatiently as she
glared at the knightess.

Poliana quickly lifted the demanding princess up into her arms. Because
Poliana was much thinner than the nanny or the wet nurse, the princess
didn’t seem to like Poliana’s embrace. The little girl was used to being
held by soft women. Although the knightess was on the voluptuous side,
especially considering how slim she was, Poliana’s body was far from
being soft. Her breasts got bigger during and immediately after her
pregnancy, but they were now back to their normal size. It was most
likely because she stopped breastfeeding and she was also taking the
medication that “dried up” her milk. Poliana was slowly regaining her slim
and hard body. Prince Luminae seemed to contemplate before wanting
to return to her nanny. However, she refused to let go of Poliana’s finger.
For a little baby, Princess Luminae was surprisingly strong as she
continued to grab onto Poliana’s finger stybbornly.
Suddenly, Poliana thought of her own son Gerald. It was the strangest
thing because when she was with him in Sitrin, she often didn’t even pay
attention to him even when he was in her arms. She thought of her son
more now than when she wasn’t with him. Why was that? Why did this
situation remind her of her son?

Princess Luminae, quickly realizing that Poliana wasn’t paying attention

to her, pulled at Poliana’s gloved finger. Poliana turned towards the baby
and gave her a smile.

One of the maids asked, “Marquess, I see that you’re wearing gloves
today.”

“I just felt like it.”

Just from the kiss on her hand from the emperor yesterday, Poliana has
been feeling strange all night. At least, her body mostly calmed down by
now, but her hand still felt very warm as if the kiss happened just a
moment ago.

Didn’t people say that the fourth finger of the left hand had a vein that
ran directly to the heart? That was why the wedding ring was worn on
this finger. Lucius the First must’ve kissed her fourth finger yesterday
because her heart still felt strange even now.
Poliana visited Tory yesterday, and now, it was time to see Stra. When
Stra saw Poliana, her eyes teared up as she congratulated her,
“Congratulations on your wedding, Marquess Winter!”

Stra hasn’t changed at all. Poliana was going to marry her ex-husband,
yet Lady Stra was congratulating Poliana with genuine happiness.
Poliana was planning on apologizing as soon as she saw Stra, but she
became speechless at Stra’s greeting.

Poliana stammered, “I… it hasn’t been firmly decided yet.”

“But you are going to marry him, right? My maids and I are all cheering
for you!”

Stra was still as kind as ever. It seemed that everyone was rooting for
Poliana, but this didn’t make her happy. She asked Stra, “Aren’t you
upset about it?”

“Upset? Why would I be upset? It’s not like you seduced his highness,
Marquess. And you do not need to act so formally around me anymore. I
am no longer his highness’s wife. I am just Stra, one of the heads of the
maids.”

“You may have divorced him, but his highness still used to be your
husband…”
“If I was the kind of woman who would be jealous and upset about this
situation, I would’ve never agreed to work in the castle. I have no ill
feelings towards you, Marquess. It’s actually his highness that I am a
little…”

Soon after he and Stra were divorced, Lucius the First said something
rude to her. Ever since, Stra has been a little unhappy with the emperor.

The marriage between the Acreian emperor and a princess from one of
the colonies… It was a typical example of a strategic political marriage.
At the beginning of their marriage, Stra fell in love with Lucius the First,
but before their first wedding anniversary, her feelings disappeared. Ever
since, Stra has been watching how things progress between Lucius the
First and Poliana. She enjoyed the love story developing right in front of
her eyes.

Stra decided to work in the castle mostly because of Princess Luminae.

The little girl was motherless now and there was no way of knowing who
will become the emperor’s next wife and therefore the princess’s new
mother. Tory, even after the scandalous incident, decided to stay and
work in Yapa. Although Stra wasn’t as brave as Tory, she never forgot
the promise she made.

It was the promise to raise Princess Luminae into a great lady.

Because Stra was no longer the princess’s mother since she divorced
the emperor, she could no longer raise princess Luminae herself, but
she still could remain in the castle and help.
But when Stra returned to Yapa for this job, she was disappointed to find
Poliana gone from the capital city. She was certain Lucius the First was
going to confess his love for her, but it seemed that the emperor didn’t
do a thing. Stra became very upset and disappointed in the emperor.

However, things were finally happening the way they should and Stra
was ecstatic! When she first heard the rumor about the emperor and
Poliana, she screamed with excitement.

Stra smiled shyly and said to Poliana, “Anyway, there is no need for you
to feel uncomfortable here, Marquess. I hope you know that I have been
cheering for you and the emperor for a very long time.”

Blushing, Stra added, “Of all the romantic stories I have heard in my life,
yours is the best.”
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Here was another person who wanted a happy ending to this situation.
Poliana was still struggling to find what true happiness was, but it
seemed that everyone around her was certain of what would bring
happiness to her.

The marriage between herself and the emperor. This is what everyone
wanted for her.
They say that a man becomes happy when he marries the woman he
loves, and a woman becomes happy when she marries the man who
loves her. Based on what everyone has told her and what she read in
the romance books, this was the conclusion Poliana came up with. In a
lot of the stories with a knightess, if the main character died, it was
considered a sad story. If she lived, it was thought to be a happy story.

Poliana survived everything she had to go through in her life, and she
was going to be satisfied with this fact. But it seemed that people around
her wanted more for her. They wanted a “happy ending.”

A happy ending based on their beliefs.

Poliana felt more and more confused.

Of course, it also didn’t help that her hand, the very hand the emperor
kissed yesterday, still felt ticklish as if a puppy licked it just a moment
ago.

Chapter 334: Chapter 334

Chapter 334

Yesterday, the emperor went to sleep early. As soon as he woke up this

morning, he did not go immediately to work. Instead, he put great effort
into his skin and hair. While Lucius the First was busy taking care of his
beauty regimen, his cousin, Duke Luzo, and Marquis Zeese were
burdened with the work of running the kingdom.

Duke Luzo with his receding hairline from all the work…. Marquis Zeese
who found the castle more comfortable than his own home because he
did not trust his own wife… These two men shuddered as they saw the
work piling up on their desks.

“Is his highness taking another day off today?”

“Yes, that is what I was told.”

“…Chancellor… I have a son, who resembles an adorable little piglet,

and a wife, who resembles a pretty squirrel, waiting for me at home.”

“My lord, I have a foxy wife and a dovely son waiting at home myself.”

Marquis Zeese’s wife was able to avoid being punished during the recent
political turmoil thanks to her husband. However, Lady Zeese was
shocked to find how her husband was secretly on the emperor’s side.
She couldn’t believe she was never told of his plan, and ever since, they
have been living as strangers.

Marquis Zeese and his wife, although were married by an arranged

marriage for a political purpose, shared a close bond. They weren’t in
love with each other, but they were affectionate. But ever since the time
when all the elders and many nobles were removed for being traitors,
things changed between the husband and the wife. They only talked
when necessary, and just like that, the couple Poliana envied was over.

Sir Bentier regretted his decision, but it was too late to change what he
did. He should’ve trusted his wife. He should’ve trusted women in
general. Sir Bentier did not blame anyone because he knew it was all on
him. It was his fault.

Unfortunately, his relationship with his son also became strained.

Feeling uncomfortable in his own home, the chancellor became an even
bigger workaholic than the emperor.

But what about Duke Luzo? The chancellor has always been a
workaholic, to begin with, but Duke Luzo never was! He was being used
just because he was the emperor’s cousin.

The Acreian government was still short on officials. The emperor was
being very thorough in hiring people because he wanted to pick the best
of the best. This was a great idea, and it was going to pay off in a few
decades, but it also meant that the government was going to be shortstaffed for a
very long time. The only reason the current officials were
able to survive being overworked was because their own emperor
worked very hard alongside them.

Then recently, the emperor announced all of a sudden that he was going
to take a vacation for himself in order to focus on seducing Poliana. The
emperor’s marriage was an incredibly important deal for the entire
kingdom, which meant that no one could fault the emperor for taking
some time off. Sir Bentier and Duke Luzo would’ve loved to just tell the
emperor to marry someone else, but when they heard Lucius the First
and Poliana already had a son together, the two men could not oppose
this marriage.

Duke Luzo complained, “When will I get to rest?! When will I get to enjoy
my life?”

Unfortunately, Duke Luzo still had a long way to go.

The emperor, meanwhile, was hard at work to make Poliana fall in love
with him. He was waiting at the outer door of the lady’s quarters and
when Poliana came out after visiting the princess, he snatched her
away. He asked her to lunch with him again and Poliana could not
refuse. After the meal, he suggested they should take a walk in the
garden as he claimed that he hadn’t had the time to exercise at all due to
his work.

Lucius the First has always been a workaholic emperor and Poliana
didn’t doubt his words. In the past, she has been worried for him for
working too hard.

‘He should take a vacation.’

She felt obligated to walk with him in order to give him at least a small
break from his work. Today, the emperor looked as gorgeous as ever.
He dolled himself up again and he was glowing, perhaps because he
was in love. Poliana thought he reminded her of the beautiful mist of an
early morning on a crisp autumn day.

The two walked quietly in the garden. Because this particular castle
garden boasted of beautiful blooming flowers, it was often crowded.
However today, it was completely empty. Lucius the First walked ahead
while Poliana followed him from behind awkwardly. Whenever he turned
to look at her or stepped back to get closer to her, Poliana became
nervous. She begged him, “Your highness, you’re going to fall. Please
be careful.”

“If I do fall, I am sure you will catch me, Sir Pol.”

“Please just keep walking. You will hurt yourself if you fall onto the
paving stone; it’s very dangerous.”

“But I can’t help it. When I see the flowers, I think of you. When I see the
birds, I think of you. When I see the sky, it reminds me of you.”

When Poliana saw Lucius the First, he reminded her of flowers.

Whenever she saw beautiful birds, they reminded of the emperor.
Whenever she saw amazing statues, she thought of Lucius the First.
Every time she saw something beautiful in this world, she thought of the
emperor, and now that she was the recipient of this admiration, Poliana
felt shy and embarrassed.
She said to the emperor, “Then, I will walk ahead of you, your highness.”
Poliana walked faster to pass the emperor, who replied, “But this way, I
only get to see the back of you, Sir Pol.”
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Just as the emperor did, Poliana looked back from time to time to see
him. The two, trained to be brisk during the war, were fast walkers.
Poliana walked as fast as she could, but she could feel Lucius the First
closing the gap easily. It almost felt like she was being chased and the
tension intensified. Poliana realized her mistake. This was supposed to
be a simple walk, but it felt different.

Poliana also began to see the things she never noticed when she was
walking behind the emperor. His beautiful summer forest green eyes
greeted her. Even though they were walking the best garden in the
castle, it seemed that Lucius the First could not take his eyes off of her.
He smiled at her, happy that he could look at her all he wanted.
Suddenly, Poliana felt ticklish again. Her heart especially did a
somersault, and the feeling was much more intense than yesterday.
Poliana looked down and continued to walk.

Lucius the First asked her, “It has been so long since I last saw you
wield your sword. Perhaps you will honor me with a spar sometime
soon.”

“Of course, your highness. Whenever you like.”

Did the emperor know how he made her feel? He brought up the subject
he knew made Poliana feel comfortable. During her stay in Sitrin, she
kept herself sedentary. She tried her best to train whenever possible, but
the midwife and the doctor kept a close eye on her. It was a miracle that
she was able to give a decent fight when Sir Donau asked for a duel.
Poliana felt excited at the prospect of a spar with the emperor. When she
looked happy, Lucius the First grinned.

“You are finally walking alongside me.”

“What do you mean, your highness?

Chapter 335: Chapter 335

Chapter 335

Lucius the First said to Poliana, “I said, you’re finally walking at the same
pace as me.”

“What do you mean, your highness?”

“You were walking like you were running away from me, but now, you
aren’t.”
When they first began their walk in the garden, every time Lucius the
First took a step, Poliana took two. But now, just as the emperor said,
they were walking at the same pace.

Every time Lucius the First took a step, Poliana took a step along with
him. The emperor smiled and asked, “I am not chasing you, so why were
you running away?”

Poliana pouted and replied, “I didn’t run away, your highness.” When she
slowed down a little, Lucius the First suddenly closed the distance and
said to her, “Don’t run away. You’re only making me want to catch you.”

Although the emperor said this, he didn’t mean to catch her. All he did
was to close the distance between them. His sudden move surprised her
and made her trip. Thankfully, Poliana, a soldier, had excellent reflexes.
She quickly regained her balance, but lost it again when the emperor
yelled, “Sir Pol! That’s dangerous!”

Poliana ended up stumbling backward. Most people fall forward and hurt
their noses, and although most would think this was unlucky, Poliana
would’ve preferred to stumble forward than backward. Because as she
did, Lucius the First caught her from behind.

Luckily, she didn’t fall into his embrace. Well, lucky for Poliana, not so
much for Lucius the First. He said to her, “You walking ahead of me is
dangerous. Let’s not do that anymore.”
Lucius the First squeezed Poliana’s hand, but she didn’t even have the
time to be shocked by the feeling of his skin. It was because when she
almost fell, she saw the windows of the building around them.

They were being watched by a huge audience! Poliana had no idea they
were putting on a show for everyone in the castle!

“Your highness, look up over there!”

Poliana pointed at them in shock, but none of the people watching

walked away from the windows. They were busy watching the emperor
and the knightess. Some leaned out of the window and looked
dangerously close to falling out. Poliana didn’t notice people were
watching because she had been so focused on the emperor.

Lucius the First replied, “Yes, I can see that we have a large audience.”

“We need to make them stop!”

“Just leave them.”

“But your highness!”

“What does it matter? Both you and I live in public lives.”

This man was the emperor of this kingdom while the woman was the
marquess. They were well-known figures, and they will always be
watched by others closely. Normally, Poliana didn’t care about being the
center of attention, but this situation was too embarrassing. To be
courted by the emperor…

The emperor asked, “Is your ankle ok?”

“Yes. I’m fine, your highness.”

Lucius the First smiled and replied, “Good, good. I’m glad.” He let go of
her hand and made her walk alongside him.

“But your highness!”

“You walking ahead is dangerous, so I forbid you to do it. Walking side

by side is nice, but I can’t see your face this way, so let me at least hold
your hand.”

“But!”

“It saddens me not to see your adorable face. Would it be better if we

hold both hands and walk sideways so I can see your face?”
All she had to say was no, but Poliana’s brain froze. She could think
logically. Holding one hand and walking normally or holding both hands
and walking like crabs… There was no reason why Poliana had to
choose one over the other, but for some reason, she contemplated.

“…”

The emperor interpreted her silence as a yes to the first option. He took
one of her hand and they began to walk together. As if to make her feel
comfortable, Lucius the First looked ahead. It was actually Poliana who
was staring at him. She couldn’t stop looking at the side of his face. Her
hand felt ticklish just because he was holding it.

This was all because of the kiss on her hand. It was because the
emperor kissed the spot where the vein was connected directly to her
heart. This was the excuse Poliana tried to stick to, but she secretly
knew the truth. The hand he was holding right now wasn’t the same
hand the emperor kissed yesterday. She was also wearing her gloves,
yet she still felt like she could feel him. This sweet feeling slowly climbed
up to her wrist, arm, and to her heart.

Poliana felt angry. It was Lucius the First who confessed his love for her.
Poliana was supposed to only love the emperor as her sovereign while
Lucius the First declared that he loved her as a woman. This meant that
it was the emperor who should be feeling nervous.
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So why was it that Poliana’s heart was pounding so fast? It felt like her
blood, once cold, was now flowing into a warm place. Her body tingled
strangely.

Poliana looked down at their hands together. She didn’t like that fact he
was the one holding her hand and she was following him. Although she
knew this was considered rude, Poliana squeezed back. She held his
hand harder than the emperor and looked down at their hands again. It
felt right. It felt right for her to be the one leading. The strangely ticklish
feeling disappeared. Pride filled her.

Poliana finally felt calmer. She was relaxed enough that she could
converse with the emperor. When she looked up at Lucius the First’s
face, she saw that the emperor was blushing subtly. He was a man in his
mid 30’s and he was blushing like a schoolgirl, yet it didn’t look odd. In
fact, the rosy blush suited the emperor.

‘How could a man look so beautiful?’

This was the question of the century. How could Lucius the First be so
gorgeous? He was like a pretty blooming flower.

Meanwhile, Lucius the First looked down at Poliana and wondered, ‘How
could a woman be so adorable like this?’ The emperor couldn’t believe
how cutely Poliana was acting just now. She was squeezing his hand
and looking proud of herself. Lucius the First was having a hard time
keeping his cool. The two were thinking the same thing about one
another.
It was obvious that they were very close. They clearly trusted each other
and now, they were smitten with each other.

Chapter 336: Chapter 336

Chapter 336

Poliana agreed to have lunch with Lucius the First again. She thought
about refusing the request, but she couldn’t. Poliana didn’t know that the
emperor was on vacation. Even though the emperor worked constantly,
there seemed to be no end to the amount of work required to run a
kingdom. Poliana, still believing that Lucius the First was working hard,
felt obligated to have lunch with him when he was sparing his precious
time for her.

The loyal knightess could not refuse her emperor. After they parted in
the garden, Poliana began to assault a tree. She was wearing her
gloves, so she was able to punch harder than usual.

Bam! Bam!

The audience at the window chatted excitedly, wondering what was

going on between the emperor and the knightess. They began to make
up stories as they watched Poliana punching the tree.
Some thought that perhaps it was the witch’s love magic that became
activated when punching a tree. Or maybe the marquess saw a bug on
the tree and was killing it. Others thought that the trees grew better with
physical simulations and Marquess Winter was only helping to grow the
garden.

The audience soon tired of watching Poliana bashing a tree, so they

dispersed. Then suddenly, someone new appeared in the garden. It was
a small slim man and when Poliana saw him, she lowered her face in
surprise.

Those still watching wondered, “Who is that man and how is he able to
make Marquess Winter bow like that?”

“Huh? Oh, that man…”

“Do you know him?”

“I think he’s the auditor, Momo.”

“Oh, him. He and Marquess Winter are acquainted, right?”

“Yes. So why is the marquess acting so politely like that?”

Momo was a low ranking noble with a decent government career at best,
so how was this man able to make the powerful Marquess Winter act so
meek?

Ignoring the audience, Momo yelled in frustration, “How could you do

this to me?!”

“Hahaha, Momo, I’m really sorry.”

Poliana couldn’t help but laugh. Momo was a timid man who found it
difficult to express his anger. He was not good at confrontation, which
meant he normally kept his frustration deep inside. But this time… He
couldn’t believe how Poliana lied to him and made him look like a fool.

Momo argued, “You abused my trust in you! His highness is now going
to believe that I’m a liar!”

Auditor Momo found this situation to be too unfair; he lied to the emperor
to keep Poliana’s pride and honor intact, but it turned out that the father
of Poliana’s child was the emperor himself!

Lucius the First did not tell Momo about the existence of Gerald, but
Momo was able to figure it out himself. After all, Momo was considered
one of the most detailed and intelligent men in the government.
Of course, even if Poliana told him that the father was the emperor,
Momo would’ve still lied to Lucius the First. After all, Momo considered
Poliana his good friend.

Poliana apologized again before running away. “Haha! I’m so sorry!” The
knightess ran, but the auditor followed her. Unfortunately, Poliana was a
much better runner with excellent stamina. Momo, with his desk job,
could not keep up and ended up losing her. Their broken friendship,
which was repaired when Poliana gave him an interest-free loan to
purchase a home, was destroyed again.

Later on, they would become good friends again after Poliana helped
him to become the highest-ranking scribe, but this wasn’t to happen for
many more years.

***

‘I made a mistake. I have done him wrong.’

After making sure Momo couldn’t catch up to her, Poliana sighed. She
has been so busy that she forgot about him. It wasn’t that she valued
him; Momo was unfortunately just a very forgettable person.

She had no excuse. As an ex-scribe and a current auditor, truth and

honesty were very important to Momo. If the emperor decided to mistrust
him because of this, it was going to be Poliana’s fault.
‘I better tell his highness what really happened.’

She finally found a safe subject to discuss with the emperor tomorrow at
lunch. Poliana felt a little relieved. There was no war going on anymore,
so why did Poliana feel so tense? Seeing Lucius the First was a source
of great joy for her, but Poliana also couldn’t help feeling nervous and
uneasy.

‘Dammit! His highness is just too handsome.’

Poliana thought she was used to his beauty by now since she worked a
long time as his guard, but she was obviously wrong. When Lucius the
First was just an emperor, Poliana did not feel this way. But now that he
was treating her as a man would a woman, Poliana’s heart did funny
things.

Lucius the First has truly bewitched her.

But there was an even bigger problem.

‘Maybe I really did lose my mind.’

The biggest problem here was that Poliana liked this situation. The way
she felt… Perhaps the word “like” wasn’t the right term, but Poliana
definitely knew that she didn’t dislike it. The ticklish sweet feeling on her
hand that traveled to her heart… Something was definitely happening
here.

This something… It was similar to the feeling she felt when Frau
approached her. It was also similar to the feeling she felt when the other
handsome knights treated her like a lady.

But what she felt right now… It was stronger. It felt… more pleasant.

Although she denied it so far, Poliana had to admit that it was nice to be
pursued, especially by a beautiful man she greatly respected. He
confessed his love for her! It would be a complete lie if she claimed that
she hated this situation.

If only Lucius the First wasn’t her emperor! If the man who was pursuing
her wasn’t Lucius the First, she would’ve accepted his love by now.
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The next day at lunch, another feast was prepared for Poliana as
expected. She was, however, still surprised because the table was filled
with dishes that were completely different from the lunch the day before.
Poliana felt a deep respect and guilt towards the royal cooks, who must
be slaving away even though there wasn’t even a castle banquet. Their
hard work was going to fatten up Poliana.

‘I better increase my training.’

Poliana decided to spend more time exercising to keep herself in shape.
It looked like the emperor was going to keep inviting her to lunches like
this. Although she enjoyed eating these wonderful foods, she knew she
wasn’t going to like the result of it.

Poliana still hasn’t lost all of the pregnancy weight yet. She also did not
regain the muscles she lost. She lost some weight from breastfeeding,
but she most likely also lost a lot of nutrients from her body to feed
Gerald. This was one of the reasons why Poliana decided to stop
breastfeeding as soon as possible. The custom-made full armor the
emperor gifted her was Poliana’s pride and joy. She never wanted to be
forced to adjust it like so many older knights who had to replace the
stomach portion to accommodate their changing bodies.

Poliana said to the emperor, “Your highness, I would like to ask you for a
favor.”

“Tell me.”

The emperor looked like he was ready to give her anything she wanted.

Chapter 337: Chapter 337

Chapter 337
Lucius the First has always been a generous emperor, especially to
those close to him. He has always been obliging to Poliana and Sir
Ainno, and now that he was openly in love with her, Poliana could ask
him for anything and he was only willing to give it to her. Lucius the First
was ready to give Poliana the world. He looked at her with tremendous
affection.

As usual, Poliana ate quickly and the emperor watched her happily. He
couldn’t stop smiling as if he found her to be the loveliest thing in the
world. Lucius the First smiled and smiled, and he couldn’t hide his pride.
Poliana couldn’t understand why.

Was he proud of her big appetite? Was he proud of the fact that she ate
very well?

‘Well, it is true that watching someone you like to eat well is very
satisfying.’

Poliana said to the emperor, “I want to talk to you about Momo. I would
like you to reinstate him as your scribe.”

“Why are you bringing him up all of a sudden?”

“I made a mistake and ended up owing to him. I promised him I would

make him a scribe again.”
Thankfully, Lucius the First was not angry about Momo’s lie. He believed
that if Momo knew the situation directly involved the emperor, Momo
would’ve told him the truth. Lucius the First suddenly became serious as
he replied, “But he is such an excellent auditor. As you know, Momo is
quick, a great listener, and has an amazing memory. Besides, he has a
better chance at promotion in the audit department anyway.”

“But he wants to be a scribe. To be honest, I think he wants to be a

scribe because it is an easier and simpler job.”

“Right? You think so too? I was thinking the exact same thing.”

Everyone in the government was working so hard, so how dare he try to

take an easy path? How dare he?!

Lucius the First grumbled for a while, but in the end, he gave his
permission for Momo to change his department. With this favor, Poliana
was able to keep her friendship with Momo safe.

Just like yesterday, Lucius the First suggested they take a walk after the
meal. Although Poliana agreed, she felt uncomfortable having an
audience watching them again. If the emperor asked her to walk the
garden, she was going to suggest a different location.

“Will we be taking a walk in the garden again?”

“No, I noticed how we were being watched by so many people yesterday
when we were in an open area. Why don’t we go visit the greenhouse
and enjoy the flowers?”

“Of course, your highness.”

Lucius the First nonchalantly offered her his arm and Poliana almost
took it without thinking.

‘His highness is very good at this!’

Indeed, Lucius the First was a master of making people do what he

wanted. Poliana thought in determination, ‘I better keep my mind sharp.’

Poliana looked down at the emperor’s arm quietly. She couldn’t imagine
holding his arm like a lady. She also felt awkward holding his hand, but it
would look odd if she refused to do so when she did it only yesterday.

Gulp!

After swallowing audibly, Poliana decided what to do. She put her hand
on top of his and then squeezed before swinging their hands together.

“Let’s go, your highness!”

“Of course.”

Lucius the First was overjoyed that Poliana took his hand without a word.
Watching him looking proud, Poliana became confused. Why was he
looking so proud? Was he proud of her hand strength? It was true that
Poliana had great hand strength.

“Your highness, where is Sir Ainno? I haven’t seen him all day.”

“He’s on sick leave.”

Poliana was shocked to hear this news. ‘That jerk is actually sick?’

Sir Ainno’s mission in life was to protect the emperor. He was a true
knight who refused to ever admit he was in pain even when he was. Sir
Ainno believed in being manly and he would never leave the emperor’s
side just because he was sick.

‘Unless… Is he sick like the way he was sick after Cekel kicked his
crotch?’

At the time, Sir Ainno took a sick leave more so from his damaged pride
than actual pain. When Poliana couldn’t hide her shock, Lucius the First
realized that this was his chance to tell her about what Sir Ainno did to
him.

‘Wait. No, I shouldn’t waste this opportunity. I can use this better.’

The sneaky emperor suddenly thought of another plan. Lucius the First
didn’t say a word because he came up with a much better idea. Sir
Ainno used the emperor for his gain, so why couldn’t Lucius the First do
the same? The emperor decided that his payback to Sir Ainno would
have to come later.

When Lucius the First remained quiet, Poliana asked, “Is Sir Ainno being
beaten by his wife, Lady Cekel?”

Poliana knew that Sir Ainno was smitten with Cekel. She also witnessed
how strong and firm Cekel was with Sir Ainno before their marriage.
When Poliana looked up at him hopefully, Lucius the First laughed and
replied, “No, he hurt his head, so I told him to take a day off. I also told
his lady wife to take time off so she could take care of him. By the way,
Sir Pol, I think most people would think of an illness when someone
takes a sick leave, not an unhappy marriage.”
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Lucius the First found Poliana’s thinking amusing. When people thought
of an unhappy and violent marriage, they thought of a husband beating
his wife, but Poliana was the opposite. The emperor would’ve actually
loved to see Lady Cekel beating up Sir Ainno, but he knew something
like this would never happen.
Poliana murmured, “Well, something similar happened in the past, so I
was just thinking out loud.” She secretly would’ve loved it if it was true,
but Poliana would never admit this out loud.

Never!

The emperor replied, “Oh, that’s true. I remember Inno taking some time
off after Lady Cekel kicked him.”

While they chatted, the emperor and the knightess finally arrived at the
greenhouse. This place was familiar to Poliana because the emperor’s
wives often used to visit it. But the greenhouse looked very different
now. It looked unfamiliar and Poliana wondered, ‘Is it because I haven’t
been here for a long time? Wait… I think there are many more flowers
here.’

Gardens and greenhouses changed depending on the gardener’s effort.

Until now, because the emperor has never been interested in such a
thing, Master Chail has been the one who controlled the maintenance of
the gardens and the greenhouse. Because Master Chail’s taste was
elegant, the gardens used to boast of subtle beauty. It was the same for
the greenhouse, but now… The greenhouse looked very colorful and
extravagant.

Poliana suddenly realized, ‘Wait a minute. This is his highness’s style.’

She had no doubt that the emperor had something to do with the choices
of the flowers in this greenhouse. She used to be the emperor’s personal
guard, so she knew his taste very well. The greenhouse walls were
rebuilt with expensive materials. The inside was being heated very well
to keep the colorful and rare flowers blooming. Red, yellow, and blue
flowers… Poliana only knew the names of half of the flowers.

Chapter 338: Chapter 338

Chapter 338

The reason why Poliana knew many flower names was because she had
a keen interest in geography and geology. She knew very well how
different plants grew in different climates and soils. In the past, Poliana
found it very helpful in coming up with battle strategies if she knew the
geology of the area well. It became her habit to study different plants.

‘But I have been lazy about keeping up with my hobby.’

Poliana had a dream of writing a book about battle strategies and

relevant geology. She planned on doing this after her retirement, which
was why she has been diligent about studying these topics. Of course,
after she found out about her pregnancy, she stopped. In retrospect,
Poliana regretted not focusing on study during her pregnancy rather than
trying to knit baby socks.

The greenhouse was beautiful. She could see how hard the gardeners
must’ve worked to have the flowers from different climates to bloom at
the same time. Lucius the First smiled as he watched Poliana check the
roots of the flowers rather than the blooms.

He has been planning for this for a long time. He ordered the gardeners
to make sure there are exotic flowers blooming at all times so he could
propose at any time. As his plan for the marriage proposal became
delayed, the greenhouse became filled with more and more flowers. The
emperor knew he would never have to worry about proposal flowers
now.

Lucius the First thought in determination, ‘I will not fail my second

marriage proposal.’

Since they had Gerald together now, Poliana accepted the idea of
marriage. There was no denying that the birth of their son was what
made this possible. What Lucius the First now needed to focus on was
to make sure Poliana continued to think positively about their marriage.
He needed to do everything he possibly could to make sure Poliana
does not ask for a divorce.

The emperor said to her, “Lean towards me a little.”

“Pardon?”

Lucius the First picked a blue lily blooming nearby and tucked it behind
Poliana’s ear. Poliana flinched when she saw the giant flower coming at
her. It was way too big to be put behind one’s ear, but somehow, Lucius
the First balanced it on her ear and smiled in satisfaction.
Since the emperor looked so happy, Poliana wanted to be happy about it
as well, but… Only crazy women put flowers in their hair and besides,
this particular flower was just too big. If anyone saw her, a rumor would
begin immediately that Marquess Winter has finally lost her mind. Lucius
the First exclaimed, “It suits your hair color, Sir Pol.”

No matter who looked at it, Poliana’s hair was a dull brown. At best, it
could be considered a light brown, but it certainly was not golden like
that of the emperor’s. The flower would have suited Lucius the First
much better with his blond hair.

Poliana laughed awkwardly. The subtle vibration from her laugh caused
the flower to fall to the ground. Unfortunately, Poliana’s thin hair was not
able to support the giant bloom. Poliana lowered her body to pick it up.

“I apologize, your highness.”

She was about to pick it up when the emperor’s hand touched hers.
Poliana frowned and said to him, “Your highness, I should be doing
things like this for you.”

“Look at me, Pol; this definitely is something I want to do.”

Lucius the First gently took the flower from Poliana’s hand. He
straightened up quickly and said to her, “Things like this… These are
part of my job now. Giving you flowers and picking up the things on the
ground for you… I want to do these things for you. Please don’t take this
away from me.”

“How could this be your job, your highness?”

“Because I am in love with you.”

Lucius the First gently shook the lily to get the dirt off. He murmured to
her, “With the blue flower in your hair, it looked so beautiful like a blue
bird sitting on a cornfield.”

Apparently, the flower represented the blue flower and Poliana the
cornfield. The emperor added, “The blue bird looks the best when it is
sitting on a cornfield, after all.”

Lucius the First put the flower behind his ear and said to her, “See? This
doesn’t suit me.”

Before she met the emperor, Poliana believed that flowers and men
didn’t go together. But now, she knew that Lucius the First looked
amazing with flowers and jewels. She suspected he would even look
lovely with laces.

While Poliana ogled him with her eyes, Lucius the First picked a few
more flowers. His action was casual, but he was very gentle with the
flowers.
“Your highness, you will hurt your hand.”

“This is part of my duty now.”

The emperor picked various flowers to make a small bouquet. He pulled

out the ribbon that was holding his hair together and wrapped it around
the bouquet of flowers.

“Every flower in my hand… They are all yours, Sir Pol.”

‘Oh my… Dammit… I’m getting goosebumps.’

Poliana’s entire body became covered with goosebumps. She

shuddered but still accepted the bouquet. The strange thing was, this
situation was so corny that even Poliana wanted to scream and run
away, but she could not take even a step away from the emperor.

Lucius the First thought happily, ‘Perfect! It’s working!’ He smiled in

satisfaction.

Just as he suspected, his knightess had no experience in romance. The

emperor was courting her with everything he had, and it was working!
No wonder this naïve woman fell for that gold digger, Frau Sneke!

‘No! Focus, Lucius!’

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He was standing in front of the woman he loved, which meant he should

only be thinking about her. Lucius the First waited patiently until Poliana
looked up at him. When he finally saw her shy and confused brown
eyes, he smiled again. This was more than he expected.

The smell of the greenery was much stronger than that of what had
bloomed. The sticky fluid ran down her fingers from the stems. Poliana
thought, ‘I can’t breathe.’

Poliana felt like she was suffocating. It wasn’t because of the strong
scent of the flowers; it was because Lucius the Frist’s smile was too
blinding.

She was fine yesterday when she was with him, so what was different
today? Suddenly, Poliana realized that the difference was the location. In
the garden yesterday, they were an open space with an audience, but
today, they were alone in a closed space.

No matter where she looked, she was surrounded by colorful flowers

and a man who was even more beautiful than any flower.
‘Calm down, Poliana.’

She took a deep breath to stop herself from hyperventilating. Touching

the flowers in her hands gently, Poliana said to the emperor, “To be
honest, I have to admit that the way you treat me… I don’t dislike it, your
highness. In fact, I will admit that I actually like it a little. After all, I am
still human, so how could I not feel flattered when someone so beautiful
like you is courting me? How could I not feel attracted to you just a
little?”

Chapter 339: Chapter 339

Chapter 339

What Poliana didn’t know was the fact that Lucius the First asked the
gardener previously to learn the meaning behind all of the flowers in the
greenhouse. Poliana also didn’t realize that although it looked like the
emperor was picking the flowers randomly, he was actually selecting the
flowers that represented what he wanted to say to her.

But it was okay that Poliana didn’t know these things because most
flowers in this world carried the meaning of love. All the emperor wanted
to tell her was that he loved her. Lucius the First desperately wanted
Poliana to know the true extent of his feelings for her. And now, it
seemed that Poliana was giving Lucius the First her truth.
Poliana said to him, “As you know, your highness, you used to be just
my emperor. I never saw you as a man. I think you used to feel the same
way about me. I did not see you as an opposite sex until that…
unfortunate accident.”

Poliana gritted her teeth. If it wasn’t for the huge mistake she made that
night… This ridiculous situation would’ve never happened. If she didn’t
get so drunk that night…

Poliana continued, “Because of that unfortunate incident… I began to

see you, your highness, as a man. Yes, I will admit it. I feel… differently
about you now. I am more aware of you as a man and I apologize, your
highness. I know this is wrong, but I can’t help it.”

The reason why Poliana avoided Lucius the First in the past wasn’t just
because she felt guilty. It was mostly because every time she saw him, it
reminded her of that night. It was even more frustrating because she
actually didn’t remember what happened that night. She remembered
only small pieces of it, and just these memories were enough to make
her run away. Poliana almost felt suicidal during this time. If she didn’t
get pregnant, it was very possible that she eventually fell in love with the
emperor on her own.

Some wouldn’t understand how someone can fall in love just from
spending one night together. How could a person be so simple? But
then, Poliana was a very simple woman. In fact, Poliana began to like
Frau just because she decided to marry him. She began to fall for him
just because he was going to be her husband.
Poliana didn’t know what love was. She never felt a genuine affection of
a man for a woman. Poliana was loved as a student, a colleague,
subordinate, superior, and friend, but never as a woman.

And now… She was experiencing the love between a man and a woman
for the first time in her life. She still didn’t know about the love between a
mother and her child yet because she never experienced it with her own
mother. This was perhaps why Poliana still did not like Gerald much.
She was going to marry Lucius the First only because of Gerald. She
may have given birth to him, but to Poliana, Gerald was the son of her
beloved emperor rather than her own flesh and blood.

To Lucius the First, Gerald was the luckiest thing that happened to him
while to Poliana, it was the opposite.

Until now, perhaps even now, Poliana did not believe in true love. This
was no wonder since all she felt in her life were the friendship between
the colleagues and the affection from her emperor. She still did not trust
what she was feeling right now, especially because it began after that
unfortunate night. Poliana felt that feeling this way about the emperor
was inappropriate and rude.

She continued, “To be honest, I do like how you are treating me, your
highness. I do like it… and I am attracted to you, but it is because I like
this situation. A handsome man falling in love with me… Who wouldn’t
like that? But I am not sure this is because it is you, your highness, or it
is because I am a loose woman. I mean, after all, I said some mean
things to you in Sitrin, so for me to suddenly be attracted to you like
this…”
“You are not a loose woman, Sir Pol. Not at all.”

Lucius the First begged her to stop blaming herself for anything. He
continued, “You should do whatever you want. You should enjoy this
situation if you want. That is exactly what I would like. If you experience
what I can offer you, and if you like it, then you should keep enjoying it.
That would make me very happy. This is how I really feel. And
besides…”

Lucius the First adjusted the flower tucked behind his ear and added,
“You deserve it, Sir Pol. You worked so hard all your life that you
deserve a man like me.”

In most stories, the knights were richly rewarded after their adventures.
Unless it was a tragic story, they all ended in a similar fashion. The hero
would find a treasure, be awarded with a castle by the emperor, be
kissed by a beautiful lady, or be greatly respected by the other knights.
Some heroes got everything including an honorable reputation, wealth,
and a beautiful wife.

Lucius the First emphasized the fact that Poliana deserved all the
happiness in the world. Poliana agreed because she felt the same way.
She believed that she had the right to enjoy all of the good things in life.
The emperor said to her, “It would be my honor for you to want me and
lust after me, Sir Pol.”

Lucius the First suddenly closed the distance between them. He slowly
lowered his face to kiss the bouquet Poliana was holding. Poliana was
mesmerized as she watched the most beautiful man kissing the beautiful
vibrant flowers.

Yes, she was definitely bewitched by this man.

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Even the most exotic flowers could not outshine the beautiful green eyes
of the emperor. It felt like a dream to see the emperor surrounded by the
flowers. Poliana couldn’t help the overwhelming affection she felt for this
man. The vague memories of that drunken night filled her head, making
her feel dizzy. The intensity of her feelings… They were always there
deep inside of her, and now, they were beginning to surface.

What a lovely man her emperor was. Could it be that what she did that
night wasn’t a random act due to being drunk? Could it be that she
always had feelings for Lucius the First and she just never knew about
it?

At this point, however, it didn’t matter. What was important now was that
something was happening between them. Something was happening to
Poliana.

Suddenly, Poliana asked the emperor impulsively, “Your highness, may I

kiss you?”

“Of course.”
One of the many special rights Poliana had was the honor of kissing the
emperor’s hand and his rings. Being a very polite woman, she always
asked for his permission before kissing his hand. Lucius the First offered
his hand without hesitation, but to his shock, Poliana grabbed it and
pulled him towards her. The emperor was greeted by Poliana’s embrace
and then…

Their lips locked.

Chapter 340: Chapter 340

Chapter 340

As soon as her lips touched his, Lucius the First’s eyes widened.
Poliana’s eyes, however, were closed so she did not notice the
emperor’s surprise. Their lips rubbed against each other. Before the
emperor could open his mouth, Poliana stepped back. Lucius the First,
although disappointed, did not pull her back towards him. He let her go.
The emperor wasn’t going to force her. He wasn’t going to pressure her;
this was his way of showing her how considerate he is.

Perhaps it was a stupid thing to do. Many would think so, saying that
such patience and consideration were silly. Even Lucius the First thought
this; his patience was what caused that snake Frau to use Poliana in the
past.
But even knowing this, the emperor could not help being gentlemanly.
This was because he knew very well what could happen once he started
to do what he wanted. He was the most powerful man in the kingdom.
He had the power to take Poliana in any way he wanted. If he began to
use his power for his personal gain, Lucius the First knew that it would
be the beginning of him turning into a tyrant. What he gained from then
on would become meaningless. What he wanted was for Poliana to
choose him, not be forced to be with him. Perhaps it was his
powerfulness that made his love so much harder.

His heart was pounding wildly, but the emperor said to Poliana
nonchalantly, “I thought you were going to kiss the back of my hand.”
Lucius the First was worried his heart might burst out of his chest. He
was even more concerned that Poliana might hear his heartbeat, so he
took a step back and acted calmly. Poliana said to him, “I thought I might
realize something by doing this.”

“What were you hoping to learn?”

“Your highness, I love you. I can tell you without a doubt that this is the
truth.”

Lucius the First was not surprised by this statement because he knew
this already. Everyone could tell that Poliana loved and respected the
emperor. The knightess and the emperor were smitten with each other.
Their love for each other was greater than anything.

Unfortunately, however, the kinds of love they felt for each other were
very different. Poliana continued, “My love for you has been from a
knight to her emperor, but now, I am beginning to see you as a man.
This change has brought me a lot of confusion. Your highness, you told
me that your love for me suddenly changed. It is possible that the same
thing happened to my feelings for you too since just now, I wanted to
kiss you. So I thought that if I did what I wanted, which was to kiss you, I
thought I might learn something from it… But that wasn’t the case.”

“If you ever want to test out things like that again in the future, please
feel free to do it. I welcome it wholeheartedly.”

He would not only welcome it, but he would greatly appreciate it.

Poliana shook her head and replied, “There is no need because I will
admit that I am physically attracted to you. In the past, whenever I saw
you, I didn’t feel anything like this, but now…”

Poliana didn’t finish her sentence because she was afraid that saying
what she thought out loud would be considered sexual harassment.
Lucius the First was desperate to hear how she saw him, but he didn’t
prod.

Poliana couldn’t hide her confusion. She was filled with wants and
needs, but she couldn’t tell if they simply came from her lust for the
emperor, or from love. She wanted to kiss him. There was no denying
that she did. She thought that if he kissed him, her confusion would
magically disappear and she would know the truth, but unfortunately, the
kiss only confused her even more.
Love and lust often came together, but not always. There were times
when they occurred separately. If one could only sleep with a person he
or she loved, the human race would’ve ended a long time ago. Most
people Poliana knew married without love, but even so, they all had
plenty of children and lived content lives.

Poliana said to him, “I just don’t get it. I don’t understand what I am
feeling. Not at all! But your highness, if what you feel for me is similar to
how I feel, then…”

Poliana, uncertain about her own feelings, asked the emperor if it was
possible that he confused his lust for love. Could it be that he was also
having difficulties distinguishing the two similar but very different
emotions? It was an extremely rude question. It was worse than when
people whispered that the emperor had a fetish for older women
because he lost his mother at a very young age.

Lucius the First’s eyes sharpened with anger, but he quickly controlled
his fury. The woman he loved, standing in front of him, was the infamous
Poliana Winter. She never had any marriage prospects until she was
well into her thirties. She spent all her life surrounded by men on various
battlefields. She became an adult without a first love. The very first man
she fell for was a gold digger and a conman, and her first pregnancy was
from a drunken night with her emperor. Her life has been very different
than that of Lucius the First, who lacked nothing. Although he lost his
parents very young, he grew up being loved by many.

Lucius the First said to her, “I will forgive you since you only asked this
question out of confusion. But remember this; I will never forgive such a
question the second time.”
“I apologize, your highness.”
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Lucius the First knew he needed to explain further. He continued,

“Oftentimes, love comes with lust, obsession, and possessiveness. So
please know this; I am a man who is lusting after you. I am desperate to
make you mine, Pol. I hope you know that I can achieve this at any time.
I have the power to do this, but I am being patient. I am sure you know
why.”

If all Lucius the First felt for Poliana was lust, it would’ve been easy for
him to satisfy his needs. All he had to do was order her to his bed. If
what he wanted was just simply to marry Poliana, it also would’ve been
easy for him to achieve this. All he would have to do is to order her.
Even if he betrayed her and lost her trust, it didn’t change the fact that he
was Poliana’s emperor and therefore her master. Poliana could never
leave the emperor. She would always have to follow his order.

But Lucius the First refused to force her in any way and Poliana trusted
him to be fair and honorable. The emperor said to the knightess, “I want
to tell you this, Sir Pol. It is true that I love you and lust after you, but I
am the kind of a man who would always respect you rather than force
you. I hope you realize what it feels like to have someone who genuinely
loves and cares for you. I think you already are beginning to learn what it
feels like, right? You told me that you don’t dislike it. You said you
actually like being treated this way. This is only the beginning. There is
much more to come. I am a little hurt that you would even consider my
feeling for you to be just lust. You are very cruel, Sir Pol.”
It indeed hurt the emperor greatly. When Poliana saw how the emperor
felt, she gritted her teeth. She realized that she was being a coward. She
ended up insulting the emperor.

“….I have done you a great wrong, your highness.”

“You are so cruel, my beloved lady. Let’s end our walk for today.”

This was all Poliana’s fault. She promised not to doubt the emperor’s
love, but she ended up insulting him. Poliana tried to kneel and
apologize, but Lucius the First refused to give his permission.

Chapter 341: Chapter 341

Chapter 341

That day, when Poliana returned home, she found a gift that was sent
from the royal castle. It was a large wagon filled with hundreds of
flowers. It looked like all of the flowers from the greenhouse were
plucked and put inside this wagon.

The butler and the servants carried the flowers into the house proudly.
This gift was proof that their mistress, Marquess Winter, must be the
emperor’s most favored person. The first floor of Poliana’s mansion soon
became filled with flowers.
These were no ordinary flowers. The seeds came from all over the
kingdom and the castle gardeners have been working tirelessly for years
to grow them. There were spring, summer, and autumn flowers.

The main hall was filled with the heavy scent of the flowers, but it wasn’t
overwhelming. Poliana, however, felt a little dizzy as she stared at the
emperor’s gift.

“Mistress, what should we do with all these flowers?”

“Umm… Since they are from his highness, we need to treat them with
respect.”

“Then I will take care of them, Mistress. I will pick out the most fragrant
once for your bath and perfume. The flowers with the most vibrant colors
will be dried and made into potpourri. The rest will be divided and placed
in multiple vases and I will make sure they last as long as possible.”

Poliana was thankful that she had such a capable butler. When the
butler saw the bouquet Poliana was holding, he asked, “And what is it
you are holding, Mistress?”

“This is also from his highness.”

“Oh, I see. It looks like they were plucked by hands because their stems
aren’t cleanly cut. I can make them neat for you.”

The flowers that were cut professionally by the gardeners indeed had
clean ends. The bouquet of flowers in Poliana’s hand, however, had
rough and torn stems. If these flowers aren’t trimmed properly, they
weren’t going to last a very long time. But Poliana replied, “No, I… I will
take care of these myself.”

Lucius the First gifted Poliana with flowers many times before including
the champion’s garland in the past. Receiving a flower from the emperor
was one of the greatest honors, especially when they were given with
love.

Regrettably, Poliana had no idea what happened to these flowers the

emperor gave to her. They were all lost to her.

This bouquet… These flowers were the first ones the emperor gave to
her after he confessed his love. They carried a deep meaning and
Poliana felt a little burdened by them. Poliana felt determined to keep
this bouquet forever. She will not let it be lost this time. She was going to
dry it herself and put it near her bed and to do this, she first needed to
trim the ends properly.

Before removing the ribbon, Poliana first put her nose on the flowers and
inhaled deeply. The green scent of the plants was much stronger than
that of the flowers, and it reminded her of the clear green eyes that
looked at her so adoringly.
‘I’m parched.’

Poliana suddenly felt so thirsty. She took a sip of water, but even after
drinking the whole cup, her thirst didn’t disappear. The thirst that can’t be
quenched even with water… This was no ordinary thirst. Poliana, who
decided to quit drinking, considered getting a bottle of wine but decided
against it. She knew that no alcohol could take care of this problem.

Poliana laid down on her bed and decided to admit the truth.

She missed Lucius the First. She wanted to see him. Poliana was still
uncertain if what she felt was love or lust. The strange ticklish feeling on
the back of her hand and her heart evolved into ravenous thirst.

Being loved by someone who felt so unfamiliar and odd… Poliana felt
shy and embarrassed, but also proud and arrogant. To be pursued by
the greatest man in the kingdom… Poliana felt special. Perhaps her selfconfidence
needed a boost after all.

Lucius the First called her cruel, but Poliana felt the same way about the
emperor. To her, the emperor was the most generous yet the cruelest
man. In the past, he never bowed to anyone, but now, the way he acted
around her made Poliana feel bewildered and uncertain. He restored her
confidence in herself, but his love also made her baffled.

“…”
Poliana sighed, unable to fall asleep.

***

That same night, the emperor was also unable to fall asleep. Lucius the
First and Master Chail chatted secretly.

“Chail, I’m afraid that she’s developing tolerance to my beauty.”

“Your highness, it was expected. It’s natural to get tired of the same
thing, even if it’s your beauty.”

Master Chail was the person who spent the most time with the emperor.
Lucius the First staggered a little at Chail’s statement. The emperor was
certain that no one could ever become tired of his beauty.

“Chail… Are you serious? Is that how you feel about me too?”

“Of course not, your highness. I would never become tired of your
gorgeous face. All I am saying is that it’s possible Marquess Winter may
feel this way.”
Lucius the First wasn’t completely convinced, but he decided not to
question Chail further. Master Chail was one of the very few people in
this world who the emperor could discuss such an important yet private
subject. Lucius the First did not want to lose Chail by being too
demanding. Most of the time, Chail just listened quietly to the emperor,
but this was enough for Lucius the First.
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The emperor said to him, “I realized something while watching Inno. I

learned that gaining a lady’s sympathy can be a very helpful tactic. A
lady often falls in love when she sees a man looking weak and helpless.
It starts as sympathy and pity, and these feelings develop into love.”

The Poliana Chail knew definitely wasn’t one of these typical ladies.
Master Chail has seen Poliana push her guards against a wall if she
found them weak. Poliana also treated her colleagues this way if she
thought they were acting unmanly. When Chail pointed this out, Lucius
the First disagreed, “This is different! I will keep showing her my
strength, but I will also show her my more sensitive side. She will find me
fascinating and charming!”

Chail thought secretly, ‘If you know so well, why haven’t you been able
to seduce her yet, your highness?’

But Master Chail also knew that Poliana was a difficult woman to
seduce. In fact, Chail believed that Poliana Winter may be the most
difficult lady to love. But then… Lucius the First was the emperor of
Acreia. Of all the men in this kingdom, he had to be the only one who
might have a chance.
The emperor could easily have any other woman he wanted, but
knowing him well, Master Chail wasn’t surprised Lucius the First picked
the harder road for himself.

Love was a funny thing. Many say love was a young man’s game, but
although he was in his mid-thirties, it seemed that the emperor’s game of
love wasn’t quite over yet.

Not even close.

Chapter 342: Chapter 342

Chapter 342

Poliana frowned. The deep wrinkles on her forehead made her look
mature and regal. Last night, she didn’t get to sleep until early in the
morning. Since it was her habit to wake up early, Poliana ended up
waking up without much sleep at all. Whatever sleep she got was not
enough. Poliana felt horrible.

‘I’m so tired.’

She felt both physically and emotionally fatigued. Poliana could feel
herself aging. Getting old was not a fun experience. After an aggressive
breakfast, Poliana sat blankly. Her brain wasn’t working properly.
The butler asked, “Aren’t you going to the castle today, Mistress?”

“Umm… Why do you ask?”

“Since you received the flowers as a gift, you need to repay him with a
present yourself.”

“Oh, the flowers…”

Yes, the beautiful flowers that now decorated the marquess’s mansion…
Poliana nodded in understanding. Lucius the First publicly gave her an
incredible gift. If it was just a single flower or even a bouquet, Poliana
could’ve just thanked him, but she received a wagon full of flowers that
were seen by everyone in town; a simple thank you was not going to be
enough.

“A gift for the emperor… I don’t know what a proper choice would be as
a thank you for the flowers. What should I give him?”

“A handkerchief is the safest and most common choice.”

Poliana groaned and crossed her arms. She did embroider several
handkerchiefs during her pregnancy because the midwife and the doctor
insisted it was good for the baby. Unfortunately, Poliana left these
handkerchiefs in Sitrin. She never thought to bring them with her to Yapa
because why would she? Who would’ve thought she would need them?

Should she embroider another one right now? Never!

“I can’t go back to sewing at this point. Besides, I gave his highness a

pair of leather gloves in the past, and I have never seen him wear them.”

Poliana didn’t explain further, making the butler believe that it was her
poor sewing that displeased the emperor. This, however, was not the
truth; Lucius the First refused to wear these gloves because they were
made of alligator hide.

Poliana insisted that she shouldn’t go to the castle until she picked out a
gift, but the butler said to her firmly, “You must go today. The first thing
you need to do is thank his highness; you can come up with a gift later.”

It was clear that the butler was on the emperor’s side rather than
Poliana’s, but Poliana had to admit that her butler was right. The
emperor gave her an incredible gift that would make any lady swoon with
pleasure. It was only right that she visited him in person and thanked
him.

“But wouldn’t it be better if I pick out a gift first and thank him with it?”
“For his highness, your visit would be the greatest gift he can hope for,
Mistress.”

“…”

Poliana had no idea her butler was such a corny romantic. His comment
made her feel embarrassed, so she quickly returned to her room. The
butler, who was an elderly man, kept a straight face. He couldn’t
understand why Poliana found his comment so distressing.

***

Poliana faced Lucius the First rigidly. Before she thanked him for the gift,
Poliana had something more important to say first.

“Your highness… I misspoke yesterday and I would like to apologize.”

In the greenhouse yesterday, she doubted his love once again. She
thought that perhaps what he felt for her was lust, not love. Poliana
immediately regretted saying such a thing as soon as she asked the
question. She knew what she did to the emperor was unforgivable, yet
instead of getting angry and punishing her, Lucius the First gave her a
wagon full of flowers. He gave her all the flowers in his greenhouse.
Poliana knew he sent them to show his love and forgiveness. Poliana
was kneeling on the floor and looking down, waiting for the emperor to
punish her.
“I was not going to say this, but…” Lucius the First looked at the top of
her head and sighed. He continued, “You’re just like Inno when it comes
to kneeling. You kneel all the time like him.”

“Never! That is not true, your highness!”

“Yes, you do. You’re so loose with your kneeling; you kneel too easily.”

“I am not easy!”

She was not an easy woman! Poliana protested angrily. The only one
she kneels for was the emperor, so how could he call her an easy
kneeler? Poliana stood up quickly, making Lucius the First smile. The
best way to boost Poliana’s mood was to bring up her nemesis.

“Sir Pol, now that I think about it, I really do think you and Inno resemble
each other.”

“How?! Why would you think I resemble that jerk?!”

“Think about it. You both used to fight for my affection in the past, but
now you both have abandoned me… It looks like neither of you needs
me or wants me anymore… You’re treating me like an old unwanted
shoe…”
Now that he said it out loud, Lucius the First really felt sad. He gave
Poliana a lonely smile before turning away. He remembered the time
when Poliana couldn’t seem to spend enough time with him.

Oh, what happy times.

“In the past, you and Inno used to fight for my attention and affection…
But now, Inno is married and he barely notices me. And you, Sir Pol…
You think what I feel for you isn’t genuine…”

The more he thought about it, the sadder he became. Lucius the First’s
eyes watered a little, and Poliana gasped in shock. She kneeled again
and exclaimed, “I’m sorry, your highness! I deserve to be punished!”

“I was just kidding.”

“…that wasn’t funny at all, your highness.”

“It was funny to me. It was fun to joke with you like the old times.”

It seemed that no matter how old the emperor became, his sense of
humor never improved. Lucius the First put his hand on Poliana’s
shoulder and helped her stand up.
“Rise, Sir Pol. I have done you wrong many times before and this is your
first time making a mistake, so there is no need to apologize.”
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“Your highness, you are my master, and I am your servant. No matter

what happens, even if you are courting me, this fact will never change.”

“You are too rigid, Sir Pol. Well, alright. I would like you to give me a gift
in return for my flowers and as an apology.”

Lucius the First has always been the giver of this relationship while
Poliana was the one who always received. He was the emperor after all
with all the wealth and power in the world. Lucius the First gave her so
much so far, and all Poliana gave him in return had been a simple thank
you. So today, she expected the emperor to say that all he needed was
her thanks. Poliana realized that she was very wrong about this. She felt
confused, ‘Should I hire someone to go grab my handkerchiefs from
Sitrin?’

Poliana asked the emperor what he wanted, and Lucius the First replied,
“Give me your whole day.”

Poliana nodded emphatically, “I am ready to give you my entire life, your

highness.”

Lucius the First shook his head, telling her that is not what he meant.
“Spend a night with me.”
All Poliana could do was nod…

Chapter 343: Chapter 343

Chapter 343

“Marquess, please breathe normally.”

Even though Lady Siming told Poliana she could stand comfortably,
Poliana refused to relax her stomach. She continued to hold her breath
as long as she could, making Lady Siming sigh.

“Marquess Winter, you’re very slim even without you holding your
stomach in.”

“But I have gained weight recently. I have a potbelly.”

“No, you don’t. In fact, Marquess, you’re still too thin; It would be nice if
you gain a little more weight.”

“No way!”
There was a reason why Poliana refused to let her body change in
shape. The armor the emperor gifted her after conquering the
continent… This golden armor was her pride and joy. There was no
bigger honor for a knight than receiving a custom-made armor from the
emperor.

Normally, a piece of armor was made to accommodate a few layers of

clothes underneath, which meant that there was room to gain a bit of
weight. Unfortunately, there weren’t many armor makers who specialized
in making female armors. Poliana’s armor was, in addition, made
especially tight to make it look slim, elegant, and beautiful. It was indeed
an amazing looking armor, but it also meant that Poliana could not gain
even an ounce of weight. She could, of course, change different parts of
the armor to accommodate any weight gain, but Poliana didn’t want to
do this.

There were three things that were necessary to make a masterpiece

armor.

Money, power, and the right person to wear it.

These three things were satisfied to make Poliana’s armor. This female
armor was shaped to enhance Poliana’s body through its feminine lines.
It was elaborate and elegant, making it look like something that a
fictional knightess from a romantic story might wear. If Poliana wore this
and did not take off her helmet, the armor had the power to make people
imagine that there was a beautiful knightess inside it.
The armor maker who created this retired afterward, making Poliana’s
piece his last one. His students carried on, but if Poliana wanted to make
adjustments to her armor, a different metal will have to be added by a
different armor maker. There was no way her armor would look the
same, and Poliana did not want this.

There were mountains of fabrics surrounding Poliana and Lady Siming.

The maids seemed excited to bring more and more pieces of fabric to
the room. All the women looked enthusiastic as they worked tirelessly.

“Lady Siming! I brought some green fabrics as you asked!”

“I got the blue ones!”

“I also ordered the servants to bring all the furs they could find!”

Poliana watched awkwardly as the tables continued to be piled up with

different fabrics. All these materials were brought here to make her
dress.

When the emperor mysteriously asked her to give him her night, Poliana
ended up nodding nervously. As soon as she agreed to his request,
Lucius the First called for Lady Siming.

After the emperor asked Poliana to spare him her whole day, he
disappeared, leaving her alone with Lady Siming. Poliana tried to
escape, but she was quickly captured by the lady, who looked
thoroughly determined.

To Poliana’s surprise, Lady Siming had brought a dress, which fit her
perfectly. Poliana had unusually overdeveloped shoulders, arms, and
chest, yet she had no problem fitting into this dress. It was an outfit
Poliana has never seen before, so she asked, “Lady Siming, why do you
have an outfit that was custom-made for me?”

“Do you remember how I made a dress for you in the past?”

“Yes, of course.”

“This is a dress I completed at the time.”

“But then why do you still have it?”

“I didn’t want to take it apart because I put a lot of work into it. I also
didn’t feel right giving it to you since you broke up your engagement. So I
just kept it until now.”

Although Lady Siming was the royal seamstress and designer, she had
made some outfits for Poliana in the past per the emperor’s request.
Lady Siming was asked to make Poliana’s wedding dress as well as
other party outfits for her wedding, but after the Frau incident, all the
work had to be stopped.
One thing that was lacking severely in the Acreian castle was the
number of royal family members. At the moment, there were only two
people: Lucius the First and his daughter Princess Luminae. Because of
this, Lady Siming and the other royal seamstresses didn’t have much to
do.

Thankfully, the emperor was a very fashionable man, which meant that
there was some work to do, but it just wasn’t enough to keep the royal
fashion department busy. Princess Luminae was too young, which
meant that there was a limit to the use of jewels and silks in making her
outfits. Lucius the First, who enjoyed wearing lavish outfits and
accessories, was still a man and therefore could not satisfy Lady
Siming’s desire to create beautiful dresses for a lady.

Lady Siming has been secretly working out various dresses for Poliana
to keep herself busy. Although Poliana wasn’t in Yapa, Lady Siming still
had all of her measurements.
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The robe Lady Siming made for Poliana was shredded to pieces the day
Poliana first wore it. Lady Siming put a lot of thought and effort into this
robe, so she couldn’t hide her disappointment when it was destroyed. So
immediately afterward, Lady Siming began to work on a new robe.

She designed and completed a pretty blue robe for Poliana. Lady Siming
remembered Poliana insisting her favorite color was blue, so she chose
the fabric carefully. Lady Siming has been waiting for Poliana’s return to
the capital city. She planned on giving it to Poliana and lie to her that she
made it a long time ago along with the green dress that was made for
the banquet.

Then suddenly, Lady Siming heard a lovely rumor about the romance
between the marquess and the emperor! She could not believe her luck
and joy. Lady Siming studied the blue dress she made for Poliana and
wondered. Was this meant to be? Was this dress she created on a whim
to be used as a wedding dress?

But then… This blue robe was not fit to be used as the empress’s
wedding dress. Even though she wasn’t ordered, Lady Siming began to
work on a wedding dress for Poliana. Today, she made further
measurements on Poliana’s body so she could complete the wedding
dress later in secret.

The emperor did not order anyone regarding his and Poliana’s wedding
plan, but there was no need. Everyone, as soon as they heard what was
happening, began preparing for the upcoming event on their own.

Chancellor Marquis Zeese began to gather the items necessary for the
wedding ceremony. Duke Luzo, who was superstitious just as much as
his cousin the emperor, began to look through the calendar to pick the
most auspicious day for the wedding. Sir Mahogal, knowing the Knight’s
Order will need to attend the ceremony, began to teach his men the
basic royal etiquettes. Sir Wook and Sir Jainno suspected that the royal
wedding party may last for many days, so they began to organize their
schedules and plans to keep the city streets safely guarded.
Sir Ainno, on the other hand, didn’t do anything. This was fine since the
emperor would’ve been happy as long as his friend didn’t cause any
trouble.

Chapter 344: Chapter 344

Chapter 344

Lady Siming asked Poliana, “See, Marquess? This is your favorite color,
right? The accessories are very simple but elegant, right?”

“Yeah, it’s very pretty but when did I ever say I like blue?”

Lady Siming’s eyes widened in confusion and fear. Didn’t Poliana insist
only on blue dresses before?

“D-do you hate it?”

“No, I just don’t have a favorite color, that’s all”

It was obvious that Poliana only insisted on blue, not because it was her
favorite color, but because it was the color she was most used to. Lady
Siming and her maids sighed in relief.
Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door and one of the maids went out to open
the door. Poliana was only wearing her underwear because Lady Siming
was trying on different fabrics on her. Poliana quickly moved behind the
privacy screen. She could hear people coming and going outside the
thick fabric screen. It seemed that large heavy boxes were brought into
the room. Lady Siming, who was inside the screen with Poliana, finally
went out to see what was going on. Poliana could hear Lady Siming
shaking her head and ordering the men, “This isn’t enough. We will go to
the storage ourselves to have a look. Please open it for us.”

“To go inside the storage… How dare you suggest such a thing…”

Poliana’s ears picked up the man’s voice. The man who was arguing
with Lady Siming was someone she knew because she recognized his
voice. Poliana tried to remember who it was and after a few minutes,
finally realized that it was the man who worked as the keeper of the royal
treasures and valuables stored in the Yapa castle.

The man argued, “Only a royal member can enter the storage.”

Lady Siming replied, “But she will become one soon.”

“Even so…”
“His highness will allow it. Where do you think I got all these silks and
furs from?”

One of the servants, who was watching nervously, quickly went out to
get the emperor’s permission. It was clear that everyone wanted things
to go smoothly. The entire castle was helping Lucius the First to make
this marriage happen. As soon as the emperor’s permission was
granted, Lady Siming dressed Poliana in her original clothes and they
walked towards the treasure storage. The butler and the other maids
followed excitedly.

As she stood inside the royal treasure storage, Poliana gaped in shock.

“…”

She could understand why the treasure keeper acted so nervously when
Lady Siming suggested they go into the storage. Inside was filled with
the most precious and priceless gems and jewels of the entire continent.
The number of treasures Lucius the First collected was enormous. It was
a good thing that there was already a well-organized catalog of the
treasures or else, it would’ve taken a lifetime to figure out what was
inside this room.

Even Tory, Stra, and Rebecca, who were the emperor’s wives, were
never allowed into this storage. Whenever they needed to wear royal
jewels, only certain maids who were given special permission could visit
the treasure keeper. It was only after the treasure keeper gave his
permission when the maid could enter the storage under the keeper’s
watchful eyes to grab what she needed.

The selection process was also carried out by the keeper. Only very few
and specific jewels were allowed to be worn by the emperor’s wives. In
the history of Acreia, there has never been an incident where the person
who was going to wear the jewels was allowed to enter the storage to
pick them out herself.

The keeper took out a large key chain. The keys were necessary to open
the many boxes inside the storage. He opened each of them one by one
and it took two guards to lift the heavy doors open.

One of the guards met Poliana’s eyes and grinned. He was silently
cheering for her.

‘Boss, you lucked out! I am rooting for you.’

‘Shut up, you bastard.’

Poliana and the guard were arguing silently while Lady Siming and the
maids looked around the room. The room was surprisingly not shiny; in
fact, it was rather dark. It was because the jewels and the gems were
mostly stored inside the boxes. The place was organized according to
different types of jewels.
Lady Siming and the treasure keeper began to discuss their plan.

“Since she’s a blonde, we should go with the primary colors…”

“I don’t think the extravagant style will suit her so we should choose
elegant items…”

Poliana’s opinion was also important, so the keeper asked her, “Are
there any specific gems you prefer, Marquess Winter?”

“I would like to get a gold dagger.”

“That is something you should have made with your own money,
Marquess.”

Poliana flushed angrily. Did he think she was a beggar? She replied, “I
was going to. I just wanted to have a look at one from here so I get an
idea of what design I should get.”

The maids brought out different styles of daggers and laid them out in
front of Poliana. She stared in happiness as she enjoyed the beautifully
bejeweled weapons. Lady Siming said to her, “I can see you like the
gems, Marquess; that’s very feminine of you.”
The keeper argued, “It’s not just the ladies that love the gems. We’re
driven by instinct to collect shiny things.”

This was true. If it was only the women who liked the gems, then why
would there be so many jeweled weapons? Men also loved gems. It was
partly because it represented power and wealth, but still, it was a fact
that men loved shiny things just as the women did.

After the jewels were selected, the real work began. After putting on
Lady Siming’s blue robe, the accessories were put on Poliana. Before
leaving the treasure storage, Poliana was given one of the lovely
daggers. Poliana wasn’t planning on keeping it, but the keeper told her it
was ok. He murmured that everything in the storage was going to be
hers anyway very soon.

Poliana couldn’t understand why everyone was so agreeable.

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‘Why isn’t anyone against the marriage?’

It seemed that Poliana was the only one who opposed the relationship
between herself and the emperor. She felt a little lonely, feeling like she
was all alone in this.

After the preparation was done, Lady Siming and the maids brought out
a full-length mirror. Poliana stared at herself now looking like a highborn
lady. Normally, most women would greatly improve in appearance after
so much work and care, but in her case…

“I don’t understand what the problem is…”

Poliana genuinely was curious about why something still didn’t seem
right. She still didn’t look feminine. One of the maids finally murmured,
“Well… The nose is supposed to be the center of one’s face, but in your
case… I mean…”

The maid was very accurate in her assessment. Poliana’s bent nose
indeed made her look mean and vicious. In addition, Poliana worked as
a soldier all her life. She killed countless men and her harsh face
showed it. There was always a frown on her face and with the uneven
nose, Poliana looked very strong and unique.

There was no way she could ever become a fragile lady. No one could
deny the power and authority that exude from her body.

Chapter 345: Chapter 345

Chapter 345

Lady Siming tried to make Poliana feel better, “Marquess Winter, you
may be unmarried yet, but you aren’t a young girl anymore, so we need
to emphasize your elegance and maturity…”
But the truth was, the other ladies in their thirties still did their best to
look fragile and feminine. Even some married women with three kids still
wore veils to emphasize their girlishness, while here was Poliana, who
was a single woman but needed to “show off” her maturity. Poliana
couldn’t help feeling a little sad about it, but she also couldn’t deny the
fact that Lady Siming and the maids were correct in their assessment.

Poliana was the type that improved in appearance as she became older.
Unlike some women who bloomed beautifully in their teens and twenties,
Poliana maintained a constant solidity as her charm. She was
unchanging and steadfast, which was what the maids focused on when
they dressed her.

It was always a good thing for the emperor and the empress to be
beautiful. However, Lucius the First had more than enough beauty for
both of them, which meant Poliana didn’t have to worry about her own
appearance.

The final result of Lady Siming’s work was a lady who looked formidable
and unwavering. Poliana’s posture was straight and her manners
faultless from serving the emperor for such a long time. The woman who
stood in front of the mirror was not conventionally beautiful, but everyone
in the room could see that Poliana was going to make a majestic
empress.

***
The day was getting dark and Poliana was finally escorted to the
emperor. When he saw her, Lucius the First became speechless. After a
few seconds of silence, he finally said to her, “There were times when I
thought you might not look suitable to stand next to the emperor, but I
was very wrong.”

Indeed, although she didn’t look beautiful, Poliana looked magnificent.

The emperor, however, seemed a little disappointed, “The only thing is
that I wish they emphasized your cuteness a bit more.”

“Pfft.”

Poliana covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. She felt
embarrassed as she replied, “Your highness…”

“My eyes are perfectly fine, Sir Pol. See? I can see that I’m holding two
fingers.”

Lucius the First quickly replied as he waved two fingers in front of his
eyes. Lucius the First asked Poliana for a whole day to spend with him,
but it took her half a day to get ready. Now, what was going to happen?
Poliana waited patiently for the emperor’s order.

It was dinner time already, so they ate together. Poliana, still worried
about gaining weight, so ate less than she usually did. The emperor
looked at her with concern as he said to her, “We will be working out all
night, so you should eat up.”
Oh my god. Poliana blushed uncontrollably.

‘He must be talking about…’

It could be only one thing. Poliana regretted agreeing to do this. This

man was asking the woman he loved to get dolled up, eat dinner with
him, and “exercise” all night… What else could it be?

It had to be…

‘Why did I say yes? So are we really going to sleep together? Just like
that? Really? Will it be possible when we aren’t drunk?’

Poliana could no longer eat.

***

After the dinner, Lucius the First held her hand and escorted her out of
the dining room. Poliana felt confused and nervous, not knowing what
she should do.
‘Will we go right to bed? Or will we go for a walk first? Are we really
going to do this? Are we going to drink first? We aren’t even married, so
is this ok? Well, we already have Gerald together… And we are going to
get married anyway… So I guess it doesn’t matter? So is it really ok for
me to sleep with his highness like this? I mean, I always thought the
emperor could have everything for me, but this feels different… I don’t
know what I want…’

The truth was, Poliana’s body wanted Lucius the First. There was
denying that her body craved him, but her heart seemed uncertain.

When Lucius the First took her outside the building, Poliana became
tense.

‘Outside?!’

This was only their second time sleeping together and it seemed that the
emperor wanted to do it outside! How daring!

Poliana began to sweat profusely. Her entire body was becoming wet.
The makeup and her styled hair were all being ruined, but there was
nothing she could do about it.

Poliana tried to think positively, ‘We already slept together once. We

even have a baby together, so there shouldn’t be any problem, right?
Yes! That’s right! We should sleep together and that way, I will know for
sure how I feel!’
Only a short while ago, Poliana argued that she should not be treated as
a loose woman, yet now, it seemed that she was ready to jump into the
emperor’s bed.

Poliana and the emperor finally arrived at a beautiful stone gazebo.

Poliana clenched her fists. So they were really going to do it outside!
She pictured what they might be able to do here. If Lucius the First knew
what she was thinking… He was going to die of a heart attack.

He said to her mysteriously, “I won’t let you sleep at all tonight.” He let
go of her hand and walked up to the gazebo. Poliana rubbed her hands
nervously like a fly waiting for its meal. Her hands were sweating as well
as she yelled, “Should I take off my clothes now?”

“What?”

Lucius the First, who was about to ask Poliana to dance with him, froze.

‘Oh my god.’

It was clear that the emperor was acting like a perfect gentleman asking
a lady to dance. Suddenly, Poliana realized that she made a mistake. It
was only her whose mind was in the gutter. She was completely wrong
about her assumption for tonight and the emperor’s intention.
Lucius the First, who never imagined the woman he loved would ever
ask such a thing to him, seemed confused.

“Just what did you think we were going to do tonight?”

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“I thought you were talking about the type of ‘exercise’ that is done
naked…”

“What! How could you?! I mean, it’s not that I don’t want to, but we aren’t
even married yet!”

The emperor acted like a blushing virgin bride on her wedding night.
Normally, he enjoyed imagining spending erotic nights with her.
However, recently, he has been trying to control his dirty thoughts since
he was in the middle of courting Poliana. So, for her to bring up this
subject all of a sudden… Lucius the First felt a little angry that Poliana
misunderstood his gentlemanly intention. Did she still think he was only
lusting after her rather than truly love her?

Poliana argued, “But it was you who said strange and suggestive things,
your highness!” When she was embarrassed or surprised, Poliana tends
to become angry and aggressive. She yelled at the emperor, strongly
believing that this situation was largely Lucius the First’s fault.

“But I didn’t do anything!”

“You asked me to spend my whole day and night with you. You told me
you won’t let me sleep tonight. You said it will be a vigorous night.”

“I was planning on dancing with you all night!”

Chapter 346: Chapter 346

Chapter 346

“Then you should’ve explained it better. Let’s be honest here. If a man

offers to feed and clothe a woman and tell her that he won’t let her sleep
that night, everyone will think the same thing as I did. Right guys?”

Poliana looked around and asked the musicians who were hiding around
the gazebo. They have been waiting for a long time on standby. These
musicians were supposed to start playing when the emperor began to
dance with Poliana, but it seemed that things weren’t going according to
his plan. The musicians all replied with a nod.

“See? Your highness, the things you did and said tonight were very
misleading. It is no wonder I misunderstood you.”

“But I am innocent! Did you really think I would force myself on you like
that? Outside?!”
Lucius the First staggered a little in shock. He ordered all the musicians
to leave and leaned against a stone chair. Poliana, who argued heatedly
because she felt too embarrassed, now regretted her words.

‘I think he is upset at me now…’

Because she worked as the emperor’s personal guard for many years,
she knew that if she didn’t console him now, Lucius the First was most
likely going to pout for days. The best way to make him feel better was to
compliment him.

“Y-your highness. I can’t believe you prepared the musicians. How

romantic. I am very impressed and flattered.”

“…”

Of course, these musicians ended up being dismissed without playing a

single song. Poliana began to sweat nervously. She looked around and
continued hurriedly, “And this place! What a beautiful and romantic
location. The calm sound of the bugs and this gorgeous gazebo… This
is a perfect place to dance indeed, your highness.”

“…”
“And the moon and the stars are so bright tonight. So how about it, your
highness? Would you allow me this dance?”

Poliana bowed politely while holding her dress up like a lady. Lucius the
First finally turned towards her. After a sigh, he took her hand and they
walked to the center of the gazebo.

There weren’t any musicians, which meant there was no music.

However, Lucius the First and Poliana didn’t feel awkward. The emperor
gently wrapped her waist with one hand and guided her into a smooth
dance. Their legs moved like they were meant to dance together.

The sun was almost completely set now, leaving only a slight bit of
redness in the sky. The bugs continued to cry because it was a mating
season. After a long silence, the emperor finally said to her, “I realize
that you and I are both adults and we even slept with each other once
already… But…”

“Yes, your highness.”

“But I am currently courting you right now. Unless you give me

permission, I would never make unwanted physical contact. Even if you
allow me, if I feel that it is not appropriate, I wouldn’t do it.”

This was very true. Ever since Poliana returned to Yapa, Lucius the First
never made any unnecessary physical contact with her. All he did was
look at her adoringly and ask her politely if he could kiss the back of her
hand. He also waited patiently until she was ready to hold his hand.
The emperor continued, “They say men should be greedy while women
should be patient. I am, however, proving my love for you by being
patient so that you would become greedy for me, Sir Pol.”

While they chatted, their first dance ended, but Lucius the First could not
let Poliana’s hand go. Just as he said, once he began to dance with her,
he could not stop.

This time, it was the emperor who bowed to her and asked her to dance.
Poliana bowed back and took his hand. Lucius the First chose an
excellent location to dance. The moon, now high up in the sky shone
directly on the gazebo.

Poliana’s dance moves were textbook and rigid but Lucius the First led
her smoothly and elegantly. While they danced together, their breathing
and heartbeat matched perfectly. Poliana could not stop looking at the
emperor. It was the same for Lucius the First. The emperor made sure
not to touch Poliana more than was necessary, which oddly disappointed
her.

Just how many dances were they going to dance? It was Poliana who
first fell onto fatigue. She didn’t get a good sleep last night and she didn’t
eat much at dinner earlier. Lucius the First encouraged her, “Sir Pol! We
can dance more! You can do this.”

“I am feeling too nauseous, your highness. I can’t.”

She was beginning to feel dizzy as well. Poliana surrendered and Lucius
the First quickly got her a warm blanket he prepared as she sat down on
a chair.

“I’m okay, your highness. I don’t need the blanket.”

“It’s pretty chilly at night nowadays. You just gave birth recently, so it is
important to keep yourself warm at all times.”

Lucius the First looked up at the sky longingly and continued, “My
mother died when I was very young because she didn’t take good care
of herself after giving birth to me. She got a very bad cold and didn’t
make it. So please, Sir Pol, I am begging you. Please take care of
yourself.”

The emperor did not bring up his dead mother spontaneously. This was
a topic he prepared in advance. He also looked up at the sky at an angle
that allowed the moonlight to shine on his face and hair.

Lucius the First wanted Poliana to realize what a sensitive man he was.
He may have been the emperor of the kingdom, but deep inside, there
was a great sadness of losing his mother very young. He might have
been a perfect man, but he was also someone who needed a woman’s
warmth and sympathy.

This was what Lucius the First learned from his friend Sir Ainno. He
didn’t care if Poliana pitied him. What the emperor wanted was any kind
of strong emotion from her. Lucius the First wanted Poliana to show
interest in him. He wanted her to love him.

He wondered secretly, ‘Do I look handsome now? Does Pol think I look
good? Or does she think I look pitiful?’

“Your highness…”

The emperor looked so lonely and suddenly, Poliana felt a strong urge to
lessen his sadness. She wanted to be the one who healed the emperor’s
pain. She wanted him to know that he wasn’t alone.
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Poliana wanted Lucius the First to know that she could provide him the
warmth he craved so much.

Her heart began to beat very fast as she looked at the emperor. Could
this be love? It had to be, right? Then should she say it out loud? Should
she tell him? Poliana knew he would be thrilled to hear it.

But was it really okay to tell him?

Poliana stood up from the chair to stand next to the emperor. But as she
stood up, she accidentally stepped on the blanket. Luckily, Poliana had
excellent reflexes, which meant she would’ve staggered a little before
straightening up. However, Lucius the First’s overreaction made things
worse.

The emperor was busy wondering what Poliana was thinking when he
spotted her stumble. Lucius the First grabbed Poliana’s wrist and pulled
her towards him. Unfortunately, this made her lose her balance even
more. The emperor turned his body to embrace her and they ended up
bumping into the nearby column.

By the time Poliana opened her eyes, she found herself trapped
between the emperor and the column.

“Are you alright?” Lucius the First whispered.

Chapter 347: Chapter 347

Chapter 347

If the emperor left her alone, Poliana’s reflexes would’ve kicked in and
she would’ve been fine, but Lucius the First tried to help and this
surprised her even more than anything. Poliana thought about pointing
this out, but she kept her mouth shut.

The night sky was full of stars and underneath it, Lucius the First’s face
moved closer to her. He was still holding her wrist while his other hand
was supporting her neck.
‘I’m trapped,’ Poliana thought suddenly.

Just as she thought he was going to kiss her, Lucius the First let her go.
She was free now, but her heart continued to pound fast.

Badum, badum.

The emperor said to her, “That was close. You need to be more careful.”
He also apologized to her for touching her without her permission. He
was being a perfect gentleman yet when Poliana didn’t reply; he became
uncomfortable.

‘Is she mad?’

Lucius the First glanced at her nervously, trying to figure out what she
was thinking. It was a very difficult task because she was neither smiling
nor crying. She also didn’t look angry. Poliana seemed surprised, but the
emperor could not tell if she was shocked because he suddenly
embraced her or because she almost fell.

“Sir Pol, now that I think about it, something like this happened to me
before. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I thought I was
going to die. You were trying to protect me from an assassin, but it was
you who almost killed me.”
The emperor brought up one of his favorite memories from the past. It
was the time when she slammed him against a wall for his protection.
Just thinking about that moment still made Lucius the First heart skip a
beat.

What the emperor didn’t realize was that Poliana was feeling the same
sharp emotions he experienced at that time. He had no idea how
Poliana’s heart was pounding because, at this very moment, she found
him incredibly attractive.

Lucius the First has always been attractive. The problem for Poliana was
the fact that he was going to become more and more handsome. What
she felt right now was more intense than how the emperor felt before. In
the past, Lucius the First suffered from difficulty in breathing and chest
pain. Poliana, however, felt even worse now.

Her hands felt heavy as if they were chained. Her heart felt trapped in a
cage. The moonlight that shone on the gazebo seemed to have captured
her like a helpless animal.

Her soul was forever changed. Poliana knew she would never forget this
moment until her death. She was going to think about this moment over
and over again in the coming days.

“Your highness…”
Poliana was afraid but also happy and excited. Poliana wanted to run
away but also hold on to him. She wished this moment would last forever
yet she also wanted this night to be just a summer night’s dream.

“Your highness… My emperor…”

Poliana’s lips trembled a little as she whispered. Her voice was barely
audible, but because Lucius the First was so focused on her that he
could hear her perfectly.

Moonlight was supposed to make a woman look more radiant and

beautiful, but unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for Poliana. Lucius the
First had perfect eyesight so he could see her clearly. Most of her
makeup was gone by now from dancing so vigorously.

Sun-burnt skin, noticeable scars, and twisted nose. When she smiled
wide, the missing molar was very noticeable. Even he couldn’t say
Poliana was beautiful, but to him, she was the loveliest woman in his
kingdom.

‘I have enough beauty for the both of us, so it’s okay.’

His love for her grew day by day. Ever since the moment he realized
how felt about her, Lucius the First never stopped loving her. They say
age worsens people’s appearances. They say that as time passes, one
becomes tired of the same face every day, but strangely, Lucius the First
never felt this way. Every day he saw her, he fell in love with Poliana
over and over again.
Some say love usually only lasts three years, but to the emperor, his
love for her was eternal. Every week, every day, and every moment…
Lucius the First fell in love with her again and again. In a way, it was a
battle he was never going to win. He was the loser in this war of love, but
then at the same time, he was going to be the winner who earns the
woman he loves.

Because he fell in love with someone like Poliana, his fight was a difficult
one, but in some ways, it was also destined to be an easy battle. It was
because Poliana was desperate for love. It was impossible for her to
refuse someone who was ready to shower her with love and affection.

So…

“Your highness… Are you sure it is okay for me to love you?”

“If that happens, it would be the greatest honor of my life.”

“But are you really sure it’s okay for me to love you?”

“You do not need to ask for my permission to love me, Sir Pol.”

In truth, Poliana wasn’t asking this question to the emperor. She actually
was asking herself and society.
Was she really allowed to love the emperor? For an unknown reason,
Poliana felt guilty about it.

Was it because it felt like she was coveting the emperor she was
supposed to respect and admire? Was it because she was desiring the
husband of her dead friend? Or was it because she felt guilty towards
Princess Luminae?

No, it was none of these reasons.

In this kingdom, Marquess Winter was the only woman who possessed
all the freedoms of a man. She was forced to become a soldier, but she
ended up paving a powerful life out of her situation. While all the other
women were forced to live inside the invisible wall the society created,
Poliana was the only one who escaped it.

But if she loved Lucius the First, she could no longer live outside this
wall. She had to voluntarily return to “where women belonged.” Although
she would be living inside the most luxurious castle, this castle was
going to be inside this invisible wall.

Was this really okay? Why did she feel so guilty? Why did she have to
feel like she was doing something wrong? Was it the right decision to
give up everything she accomplished for love?
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Tory said to her that Poliana’s life was her own and therefore she should
do whatever she wanted.

Stra told her that Lucius the First and Poliana would make a great
couple.

Sir Donau told her that she should do whatever she desired.

Not a single person was against their union, and for some reason, this
scared Poliana even more.

But she could no longer control her desire. She lunged at Lucius the
First and embraced him. The emperor, without hesitation, embraced her
back. She felt his warm arms on her body.

Poliana closed her eyes and focused on the beautiful man. Perhaps she
would regret it once this night was over, but for now…

She wanted this man. She wanted to make him hers.

Chapter 348: Chapter 348

Chapter 348
The next day, Lucius the First woke up before Poliana this time.

The emperor didn’t get much sleep last night. Just the fact that Poliana
was sleeping next to him… He was so happy that he didn’t want to miss
a moment.

Lucius the First quietly drew down the bed canopy so Poliana could not
be bothered by the sunlight. He tried his best not to make any noise, but
Poliana, who was a very light sleeper, opened her eyes. Lucius the First
tried to give her a morning kiss, but he was stopped by Poliana’s loud
groan. She stretched her arms and pounded her back hard.

Her hangover dulled her muscle pain the first time they slept together,
but now, Poliana could feel every inch of her body clearly.

They looked at each other. Poliana stared at him blankly while Lucius
the First blushed and looked away shyly.

He asked her, “Are you alright?”

“Yes. How about you, your highness?”

“I am excellent.”
“…”

“…”

Then, there was silence. They were close enough that they usually felt
comfortable in silence, but after spending the night together… They
couldn’t help feeling awkward. It was the emperor who couldn’t stand the
silence anymore. He coughed and put the kettle on the fire. Walking
towards the table, Lucius the First pretended to be busy picking out the
tea.

Poliana busied herself wiping her body with a wet towel. She realized
that they have finally done it this time. There was no going back now.
They weren’t drunk when they chose to be with each other. There was
no excuse. On top of that, all of the emperor’s maids and servants knew
about their night together now.

So how did she feel?

‘It was good.’

It was pretty good. Of course, in this context, “pretty” meant incredible.

Last night was… amazing.
She slept with a man she liked. At first, they were a bit hesitant, but their
bodies were burning with desire. There was no effort to be made. They
both let their bodies do the work.

It was beyond PG 15. In fact, it was more like PG 28. This was perfectly
alright since they were both over 30 years old.

Lucius the First poured some cold water into a teacup and handed it to
Poliana. He looked excited and happy like a groom after his wedding
night.

Poliana thanked him quietly. Lucius the First was not a good tea maker.
He put the tea leaves when the water was too hot. Poliana, however,
didn’t complain. It was rare for her to complain about the taste of food
because she could usually eat anything and everything.

Lucius the First sat next to her at the table. He took a sip of his tea and
frowned at the taste before telling her, “If we get another child from last
night…”

“That would be shocking.”

“I would love a daughter, Milady.”

Gerald was a miracle, but another baby? Poliana began to cough in
shock but not because of what he said. It was the way the emperor said
to her.

His speech was much more respectful, and he seemed very proud of it.

“Your highness, why are you talking to me like that?”

“Well, you are going to be my wife very soon, which means I cannot talk
to you disrespectfully, Pol.”

‘Oh.’

Suddenly, Poliana realized what was happening here. Lucius the First
addressed those close to him by their nicknames. Towards the end of
the conquest, he began to call her “Pol,” but when he realized that he fell
in love with her, he changed back to calling her “Sir Pol.” After she broke
up with Frau, he again began to call her Pol until Poliana sobbed after
Lucius the First confessed his love to her.

She was addressed as “Sir Pol” by the emperor since then even after
she returned to Yapa. He was making a point of calling her by her
knight’s title because he knew how important her position was to her.

Poliana replied, “But your highness, we aren’t married yet.” She began to
count slowly as she continued, “Spending one night doesn’t mean we
must get married. If that was the case, you would have so many wives
by now… Let me see… One, two, three…”

Lucius the First’s eyes widened. He knew he had no excuse regarding

this matter, so stood up quickly and tried to change the subject,
“Breakfast! We need to get some breakfast! You didn’t eat much last
night so you must be very hungry!”

Poliana stopped counting and replied, “It’s just a joke, your highness.”

“Haha.”

Lucius the First patted his chest and staggered a little. “You’re so funny,
Pol. I almost had a heart attack because it was so funny. Anyway, if you
insist, I won’t change how I talk to you.”

“Your highness, I may have fallen in love with you, but that doesn’t
necessarily mean I will marry you.”

“Because it would mean you would have to give up being a knight?”

Lucius the First tapped the table quietly as he added, “I understand this
isn’t fair for you. If it was anyone else other than me, the emperor, you
wouldn’t have to give up so much. I understand why it would be hard for
you to accept me.”
“You are correct, your highness.”

“If it was anyone else… Even my cousin Luzo, who is working like a
slave for me… You wouldn’t have to give up your sword. The two of you
would’ve slaved away for me for the rest of your lives.”

“That is true.”

“But can’t you see it from my point of view as well? See how unfair it is
for me too?”
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Lucius the First kneeled in front of her. Poliana, feeling shocked, tried to
get up and kneel as well, but the emperor stopped her. He put his hands
on top of hers and continued, “Just because I was born to a royal family
and united the continent, I am having a difficult time marrying the woman
I love. How unfair is that? But Pol, what bothers you certainly bothers me
too. Your problem is my problem as well.”

The emperor began to tell her what he has been thinking for a long time.

“You can continue to carry your sword if you wish. You can continue to
wear pants as well. You can also continue to boss around everyone. If
there isn’t a law to stop you from doing these… And if someone argues
against it…”
Lucius the First was about to say he would take care of these opposers,
but he knew better. He said instead, “You will beat them up, I’m sure,
and I will always back you up no matter what.”

Poliana quietly listened to the emperor. Born as the only son to the
emperor and therefore forced to rule the kingdom… It was true that
Lucius the First never had any choice in this. She could understand how
he would feel that the world was unfair. Although it looked like he had
everything, she knew that things weren’t always perfect for him.

The emperor begged her, “When things become too unbearable, please
just remember me. The fact that you have me hopefully helps.”

“But your highness…”

Chapter 349: Chapter 349

Chapter 349
Poliana couldn’t accept this situation. It was too unfair. It was true that
the emperor also faced some difficulties, but what he had to endure if
they got married could not compare to how much she would have to
suffer. Pouting, Poliana said to him, “Your highness, you don’t actually
lose anything from this relationship.”

Everyone in the world thought it made sense for Poliana to be the one
who gave up in order to make this marriage work. Even worse, Poliana
herself thought the same way.

Lucius the First didn’t have to give up anything for this union. He had
everything. He was going to get everything he ever wanted, yet for
Poliana, she was going to be forced to give up everything she achieved
for love.

Career and love… Love and job… Title and love… Love and title…
Properties and love… Love and properties…
While the emperor could have both, Poliana had to give up one to get
the other. What made her the angriest was the fact that her surrender
was going to solve all the problems and bring the textbook happiness
everyone in the kingdom believed in. It seemed that everyone was going
to be happy and satisfied when she gives up and marries the emperor.

Everyone except for her.

So why did she have to give up her own happiness for everyone else?

“Your highness, you’re a coward. You’re being selfish. You’re being too
greedy.”

“So you hate me for it?”

Poliana shook her head emphatically and replied, “No.” She felt her eyes
tearing up, so she bit her lips to stop herself from crying. Just like that
night of the accident, it was again Poliana who seduced the emperor.
She needed to take responsibility for her actions.

Looking straight at him, Poliana confessed her feelings to the one she
considered the most precious treasure in her life.

“I love you, your highness.”

“Could you call me by my name?”

“…Luci.”
“Luci” was the nickname only Sir Ainno used when he and the emperor
were alone. Poliana knew this and was jealous of Sir Ainno for being
allowed to call the emperor by his nickname. When Lucius the First
heard this, his eyes widened before smiling. He looked so happy like a
man who had everything he ever wanted in this world. Indeed, he had
the entire continent and now he also had the love of his life.

“Pol.”

This was an inevitable conclusion. Lucius the First was Poliana’s whole
world. He was her everything, so how could she ever push him away?
How could she ever deny him?

Lucius the First was the man who completed Poliana Winter as a
person. It was him who gave her an identity, so now, she must accept
the fact that he was going to take it away and give her a new one.
‘Poliana Clair. It doesn’t suit me at all.’

Both Lucius the First’s nickname and last name sounded very feminine.
It was a mystery how the emperor of such a male-oriented kingdom
ended up with the family name of “Clair.”

‘Gerald Clair… That doesn’t sound right either… But Luminae Clair
sounds very pretty.’

Poliana was not completely happy with how everything was going, but it
couldn’t be helped. She smiled brightly at the man she loved.

Lucius the First’s happiness was her own happiness after all.
***

Poliana continued to stay in the Yapa castle. Officially, she was the
emperor’s guest, but everyone treated her like she was already the
empress.

As soon as he heard about Poliana’s stay, Duke Luzo visited the

emperor and asked which day should be set as the wedding day.
Marquis Zeese went to both the emperor and Poliana to ask if they had
any special requests for the wedding ceremony. Because it was a royal
wedding, it was considered a national event. This meant that Poliana’s
personal taste could not be applied too much, but Marquis Zeese was
willing to satisfy Poliana as much as possible.

All Poliana said to him was that she wanted an ordinary wedding.
Marquis Zeese asked, “And what is an ordinary royal wedding?”
The way Marquis Zeese spoke to Poliana was different now. He treated
her with much more respect and formality.

Poliana replied, “How should I know?”

“I am afraid you are no help… You will need to be more specific… Is

there anything you want…”

“Oh, I want my wedding ring to be big enough to fit on top of a gauntlet.”

Marquis Zeese refused immediately, “Denied.” He murmured that he

was very busy and left.
Everyone thought the wedding should take place sooner rather than later
since the bride and groom were both in their 30’s. Those who knew
about the existence of Gerald seemed even more anxious for the
wedding. They wanted the heir to become legitimate as soon as
possible.

Poliana began her skincare regimen again. Whenever she practiced

sword fight with the emperor, the maids watched nervously, worried
Poliana might end up with a scar on her face.

One thing that displeased Poliana was the fact that Sir Ainno also began
his own skincare routine. He was confident he was going to become the
best man, so apparently, he wanted to shine during the wedding.

‘Why is he so sure that he is going to be at the wedding party? I don’t

want him to be the best man, but then, I know his highness would want
him…’
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Whenever Sir Ainno talked to her respectfully, Poliana couldn’t help the
goosebumps covering her entire body.

‘That bastard is faking it! How dare he show respect to me?! So

annoying.’

What shocked Poliana most recently was the fact that Sir Ainno and his
wife, Lady Seki, actually got along much better than she expected.
Poliana had to admit that Sir Ainno must truly love Cekel.

It was decided that Cekel will be Poliana’s maid of honor. Vaxi and
Vanessa lived too far away, and it was going to be difficult for them to
travel with such young children. Poliana was close to Tory and Stra, but
they were both the emperor’s ex-wives, so it seemed inappropriate to
make them her bridesmaids. The only other noble lady Poliana could
think of was Cekel, so by coincidence, both the husband and wife of the
Seki family became the official member of the wedding party. Cekel
seemed surprised at Poliana’s request, but she accepted it graciously.

As the bride-to-be, there was so much Poliana needed to do, yet her
acquaintances would not leave her alone. Now that she was going to be
the emperor’s wife, her title and wealth would have to be inherited by
someone else. Sir Jainno already asked her if she would accept his
second son as the next in line to her title. The other nobles also wanted
their own sons to inherit her wealth and status. Poliana tried to choose
carefully, which meant there was much research she needed to do on
each candidate.

Poliana was busier than she has ever been in her life. She could’ve just
denied all of the requests, but if she did, her title and wealth were going
to be confiscated by the royal family. The name “Winter” was going to
disappear forever and Poliana did not want this.
This name was given to her by the emperor and she wanted it to thrive.
Lucius the First gave her permission to give away her title to a person of
her choice. This was considered to be her right and her obligation.

Chapter 350: Chapter 350

Chapter 350

Everyone welcomed Poliana’s and the emperor’s union. There were

some who believed it was truly a love match while others believed it was
a political marriage. The main thing was that no one was against the
idea. Everyone was ready to accept Empress Poliana Clair.

Poliana became a little bitter and lonely. People said to her that her effort
was finally paying off. They told her that she was finally going to be
acknowledged for her hard work.

But… This wasn’t what she worked for. This was not what she wanted.

‘But I guess it doesn’t matter anymore at this point.’

The witch who seduced the emperor…

She used to be called so many ugly names during the war, but now, no
one said one bad thing about her. All the criticism whenever she
accomplished something stopped. When she became a knight and
marquess, which were titles she knew she truly deserved, so many
noblemen were against the idea. But it seemed that these same men
were perfectly fine accepting her as their empress.

Strangely, Poliana missed their criticism now. It felt so strange that she
was being accepted so wholeheartedly.

Poliana remembered what her adopted brother Donau said to her once.
He asked her what she was going to do if she became so used to the
criticisms and insults. It seemed that Sir Donau knew a long time ago
that something like this might happen.

Poliana was doing something these noblemen would’ve and should’ve

disagreed in the past. So why were they not saying a word? Why were
they keeping so quiet? She felt strange. The whole world was being kind
to her. The entire kingdom was cheering for her and the emperor’s love.

Despite it all, however, she kept herself busy preparing for her wedding.
Poliana couldn’t help feeling excited just like when she was planning her
wedding with Frau in the past.
Poliana giggled more nowadays. Although she felt a similar excitement
as before, her current emotions were stabler. It was because she knew
Lucius the First truly loved her and confessed his feelings for her.

The emperor was much richer and more powerful than Poliana, which
meant that he wasn’t marrying her for her money. There was no way she
was going to be conned by the emperor. On top of it, they already had a
child together, which meant that she didn’t have to feel pressured to
produce a royal heir.

Have there ever been days like these when Poliana felt so happy and
safe? Happiness and excitement filled her every day. She felt like she
was dreaming until the letter arrived from the south.

“Hmm.”

Poliana put the letters on the table. Looking at the dates these letters
were sent, it was most likely that they were written before the news of
her wedding reached the south. So the people who wrote these letters
probably only knew about how Poliana made a huge mistake of getting
pregnant, running away, and having her child in secret. They obviously
didn’t hear about how Poliana was now going to marry the emperor.

When Poliana groaned, a maid nearby asked curiously, “Oh, what’s

wrong?” Normally, Poliana loved opening the letter from the south. So it
was no wonder that the maid found it strange that Poliana was just
staring at the messages without even opening the envelopes.
Poliana groaned again before finally opening the first letter. Being a
grown woman didn’t mean she enjoyed being reprimanded. She wished
silently, ‘I just hope Donau explained the situation in the best light
possible.’

Her adopted brother was the only one she could rely on right now.

‘Please! Please Donau!’

There were several letters from the south and Poliana decided to open
the ones she knew were going to be kindest.

As expected, the twins were on her side. Just like when she was about
to marry Frau, Vaxi and Vanessa wrote that they would support
whatever decision Poliana makes. They also wrote that they cried when
they heard Poliana gave birth to her baby all by herself. Sir Howe didn’t
write Poliana a letter but his wife Vaxi wrote that he was ready to ride to
Yapa if Poliana needed him. Poliana smirked. Why would she need him?

Now there were three letters left.

‘Three?’

Confused, Poliana checked the names. There was one from the Viceroy
Bika and another one from Sir Baufallo. The last one, however, was not
actually a personal letter but an official document that was sent from the
local government from the south to Marquess Winter.

“What is this?”

When she opened the envelope, Poliana was shocked to see another
letter inside. This letter had her name written on the outside in a writing
that was dear to Poliana. The handwriting of a person Poliana missed
desperately.

If she wasn’t mistaken, this letter was from Lady Rebecca. This had to
be her last message to Poliana.

***

“I got one too.”

“Me too.”

The three women gathered together. Poliana was a bride-to-be and

therefore very busy. Stra and Tory were also busy because of their jobs.
So why did these three very busy women get together? There could be
only one reason. It was because they used to be a group of four women
a few years ago.
Just like Poliana, Stra and Tory also received letters from Rebecca.
Everyone believed that Lady Rebecca left only one will, which was a last
letter to the emperor, so this was a shocking turn of events for the three
women.

The reason why these letters weren’t given to the correct receivers was
all because of Duchess Nani. Rebecca kept these letters safe in her safe
just in case, and it seemed that her mother the duchess took the safe
with her when she left Yapa. There was a small note from the southern
government that explained this situation.

Tory trembled angrily, “Duchess Nani would’ve known about these

letters a few days after Rebecca’s funeral! How could she not have sent
them to us sooner?” Stra, remembering Rebecca, began to cry quietly.
The two ladies already read their letters, which meant there was only
Poliana’s left to be opened.
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Poliana asked if she could find out what Rebecca said to Tory and Stra.
The messages for the two women were similar. Rebecca told them she
was happy to have known them and that she hopes they would take care
of her child. She also hoped that Tory and Stra would find happiness in
their lives.

Stra, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief, murmured, “Rebecca,

we will protect Princess Luminae so please rest in peace.”

Tory guessed, “There could be only one reason why the southern region
sent these letters to us. Now that you and the emperor are getting
married, they are probably telling you, Marquess, to not to forget about
them.”

Poliana shook her head, “No, that can’t be. The south doesn’t know
about the wedding yet. They probably forgot about these letters until
now. Just a random coincidence that they arrived before my wedding.
Besides, Duchess Nani did lose her daughter…”

Poliana tried to think positively. Although Duchess Nani and Rebecca

didn’t seem close, the letters were in excellent condition, considering
they were many years old. The south was humid and warm, which
meant that the papers often became worn and destroyed easily. The fact
that these letters looked new meant that they must’ve been kept in a
cool and dark place safely.

It was very possible that Duchess Nani did not open Rebecca’s safe until
recently. After all, it couldn’t have been easy to go through the things of
her daughter who died giving birth in a foreign land.

Carefully, Poliana opened the letter Rebecca sent her.

Chapter 351
The letter Rebecca sent to Poliana contained slightly different messages
than those sent to Tory and Stra.
“I want to ask you to take care of my child, but I won’t. You should not try
to take responsibility for anyone else except yourself. Be greedier and
happier. That is all I ask of you.”
Poliana never expected even her dead friend to force happiness on her.
She looked at the letter quietly. It felt as if Rebecca was whispering the
words in her ear.
Poliana’s eyes teared up so she quickly wiped them with her sleeves.
Tory handed her a handkerchief without a word. Reading Rebecca’s
letter before her own wedding to Lucius the First… Poliana felt strange.
She looked up and finally asked the question that has been bothering
her.
“Is it really okay for me to marry his highness?”
Stra wiped away her own tears and replied, “Of course! If Rebecca was
alive, she would’ve been happy for you!” Again, hearing these words
from the ex-wife of her future husband… This was truly a strange
situation for Poliana.
Tory added firmly, “Marquess Winter, just as Rebecca’s letter says, you
should not be so concerned for others. All you need to think about is
yourself. There isn’t even a need for you to promise to be a good mother
to Princess Luminae.”
Looking straight into Poliana’s eyes, Tory continued clearly, “No one will
blame you for anything. No one will criticize you. No one has the right to
judge you.” With a smile, Tory added, “So please don’t feel bad for us or
Rebecca just because you are marrying the emperor.”
How could she not!
Poliana sighed deeply and replied, “Thank you.”
<hr />
Poliana was alone and back at her desk. It was time for her to open the
letters from her previous superiors. She sat up straight and opened the
envelopes. The first one was from the Viceroy Sir Rabi.
His letter contained calm words. He stated that he would support her and
even congratulate her if she chooses to marry the emperor. He
emphasized that marrying the emperor would be the right choice. As she
read the letter, Poliana felt like she was finally coming home. It was hard
to explain, but it just felt… welcoming. As a skilled strategist, Sir Rabi
also advised never to tell the public how the prince was conceived as an
accident. He suggested telling everyone that her marriage to the
emperor was a political one.
“Hmm.”
Poliana put Viceroy Bika’s letter back into the envelope. Now, it was time
to read the letter from Sir Baufallo.
“…”
Poliana groaned after reading the first sentence, which stated how Sir
Baufallo could not believe what she did. He reprimanded her for the next
little while but ended with the following.
“But since you now have a child, I guess it can’t be helped.
Congratulations.”
Poliana tried to figure out what must’ve happened in the south. She
guessed that Sir Donau did not tell her old superiors that Lucius the First
was in love with Poliana. Even so, the two men congratulated her, which
told her they cared about her deeply. Poliana felt touched.
‘Even if they hear the rumor that the emperor is in love with me, they
probably won’t believe it for a long time.’
Finally, Poliana finished reading the dreaded letters and stretched her
body to relieve her tensed muscles.
Rebecca’s message from the grave and the reprimanding letters from
her old bosses… Within a very short amount of time, Poliana felt
immense stress. At a time like this, she knew the best thing was to move
her body.
Poliana searched for Lucius the First. She was going to ask for a sword
match.
The emperor, who succeeded in capturing Poliana’s heart, now had no
excuse but to return to work. All the government workers protested
angrily that his vacation was over.
So during the day time, Lucius the First worked like a dog, and during
the evening and the night, he enjoyed his time with Poliana. Whenever
he got a chance, he sparred with Poliana, which now was one of his
favorite pastimes.
The other knights avoided sparring Poliana at all cost, knowing that she
was going to become the next empress. Besides, if they caused even
the smallest cut on her body, the knights knew they would be hounded
by the maids who were responsible for Poliana’s skincare.
The only knight who didn’t care and was willing to practice with Poliana
was Sir Ainno, but Poliana herself refused. This man was merciless even
when sparring with the emperor. Sir Ainno, from his own extravagant
skin regimen, now boasted of the smoothest skin in preparation for the
upcoming wedding. Yet, when Poliana sparred with him once, he was
vicious as if he was trying his best to hurt her.
‘What a jerk.’
Sir Ainno was such an annoying man. Poliana used her tongue to touch
the area where one of her molars was missing. A tooth specialist was
currently hard at work to make a fake ivory tooth for Poliana. It would
look unseemly for a bride to be missing a tooth on her wedding day.
Poliana remembered how Sir Donau never once used the denture the
emperor gifted him. She suspected that after her wedding day, she
would be doing the same thing.
‘People might complain that the empress of this kingdom is running
around with a missing tooth, but it can’t be helped. Especially since it is
the future duke who caused me to lose this tooth.’
This future duke was also the one who broke her nose in the past. Who
knew the woman he was beating up was going to be the future empress
of the entire continent? No one did.
The knightess from the foreign kingdom becoming the empress of
Acreia… When Poliana thought of that cold winter day, her body shook.
She was given the name “Winter” so that she would never forget that
day.
“…”
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She used her tongue again to rub the gum where the molar should be.
<hr />
Lucius the First greeted Poliana happily. He was always so pleased to
see her. His whole face lit up as soon as she walked in. Some of the
scribes covered their lips to hide their smiles. Unfortunately, there was
no time to spar at the moment, but the groom-to-be wanted to have a
chat with his bride-to-be.
“…and therefore, I am planning on adjusting my mother’s ring so it could
be your wedding ring. We will have to make it bigger.”
“That sounds good.”
“This ring isn’t very extravagant. Is that okay?”
If they wanted to make Poliana a new ring, it would take a very long time
to make it properly. The first thing they would have to do is to find an
appropriate stone. Lucius the First wanted the best, biggest, and the
shiniest stone this continent could offer, but this was going to be a timeconsuming
task.
Many believed that instead of using the stone from one of the colonies, it
would be more meaningful to use the ring used by the previous Acreian
royal family. Thankfully, Lucius the First had just the thing. It was the ring
his mother used.
Chapter 352
The former empress’s wedding was pretty, but it was too small for
Poliana’s finger. This was why the ring maker was brought in to enlarge
it. Because Acreia used to be only a small northern kingdom, this ring
was now considered too simple and small and therefore unfitting to be
worn by the empress of the entire continent. However, Poliana said she
was happy to wear it. She didn’t care about how big or small the ring
was. She thought it was perfect that she gets to wear such a meaningful
ring.
Poliana lost her mother at a very young age, which meant she did not
remember her at all. Lucius the First, however, remembered his mother
very fondly. It meant a lot for him that Poliana would wear his mother’s
old ring.
The emperor and Poliana also discussed other bridal jewelry for a few
more hours before talking about their day. Lucius the First told her what
kind of government work he completed earlier while Poliana talked about
her extravagant skin regimen involving many different plants. She also
brought up the subject of Rebecca’s letter.
“…it has been so long since she passed away, so how could the letter
be here now?”
“Tory said the same thing.”
“I can understand how angry she would be. I am actually surprised now
that I received Rebecca’s letter on time.”
“I think Lady Rebecca wrote these letters at different times. The letters
she sent to me, Stra, and Tory were handwritten. I assume the one you
received was written by her maid, right?”
“…”
So his dead wife wrote the letters to the other wives by hand yet the one
sent to her husband was written by someone else… Lucius the First felt
such mixed emotions. He thought that perhaps he would’ve felt more
comfortable if his ex-wives and Poliana didn’t have amicable
relationships, but this wasn’t the case. Poliana, Stra, Tory, and Rebecca
were great friends. When Poliana told him what the letter said, Lucius
the First laughed.
“Rebecca is right. You need to be more selfish, Sir Pol.”
“Do you remember what your letter said, your highness?”
“It was very business-like. He told me what to do with the maids she
brought from her homeland and the new people she hired while she was
here. She also told me to choose the baby if it came to that, and…”
Talking about Rebecca was a painful task for the emperor. Poliana felt
guilty about bringing up this subject, so she gave him a look that told him
he could stop if he wished. Lucius the First, however, continued, “She
said that even if the baby is a girl, she won’t apologize for it. She asked
me to change the world so that the women do not ever have to apologize
for bearing a daughter.”
This last bit was the only personal message Rebecca included in her last
letter to the emperor. Unlike many other men, Lucius the First would’ve
been happy as long as the mother and the baby were both healthy. He
wouldn’t have cared if the child were a girl or a boy. When he read
Rebecca’s letter, he couldn’t help but feel bitter and sad. Rebecca was a
greedy woman. Unfortunately, at this point, it was impossible for the
emperor to change his kingdom the way Rebecca would’ve wanted him
to.
But now, he wondered how Rebecca would feel about the things that
happened after her death. Tory received a title that belonged to her.
Cekel was working as a secret agent in the Intelligence Unit. And…
Poliana was about to lose her title.
Was Acreia moving forward and improving or was it taking a step back?
At this point, it didn’t matter. Nothing changed the fact that Rebecca was
dead. Lucius the First would never truly find out if he did the right things
for his kingdom because the effect of them will be seen after his death.
The changes that were made in the kingdom were going to be judged by
the next generation. But he was certain of at least one thing that if he did
his best and worked hard, it would pay off.
The emperor lived a life that never betrayed his hard work and effort. He
believed anything was possible. On the other hand, Poliana believed that
some things cannot be achieved no matter how hard one worked for it.
In this aspect, their beliefs were very different.
The emperor worked to unite the continent. He often sighed in frustration
about how young people nowadays did not put any effort into things.
After all, didn’t his effort even get him his true love?
Lucius the First and Poliana walked the garden together holding each
other’s arms. They looked up at the sky and chatted about the stars.
They kissed often as if their lives depended on it. Just as the emperor
promised, Poliana finally experienced the kind of happiness the other
women must feel. She has never felt this way before. She felt content.
Poliana finally realized what it felt to be loved.
Lucius the First whispered to her, “Your eyes are filled with stars. They
are so beautiful like the pretty lake on a clear day.”
“…”
“Don’t be so embarrassed.”
“You may be used to this kind of compliment, but I am not, your
highness.”
Poliana slapped his back in embarrassment and the emperor just
laughed. When the night deepened, they finally parted. Instead of going
to bed, Poliana sat down at a desk.
She was happy, but she also felt nervous. When Poliana told Stra about
it, Stra reassured her that it was a normal feeling for a bride-to-be. Stra
explained that everyone felt nervous before their wedding day. Once
Poliana was married, she would be fine.
‘But what if I keep feeling anxious? What if I get more things to worry
about?’
On her way to the bedroom, one of the guards passing by greeted
Poliana. He told her that she looked happy lately. This made her think
hard about her life. If even a random guard thought she looked happy, it
must be true. She had to be happy.
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Be happy. Be selfish. Remember that she is the one in control. She can
make a choice.
These were the things many people told her. The people who cared
about her… And just as they wished, Poliana became happy.
The very first Marquess and knightess Poliana Winter was going to be
the very first empress of the new united Acreia. She was going to be the
wife of the greatest emperor and it was very possible that her son Gerald
was going to be the next emperor. She was going to be given the
greatest happiness and honor a woman could ever hope for.
She was going to have everything.
Poliana Clair was going to have everything.
Poliana Clair.
“Oh.”
Suddenly, Poliana realized what she had forgotten. When she was
young, Poliana didn’t have much, but as she became older, she was
lucky enough to possess and enjoy many things. Of all these, there were
some Poliana could let go while there were others she could never give
up.
Chapter 353
For example, Poliana could not give up Lucius the First. She also could
not give up power nor her sword.
Poliana thought carefully. The thing that she could not give up even if it
meant she would end up at the deepest part of hell… For this, she was
willing to let go of her knight’s honor or even her pride as a human.
Perhaps this was even more important to her than the emperor’s smile.
“I have the right to choose… This will be my choice to make…”
Tory told Poliana not to feel honor-bound to do anything just because
she now had Gerald. Even if the boy remained illegitimate, his look will
no doubt prove his royal birth. A mother who was a powerful marquess
and a father who was the emperor of the kingdom… Gerald could still
easily become the next emperor and take over his birthright even if
Poliana did not marry Lucius the First. If not, Gerald would still become
the next Marquis Winter, which was no small rank.
“Love…”
There was no doubt that Poliana loved Lucius the First. But… Her love
for him was not great enough to give what was most precious to her.
To be fair, this was the same for Lucius the first. He would always
choose his kingdom over Poliana. Just as the emperor could never give
up his empire, there was something Poliana could not give up even for
Lucius the First.
Tory told her that even if Poliana chose the hard road for herself if
Poliana felt that this was the right path for her, she would be able to walk
it with pride. For example, Poliana was ready to give up being a knight to
see her emperor smile with happiness.
Because she had been watching her weight, Poliana was slimmer than
before, but as she slowly stood up, she felt steadier now. She walked out
of the castle and saw that it was very early in the morning.
She didn’t care if she became criticized for being selfish. She didn’t care
if people thought she was an idiot who didn’t know what was really
important in life. She now had her decision. She may regret her choice,
but she wasn’t going to change her mind.
She was a knightess. She needed to be more ambitious.
Therefore, her greed for what was important to her was justified.
<hr />
“…”
One of the gatekeepers gaped while another one groaned. In front of the
main entrance to the castle, there stood a knight in a complete set of
glorious armor as if ready to enter a battle. The knight was wearing a
helmet as well so without the family coat of arms, there should’ve been
no way of knowing who this soldier was, but the knight’s identity was
clear to everyone.
There was no mistake that this was the one and only knightess in the
kingdom. There could be only one woman who would show up at the
royal castle in full armor.
The guards saluted her firmly. Just yesterday, they greeted her as the
future empress, but today, they could not.
“Boss, good morning!”
“Work hard.”
As Poliana walked into the castle, everyone who saw her gasped in
shock. Only the royal guards usually wore full armor inside the castle.
Those who were allowed to be armed in the emperor’s presence only
carried small and basic weapons. Therefore, to wear full armor and walk
around the castle so brazenly… It had to mean that this knight was trying
to rebel against the emperor. Just her presence in the castle like this
could be considered treason.
And the scary thing was that this knightess was searching for the
emperor. In any other situation, the guards would’ve stopped such a
person immediately and disarmed him, but… no one stopped her. No
one even tried.
This wasn’t because Poliana was the head of the Second Division. It
was because she was trusted. Although she did not explain the reason
for her visit in such a fashion, the guards felt like they could guess. After
an initial shock, all the royal guards seemed to understand what was
happening. Perhaps, subconsciously, they were all expecting this to
happen.
Clunk clunk.
The sound of the metal armor rang inside the castle as the knightess
walked to the emperor. People moved away to create a clear path for
her. Her armor, which should’ve taken seven years to make but the
emperor insisted on getting it done within a year, was inspiring. The
armor maker claimed that it was his best work. He put his life and soul
into it. Even though its line was slim and feminine, there was no mistake
that whoever wore this was a fighter.
When Master Chail spotted her, his eyes widened in shock. Before he
could announce her arrival, the door to the emperor’s office opened. It
wasn’t Chail who opened it but Poliana herself.
Everyone who was inside stood up in shock. Luckily, or unluckily, all the
important figures of the kingdom were gathered around the emperor.
“W…what is the meaning of this?!”
“Is there a rebellion? What are the guards doing… Oh, it’s just Marquess
Winter. Hello.”
When the men realized it was Poliana, they all relaxed. There was no
way that Poliana Winter, the head of the Second Division, would ever
revolt against Lucius the First. It was even more unlikely that Sir Ainno
turning into a kind and caring gentleman.
Knightess Poliana Winter took her helmet off and kneeled in front of the
emperor. Lucius the First looked at her calmly. His face was blank as if
he was hiding what he was thinking. Marquis Zeese grabbed his
forehead as if he was getting a headache. Duke Luzo sighed in
frustration. Sir Ainno glared at Poliana for a while before looking away.
Perhaps everyone in the room also knew, just like the guards, that
something like this was going to happen. The Marquess they knew was
definitely capable of this. She was the kind of woman who would choose
this metal armor over the crown of the empress.
She was a knightess.
“Greetings to the one and only emperor of this continent from Poliana
Winter.”
“Rise, Marquess.”
“I came here today to ask your highness something.”
“What is it?”
“Do you love me, your highness?”
“I do. I love you.”
“Then can you give up the kingdom?”
Lucius the First smiled. She was asking the impossible.
“No, I cannot.”
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“I feel the same way, your highness. I love you. I really do. And just like
you, your highness, there is something I cannot give up.”
“And what would that be?”
Everyone knew the answer. Poliana replied, “Your highness, do you
remember that winter day when I swore my loyalty to you?”
“How could I forget? It was the day when you became my knight.”
“That day… That winter… I screamed for a sword so I could swear to
become your knight. No one offered one to me but before the cruel
reality hit me, your highness gave me your own sword.”
Lucius the First had the kingdom while Poliana had that winter. Her
winter. The winter her emperor gave to her. The winter they shared
together.
Their winter.
And Poliana decided to choose her “Winter.”
Chapter 354
The harsh winter was going to follow Poliana forever. There will be
plenty of snow and hail in the future for her. There will be times she
would have to endure freezing temperatures and walk the icy road. The
blizzard may blind her eyes, but she accepted this as part of her life.
Poliana said to Lucius the First, “Your highness was absolutely right.
You did show me what happiness and love are. You taught me, an
ignorant woman, the greatest happiness I never could imagine.”
“And I am not done yet. I haven’t shown you everything.”
“I know without a doubt that I am giving up a wonderful sense of
happiness. I also know that what I am doing, as a woman and as your
knight, will make you sad. But your highness… I cannot ever forget that
winter day. It was the happiest moment of my life. Just as you cannot
give up Acreia, I cannot give up my winter.”
Poliana bowed deeply. Her forehead almost touched the floor as she
continued, “I would be willing to do anything you order, your highness. I
would happily drink poison, jump into the fire, and fight a bear with my
bare hands. But your highness… This is one thing I cannot abandon
even for you. I cannot give up my name.”
The men in the room shook their heads. They expected her to refuse the
emperor for perhaps her title or her knighthood, but for her name? This
was very unexpected.
“You can take away my title. You can confiscate all of my lands. But your
highness! There is one thing you cannot take away from me. The name
you gave me… You cannot take it back.”
Lucius the First never once looked away from her. His expression also
never changed, which scared Duke Luzo, who said to Poliana,
“Marquess Winter! How can you do this now?! And what about Gerald?”
“If your highness will allow me, I will raise him myself.”
“But he is the first-born son of the emperor!”
“If you insist, then I will send him to Yapa.”
“You will abandon your own son?”
“I am abandoning him. I am sending him to be raised by his father.”
Why would Duke Luzo think she would be abandoning her son? She
would be sending Gerald to Lucius the First. Just what did these people
want? They didn’t want her to raise him herself, yet they didn’t want
Gerald to be raised by his father either?
Poliana glared at Duke Luzo. Today, she looked like a force of nature.
The fragile Duke Luzo could not even meet her gaze. The only reason
why he didn’t run out of the room in fear was that this involved his
nephew. Duke Luzo tried to say more, but Lucius the First stopped him.
“Marquess Winter, you may do what you wish. You can have whatever
you want. And I would never take away your title. How could I?”
“Your highness…”
“Poliana Winter, you are the most loyal knight of this kingdom. You are
my own knightess who walked to the end of the continent by my side. I
awarded you a great title and many lands because you deserve them.
So Poliana Winter, do you wish to remain my knight?”
Poliana bowed and replied, “Even if you don’t allow me, I will always be
your knight, your highness.”
“Good. You will be my knight for eternity. No one can ever change this
fact.”
“Even if you give me permission, I have abused my power today by
coming here this way. I would like to resign as the head of the Second
Division.”
“I won’t accept your resignation.”
Lucius the First denied her for the first time. Poliana raised her head and
protested, “Your highness!”
“Sir Pol, you just promised to remain my knight forever, yet you are
acting like you will never see me again. Snap out of it! Poliana Winter, I
will give you a year to be on your own. After a year, you will return to this
castle and protect the kingdom. Do not give me an excuse that you can’t
do this because of your personal feelings. I believe in you, Poliana.”
He said the words so coldly, which actually made Poliana believe that
this could really work. She stood up using her sword as a cane. Lucius
the First stood in front of her and said to Poliana, “I believe in you, Sir
Pol. I always will believe in you. Therefore, please believe in me too.
Since you showed me your determination, I will give you my answer. I
will continue to love you. I will always love you and I hope you do the
same for me.”
“I will love you until the day I die, your highness. I will love you forever.”
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The loyal knightess bowed deeply before leaving. After the door closed,
Lucius the First turned towards the men and announced, “Starting today,
I plan to become a tyrant. If anyone has a problem with it… If anyone
plans on running away… And if anyone plans on mutiny… Let me know
right now.”
No one said a word. Poliana brought in a storm into the castle, and now,
it seemed like it was the emperor’s turn. Everyone shut their mouth.
Lucius the First looked around and continued, “Are you sure? No one? I
am not joking. I will become a true tyrant. I can tell you that you will be
dissatisfied with my decisions. There is a possibility that the royal line
might actually end with me if I do what I plan to do. Perhaps I will be later
remembered as a tyrant who lost his mind because of love. Perhaps
people will say Marquess Winter is the evil seductress who destroyed
the kingdom.”
Again, no one said a word.
Marquis Zeese tried to figure out what the emperor’s plan was while
Duke Luzo began to hiccup nervously. Duke Luzo could almost feel the
rest of his hair falling away from his head.
Lucius the First looked at all the men until he turned around and faced
Sir Ainno, who was standing behind him. The emperor asked him, “So
what do you say, Sir Ainno? You are the only one who can end me. The
one who can remove me. I am not joking when I say I plan on becoming
a tyrant. I am going to do mad things. I am going to be creating so much
disorder in this kingdom we tried so hard to stabilize. The future
generations will call me the mad emperor. So, Sir Ainno, what will you
do? You have always told me that if I ever became a tyrant, you would
kill me.”
Lucius the First tried to look calm but he was sweating secretly. Sir
Ainno looked at the emperor as if he was a wolf eyeing its prey. The
knight’s right hand was already on the hilt of his sword.
Sir Ainno, as usual, looked nonchalant. He kept touching his sword,
uncertain what he should do. Acreia was finally becoming stable yet here
was the emperor trying to do something unnecessary and drastic. It
wasn’t a joke when Sir Ainno said he would kill Lucius the First if he ever
became too dangerous. The emperor knew this and it was partly why he
trusted Sir Ainno so much.
Sir Ainno eyed the emperor’s face carefully.
Story 23: The emperor and the knightess
Chapter 355
Sir Ainno could see in Lucius the First the same boy king who claimed
he would conquer the world. The young emperor who was so sure that
he was going to unite the entire continent…
Sir Ainno, after contemplating for a long while, finally sighed and replied,
“I have a debt to repay to Marquess Winter. I think this should make us
even.”
Sir Ainno removed his hand from his sword and Lucius the First sighed
secretly. He risked his own life just now for love, and it seemed that he
won this dangerous bet. Unaware of how the emperor was sweating
profusely, Sir Ainno kneeled in front of him.
“Your highness, I, your Inno, will follow you even to hell if necessary!”
Sir Ainno was on Lucius the First’s side even if the emperor became a
tyrant. The emperor felt relieved, realizing that he wasn’t going to be
stabbed to death in this very room.
Lucius the First said to the other men again, “Anyone who wants to run
away, you better do it now. Perhaps if all of you side together against
me, you might be able to achieve a successful rebellion. You can at least
try if you wish.”
The men shivered as the emperor casually mentioned an uprising. It was
clear that Lucius the First was serious about his plan. Duke Luzo, who
couldn’t take the tension anymore, finally surrendered. He knew he was
going to lose the rest of his hair before it was all over.
Duke Luzo said to the emperor, “I mean it, your highness! You will let me
go when this is over! You have to keep your promise. After all the work is
one, you will release me!”
Marquis Zeese sighed after long deliberation, “Your highness, people
are going to protest. There is going to be a huge backlash. The entire
kingdom may become unestablished.”
“That is why I am telling you that you may leave if you wish. You can
even protest if you want, but it won’t change the fact that I will become a
tyrant.”
“Just for a woman.”
When Marquis Zeese sighed again, Lucius the First shook his head and
replied, “Not just for her. I am doing this for half the population of our
kingdom.”
Of course, the emperor wasn’t telling the whole truth. He was indeed
doing this all for just one woman, but the rest of the kingdom didn’t have
to know this.
The men murmured among themselves nervously. Those who knew the
emperor well realized that Lucius the First was dead serious about what
he was about to do. Those who weren’t very close to the emperor
seemed fearful and confused at the same time.
Lucius the First waited while the rest of the men contemplated. He
waited and waited without leaving the room and finally after 12 hours of
discussion, all of the highest-ranking noblemen bowed as one. Lucius
the First nodded in satisfaction and announced, “Now, it’s time to get to
work. Let’s see what kind of damages we can do to our kingdom.”
It was going to be a long hard road for everyone.
<hr />
Poliana said her goodbyes to her friends in Yapa. Tory, Stra, and Cekel
couldn’t hide their concern for Poliana. The other knights couldn’t stop
admiring Poliana, claiming that even after her death, she will be the
knightess who protects the kingdom. The guards shook their heads,
unable to understand why their boss would do this. They joked that she
probably would remain the head of the Second Division for another 30
years.
Poliana didn’t feel that it was necessary to waste any more time in the
capital city. She immediately headed for Sitrin. The person who seemed
most disappointed was her butler.
To her surprise, no one seemed to be against her leaving like this. Even
though the wedding was canceled, no one seemed to be angry at her.
No one criticized her. The nobles seemed uninterested while
surprisingly, it was the commoners who seemed to react more strongly.
Many were hoping for a fairy tale, a happy ending. These people were
very disappointed, but most accepted the situation without a fight.
Even Poliana herself felt calm.
‘Perhaps this is for the best.’
It seemed that everyone felt this way.
In any case, Poliana became the first and only woman who refused the
emperor. Her already incredible fame increased 100-fold from the recent
event.
On her way to Sitrin, there were many moments when Poliana regretted
her decision. Did she make a mistake? She couldn’t believe that she
gave up having the emperor for herself. But then, she remembered what
she gained from all of this. The happiness as Poliana Winter rather than
as Poliana Clair. Even if she became unhappy, she would always be
Poliana Winter.
Born as Poliana Cranbell, she was reborn as Poliana Winter and almost
became Poliana Clair. And now… She will forever be Poliana Winter.
She knew it was a selfish decision. Poliana felt apologetic towards
Gerald especially. He could’ve become the next emperor, but now, he
would have to be happy with becoming the next Marquis Winter. Poliana
tried to rationalize her decision, ‘I am sorry, Dog Ste… I mean, Gerald.
But this might be a better life for you. You will be able to experience the
joy of becoming promoted to a higher rank. Imagine how happy you will
feel when you become a duke from a marquis.’
Poliana thought about Gerald often, must more so than when she was
pregnant with him. Now that she chose to remain a “Winter,” the burden
and the pressure she felt towards Gerald disappeared.
Poliana finally realized that she has been too hard on her son. Even if
she didn’t feel love towards him, she should’ve given it to him. She knew
she didn’t treat him right. Poliana felt horrible that she became the kind
of parent she used to hate as a little girl.
When she arrived at Sitrin, it was, of course, Gerald who greeted her
most vigorously. It has been a few months since Poliana left, yet Gerald
seemed to recognize her. He raised both of his arms towards her and
screamed, “Mama!”
The angelic boy smiled brightly. Poliana took Gerald from the wetnurse
and replied, “Yes, Gerald Winter. I am your mommy.”
Gerald was so much bigger than she remembered. He was now big
enough to stand if he held onto something. When he crawled around, he
was faster than any baby Poliana knew. She felt a little bitter that she
missed spending so much time with her son. The heavy weight of the
baby in her arms felt meaningful.
Gerald, with his unusual strength, grabbed and twisted Poliana’s nose
and lips as he sniffed her. Poliana patted his back affectionately.
“Yes, Gerald.”
“Mama!”
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“Yes, yes. I am your mom. I haven’t been with you for a while and I am
so sor…”
Suddenly, Poliana narrowed her eyes.
“Wait a minute… There is nothing I should feel sorry about, right?”
She has seen so many mothers apologizing this way that she almost did
the same thing, but Poliana realized that there was nothing to be sorry
about. Most noble ladies did not raise their children themselves. Poliana
left Gerald because she had to take care of some very important things.
If she left for no reason, she should’ve apologized to Gerald, but this
wasn’t the case.
Poliana raised him high. He was a heavy baby, which meant that most
noble ladies would’ve found it hard to lift him, but Poliana was no
ordinary lady.
“Gerald, I left you because I had to take care of something.”
Of course, the baby didn’t understand her at all. Gerald just laughed as if
she told him a funny joke. He looked so beautiful that Poliana smiled and
said to him, “My son, you’re so strong. You will make a great knight!”
Poliana had an ambitious dream. Someday, the next Marquis Winter will
also become the head of the Second Division. Gerald Winter, who didn’t
know anything, just laughed happily.
Chapter 356
After she returned to Sitrin, Poliana remained in the villa because the
existence of Gerald was still not official.
Lucius the First gave her a year. In one year, when she returned to
Yapa, she was going to take Gerald with her. By that time, he should be
old enough to travel the long distance.
One of the first things Poliana did was to write letters to the south. When
the story of how Poliana refused to marry the emperor reaches the
southern region… Poliana shivered in fear. Her old superiors were upset
that she gave birth out of wedlock, so how angry were they going to be
when they heard about the most recent event?
After sending her letters, Poliana waited nervously for the replies. Then
one day, several guests arrived from the south. It was Sir Howe, Sir
Donau, and their wives. Poliana hugged the twins tightly. It has been a
few years since they last saw each other. They laughed and hugged for
a long time.
Poliana was pleasantly surprised that the couples brought their children
as well. They were here to meet their aunt.
“It must’ve been a very hard journey…”
“Not at all. They are so strong and sturdy…”
“Gerald is really healthy too.”
“Well, I guess it makes sense that they are all children of the knights.
Since they are so healthy, I guess we will never have to worry about
them getting sick.”
Sir Donau and Vanessa’s daughter, Marin, picked up Gerald easily.
Gerald’s nanny watched worriedly since Marin herself was a very young
child. To the nanny’s shock, Marin showed off her monstrous strength.
Sir Howe and Vaxi’s son, Martin, stood nearby and practiced with his
tory sword. Gerald nanny again watched nervously, worried that Martin
might accidentally hurt the baby, but Martin stated that only an
inexperienced swordsman would make such a stupid mistake.
Martin yelled bravely, “I am going to be the head!”
“Me too!”
They were still very young children and what they were saying didn’t
make much sense. When Poliana looked at their parents, the twin sisters
laughed and explained, “Both of them want to become the head of the
guards in the future.”
“They used to fight about this every day.”
“So we told them that there were three divisions in the capital city, which
stopped their fighting.”
“If not, they would still be fighting.”
It was a cute story, but Poliana couldn’t smile. Sure, perhaps Martin
could become one, but Marin too? When she looked displeased, Sir
Donau quickly explained, “Sis, we are not saying we will force Marin into
becoming a knight. If she wants to become one when she grows up,
then we won’t stop her…”
“This is a huge problem.”
“What is?”
“I was going to have Gerald become the head of the guards. So to have
Marin and Martin as his rival… It is going to be a very difficult road for
my son.”
Poliana sighed deeply. Marin and Martin inherited their mothers’
incredible strength. They were still so young, but the way they played
with the toy swords was truly impressive.
Poliana then turned towards her son. Gerald was too young to show any
talents yet. He definitely resembled his father, but would he also have
his father’s talent for swordplay? What if Gerald resembled Poliana
instead… It would be a very sad thing, indeed. She hoped Gerald would
become a strong and talented fighter.
The kids played hard before falling asleep. Taking this opportunity, Vaxi
and Vanessa went to enjoy the hot spring. Poliana sat down with Sir
Howe and Sir Donau, knowing she would hear about how her old bosses
reacted to her letters.
Sir Howe scratched his cheek and said to her, “My father-in-law… Well,
he sighed a lot.”
Poliana asked nervously, “And?”
“My mother-in-law said that she thinks she might understand a little
about what kind of happiness you must want, Sir Pol.”
This was unexpected.
“Lady Bika did?”
“Yes. There are occasions when men change their last name because
they have to leave their families or receive a new one from the emperor,
but she said that only women can understand what it feels like to lose
her family name just because she gets married…”
“In Aehas, it isn’t uncommon for a man to marry into a more powerful
family and change his last name.”
“Exactly. Lady Bika said that because of this, you might find it even
harder to give up your name.”
‘Hmm? I wonder if she is right. Is that why I felt so strongly about my
name?’
She was an Acreian now, but she grew up in Aehas. Poliana nodded in
understanding. In the Cranbell family, there were only two daughters and
Poliana was the oldest one. If she remained Poliana Cranbell, it was
very likely that her husband, whoever it may have been, would’ve had to
change his name into Cranbell.
Her name and her family… These were all hers. Just as the kingdom
Acreia was Lucius the First’s life, the name “Winter” was the most
precious thing to Poliana.
Now, it was Sir Donau’s turn.
“Well, our father…”
He couldn’t continue for some reason, so Sir Howe explained, “Our
father cried.”
“What? Why?!”
“He cried because of you, Pol. You need to really go visit our father and
apologize.”
Poliana couldn’t hide her nervousness. Sir Baufallo cried? Because of
her?
Sir Donau said to her, “Sis, please calm down. Our father felt sad
because he thought you might have made your decision because of
what he said in the past.”
“In the past? When?”
“The day we ate the ducks.”
Poliana remembered it immediately. It was the day when there were five
people but only four duck legs!
“That day? What did he say to me that day… Oh, I remember. He told
me that if I want to die a knight, I better not fall in love with anyone… But
things are different now!”
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Sir Howe replied, “Yes, yes. We all know, but he is an old man, and he
doesn’t feel that way. Ever since he became a grandfather, he became
much more emotional. You know how big his eyes are right? Like a
cow? His eyes filled up with tears. It was quite a sight.”
“…”
She would’ve much preferred Sir Baufallo come to Sitrin and slap her
back. Making her old superior cry… Poliana felt awful. Sir Howe, seeing
how upset Poliana was, tried to console her, “Don’t feel so bad. It isn’t
that bad. He just cares about you a lot.”
Sir Donau added, “We know you didn’t make your decision because of
what he said a long time ago. Sis, please look so sad.”
“Did I really make a mistake? Do you think… Was… Was my decision a
wrong one?”
Sir Donau replied, “Sis, do you remember what I said to you before? I
told you that as long as you are happy, that is enough.”
Sir Howe added, “If I were you, I would’ve grabbed the chance to
become the empress without hesitation. But you are not me. You should
do whatever feels right, Pol.”
The brothers were very encouraging, making Poliana feel much better.
Chapter 357
After the two couples and their children left, Poliana felt a little lonely.
The villa seemed so quiet without them, especially because Gerald was
a quiet child who rarely cried.
Then a letter arrived from Yapa. It was Sir Deke who delivered it and on
the outside of the envelope was the emperor’s seal. Poliana opened it
nervously, but the content of the letter was surprisingly simple.
Lucius the First wrote how he was doing so far. He asked about Gerald
and Poliana. He asked Poliana to write back or else he would be
disappointed. It was a very calm and nonchalant letter especially
considering it was written by a jilted groom to his runaway bride.
Poliana asked Sir Deke, “How are things in Yapa?”
“People are talking a little, but overall, it’s very peaceful.”
“And his highness is faring well?”
“A few scribes called him a tyrant…”
Poliana raised her fist and exclaimed, “And he just let them live?!” She
seemed ready to return to Yapa immediately so she could beat them up.
Sir Deke shook his head and replied, “His highness already beat them
up himself.”
“Oh, I see. Good.”
Poliana sat down again. How could the scribes call him a tyrant?
Suddenly, she became confused.
“Did they actually think he is really a tyrant or were they just protesting
because the emperor is overworking them too much?”
“The latter.”
“Just what is it that his highness is trying to do?”
Poliana glared at Sir Deke. Since he was part of the Intelligence Unit,
there was a good chance he knew quite a bit about what was going on.
Poliana was silently threatening him to tell her everything he knew. Sir
Deke shook his head again. He had the duty to keep silent even if it was
the head of the military division or a marquess who was threatening him.
Sir Deke thought desperately, ‘If I disappoint the emperor one more time,
I am really going to lose my job.’
Sir Deke did not want to get fired. He was desperate. No matter how
hard Poliana tried, Sir Deke only told her the things that the general
public already knew.
Currently, the emperor was overworking again. He was back to his
workaholic self. People believed that he was burying himself in his work
from the shock of being abandoned by Marquess Winter. The way he
focused on his work… It was no wonder the scribes called him a tyrant.
It would’ve been fine if he was the only one who overworked, but Lucius
the First forced everyone else around him to work just as hard as him.
He ordered many of the noblemen and scholars from all over the
kingdom to work on his project. He collected as many books as possible
too. If someone, too tired and overworked, asked to resign, the emperor
refused to let them.
Based on Sir Deke’s description, it seemed that the inside of the Yapa
castle was now a scary place. It seemed that Lucius the First was
making even some of the book-smart knights to work on paperwork.
Poliana’s arms became covered with goosebumps.
“Just what is his highness trying to do?”
“No matter how hard I think, I believe this whole thing is because the
emperor was too shocked when you left him.”
“Haha, no way. That can’t be.”
Poliana began to feel more and more nervous. What would Yapa look
like in a year when she returned? Would she be greatly hated by all? But
Poliana believed in Lucius the First’s fairness and kindness. Now that
she thought about it, she remembered how hard she had to work during
the conquest. All the other knights were also overworked when
necessary.
Sir Deke left Sitrin with Poliana’s reply to the emperor. Poliana sighed as
she watched Gerald, who smiled at her. He looked just like his father
Lucius the First. Just much smaller.
‘I still can’t believe how much he resembles his father.’
Since then, Poliana and Lucius the First regularly exchanged letters.
Because the emperor’s letters were calm and matter-of-fact, Poliana
also wrote letters that were more like reports. She wrote how she and
Gerald were doing. She also always wrote Lucius the First not to work
too hard.
On the nights when the moon shined brightly, Poliana went out to look
up at the stars. She counted them one by one, remembering the nights
she spent with Lucius the First.
Poliana wondered. After a year has passed and she returned to Yapa,
will things be the same between them?
She had no idea. Since Poliana declared she would raise her son as
Gerald Winter, this meant that the emperor had to find another heir.
However, for some reason, Lucius the First didn’t look for another wife.
Could it be that she wasn’t getting all the information from Yapa?
Perhaps because of her relationship with the emperor, she wasn’t being
told the truth on purpose. So Poliana used her own sources to get any
news from the capital city, but she still didn’t hear anything.
Her worry grew day by day just as her son grew up quickly. Four
seasons passed by, but her feelings towards Lucius the First remained
the same.
And soon, it was going to be a year since she left the emperor.
One day, an unexpected guest arrived at Sitrin. Because the existence
of Gerald was still a secret, there were only a handful of people that
were allowed into Sitrin. So it had to be someone Poliana knew well. It
turned out it was her adopted brother Sir Donau. Poliana greeted him,
“What brings you here?”
“I am here to escort you to Yapa.”
“You should be home protecting Vanessa and Marin.”
“I know, I know. This will be my last time.”
Sir Donau gave her a silly smile and Poliana grinned. It was still a while
till she was going to leave for Yapa, so while they waited, Sir Donau
suggested they go out riding. He said they should ride out to the outer
boundary of Sitrin for fun.
Poliana has been feeling bored lately since she was stuck in the Villa, so
she agreed. Poliana decided to hide her identity and Donau stood
nearby as she disguised herself. Sir Donau protested, complaining about
her outfit, and Poliana argued, “Hey, just shut up! You should never
argue with a lady about her outfit.”
“Sis, please! Don’t wear that handkerchief like that on your head! You
look like a middle-aged woman working in the field!”
“Who are you calling middle-aged?!”
“You have a kid, and you are nearing your late 30’s, so obviously you
are middle-aged!”
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“What? Well, you have a kid too, so you must be middle-aged too! You
jerk!”
In the end, Sir Donau was no match for Poliana. They were adopted
siblings, but they certainly acted like real siblings. Poliana wore the exact
outfit she thought was the best, and as they rode to the outer boundary
of Sitrin, Sir Donau continued to grumble, “Don’t you have better
clothes? And stop riding so fast! Your hair is turning into a huge mess!”
“Shut up!”
“You’re rich, and you must have beautiful clothes! So why do you have
to wear things like that? Why must you look like a field help?!”
“You better stop nagging me or else I am going to hang you upside down
on that tree.”
Afterward, they rode in silence until suddenly, Sir Donau pointed at a
small hill and said to Poliana, “Sis, look over there. The scenery is
amazing.”
“Yeah.”
The small hill was covered in beautiful wildflowers. Sir Donau suggested
that they should eat their picnic lunch on the hill. Poliana shook her
head, “That’s not part of my land.”
Chapter 358
The hill Sir Donau pointed at was on the outside of the Sitrin’s boundary.
Sir Donau said to Poliana, “Oh, who cares? It’s not like we are
committing a crime there.”
“But what if the owner of that land suddenly shows up? It would be so
embarrassing for me to be eating on his land when I have a perfectly
good piece of land.”
“Sis, the way you look now… No one could ever guess that you are
Marquess Winter.”
“Hmm, you think so?”
Poliana was convinced. They were out on a picnic, so wouldn’t it be nice
to eat surrounded by a beautiful view? All they had to do was cross the
small stream to get to the neighboring land.
Before crossing the water, Poliana unarmed herself and hid her
weapons. She thought that if they were seen by someone, it would be
odd for a woman to be armed so heavily.
‘Donau has his sword, so we should be ok.’
Poliana easily crossed the stream. She felt a little guilty for entering
someone else’s land, but it passed quickly. They climbed the hill and
unpacked their lunches. Sir Donau claimed that his water bottle was
empty so he would go back to the stream to fill it.
Sitting alone, Poliana wondered, ‘If you drink the wrong water, you can
get parasites…’ She tried to figure out how clean the stream water might
be. She pictured the map of her land in her mind. She was so focused
that she didn’t hear someone calling her the first time. The man called
out to her again from behind, “Hey lady, do you have some time for me?”
‘No, you loser.’
Poliana didn’t even bother to answer him. She ignored him, wondering
what kind of an idiot would try to seduce a woman who was dressed like
her.
But the man insisted, “Hey, woman. Look at me.”
‘I better teach this jerk a lesson…!’
Although she didn’t have her sword and Sir Donau wasn’t here, Poliana
still clenched her fist to get ready. She still had her fists and her feet!
How dare a man try to assault a woman in the middle of the day?!
Poliana was ready to beat up this man.
But when she turned around, she realized that it was…
Lucius the First.
Poliana was so shocked that she forgot to drop her fist.
“Your highness?”
“Were you about to punch your emperor?”
“No, I mean…”
Poliana slowly unclenched her fist. Lucius the First mockingly frowned
and said to her, “I can’t believe you were about to hit me.”
“That’s not true! I… Your Highness, why are you here?”
The last time she heard from Yapa, it seemed that the emperor was still
working nonstop. So how could such a busy man be standing here in
front of her?
Now that she looked around, Poliana realized that they were surrounded
by many other men. They were very familiar to her.
Sirs Ainno, Jainno, Wook, Mahogal, Donau, Howe, and etc. She
recognized most of the men. They were the highest-ranking knights of
this kingdom. Poliana silently glared at them, asking, ‘If you are all here,
who is keeping the capital city safe?’
They all looked back smugly, ‘Our subordinates, of course.’
‘Damn these lazy men!’
Poliana continued to glare at them, but she knew that these men were all
in positions where they had enough men to take care of things back
home.
The bigger question was, why were the emperor and these knights
here?
Lucius the First walked up to her. It has been a year since she last saw
him, and the emperor was just as beautiful as ever. Poliana’s heart
began to pound just like the day she left him.
“Poliana Winter, I ask you, will you fight with me?”
“Is there a rebellion happening somewhere? If that is the case, of
course, I will, your highness.”
Thud.
Lucius the First dropped a giant book in front of her. It was the thickest
book Poliana has ever seen. The emperor said to her, “This is the
foundation of this kingdom. This is the Acreian law.”
After a quick pause, Lucius the First added, “Well, it’s the first draft
anyway.”
It was the final product of all the hard work by the emperor and everyone
back in Yapa. It was the book that caused Lucius the First to be
nicknamed the tyrant.
The emperor explained, “In Acreia, there is no law that a woman cannot
become a knight. That is why you were able to remain a knightess, Sir
Pol. In Acreia, there is no specific law that a woman cannot receive her
own title and lands. That is why you were awarded many lands and the
title of marquess. But in Acreia, there is a law that states a woman
cannot inherit the family title and wealth. A woman must take the
husband’s name when she gets married. Only a man can be the head of
the family.”
Everyone knew this, so Poliana guessed that there was a reason why
Lucius the First brought up this topic.
“Sir Pol, you asked me if I could give up my kingdom. I told you it would
be impossible. You then said that you felt the same way about your
name. You showed me your determination and will. You gave me your
answer so now, it is my time to give you mine.”
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Lucius the First gave her a heart-stopping smile and continued, “This is
my answer.”
The emperor changed the entire legal system just to marry Poliana. It
wasn’t a simple adjustment of the law, but a complete makeover of the
legal foundation.
At first, Lucius the First was going to change just the inheritance law, but
he realized that it wasn’t going to be enough. He learned that to change
one major aspect of the law, he needed to change the entire system.
This was why the giant book was only the first draft of the new legal
structure. To make it into a stable and completed system, it was going to
take at least another 10 years. Afterward, it would take his lifetime, if not
longer, to implement it to the kingdom.
Lucius the First always dreamt of retiring at an early age and live the rest
of his life peacefully, but now, he knew it wasn’t going to be possible. To
get the woman he loved, this was the least he could do. It was the price
he was willing to pay. He could not give up his kingdom for her, but he
could do this for Poliana.
Poliana became pale as she listened to him. Her brain became blank
suddenly. The emperor was very clear about what his intention was, but
she found it very difficult to comprehend.
“T…this doesn’t make sense. It won’t work. It never will. The noblemen
won’t allow it and to have it accepted by the commoners too…”
“Yes, I know that. It will be a tough road. We will have to fight for it
constantly. We might work on it for the rest of our lives and still not see it
happen in real life. We might not succeed. But Poliana Winter, I have a
dream.”
Chapter 359
Poliana became confused. She felt surreal. Everyone, including the
emperor, was smiling at her happily, but she alone was shocked.
Lucius the First said to her, “I have two dreams now. First, I will take you,
Sir Poliana Winter, as my wife. And with that, I would like to finish this
change in the legal system. I have worked as hard as I could for these
dreams, and I will continue on working for them. To be honest, I know
that it will not be an easy road for us. Perhaps it will be even more
difficult than conquering the entire continent. Perhaps this will be the end
of this kingdom, but Poliana, I cannot control my greed for you. I hope
you will become my wife.”
The Acreian emperor smiled. His smile was kind and handsome. It was
the smile of the emperor who was great enough to rule the entire
continent with dignity and generosity. Just as he said, his dream to
change the legal system so drastically was a foolish one. It was too
ambitious. It was ridiculous that he was even going to make an attempt.
But still, the emperor once again asked Poliana, “Won’t you dream with
me?”
One of the knights standing nearby whistled. Another knight quickly
slapped his back to stop him. The men around them murmured but
Poliana couldn’t hear any of these noises surrounding her. Inside of her
was a huge storm brewing.
Suddenly, Poliana realized the truth. Just when she was about to give up
and accept the reality, her emperor created a brand new world for her. A
brand new dream they could dream together.
“How…”
Her body became covered with goosebumps. Just how great was this
man? This greatest emperor was standing in front of her and asking her
to fight with him once again. She gave up on their marriage a year ago
without a fight, but it seemed that Lucius the First wasn’t disappointed in
her. He trusted her and believed in her. He recognized and accepted her
dilemma and returned to her a year later.
Lucius the First was the beginning of Poliana’s world. He completed her
in every way. She knew that it would be her dream come true to fight for
him.
No, fight with him. Fight alongside him.
Poliana moved her hand to reach her sword but realized that she wasn’t
carrying one. She left it behind before crossing the stream. She could go
back and retrieve it, but Poliana didn’t have the patience.
“Get…”
Her voice became louder and stronger as she continued, “Get me a
sword!”
She didn’t care whose sword it was. She didn’t care what kind of sword it
was. All she needed was a sword, any sword.
All the knights surrounding her unsheathed their swords. The sounds of
sharp metals rang throughout the hill. Surprised, Poliana looked around
to realize that every single man had their swords drawn and ready for
her.
To show her respect, they held the sword backward to offer her the
handle. This was the greatest deference a knight can show to another
soldier. Poliana gritted her teeth. If this were a dream, she hoped that
she would never wake up from it.
“Sir Pol! I sharpened my sword this morning!”
“Sir Pol! This is my family’s sword! I brought it for you especially!”
“Sis! Please pick your brother’s sword!”
“Pol! You know I have the best sword here, right?”
“Boss! Don’t forget about us!”
“Boss! You must pick the sword of the Second Division guard! Don’t pick
the one from the First Division! We made a bet with them!”
“That’s not fair! That’s cheating!”
“Bastards!”
Every man had their sword ready for her. Every man here was fighting
for her to pick his sword. Every man wanted to help her just because she
asked for it. As Poliana listened to them argue, she couldn’t believe her
own ears. She couldn’t understand what was happening here. It was no
wonder because, in the past, everyone refused to give her their sword.
This change was too shocking.
There were too many swords to choose from. The best knights of the
kingdom were holding their swords and surrounding her, but Poliana
didn’t feel any fear. They were all here for her.
Then suddenly, Poliana saw that it wasn’t just the knights that were here.
She saw Vaxi, Vanessa, Cekel, Tory, Stra, and some scribes who were
her close friends.
If she refused the emperor today, it was going to make a legendary
story. Of course, Poliana had no intention of doing such a thing.
“…”
While every knight was trying to get Poliana’s attention, Sir Ainno was
the only one who remained quiet. He, however, also had his sword
unsheathed and ready to be taken by her. When their eyes met, Sir
Ainno smirked at her. He said to her, “Family sword and legendary
sword… They are all meaningless. The best sword is the one that is held
by the best knight.”
‘Oh, you jerk.’
Sir Ainno was acting like he was confident she was going to choose his
sword. Just where did such confidence come from? Turning away from
him, Poliana finally picked her adopted brother Sir Donau’s sword. She
was annoyed that he fooled her and led her to this situation, but now
wasn’t the time to punish him. She was going to do that later.
Sir Donau, happy to be chosen, bowed deeply and helped her hold his
sword. Poliana stabbed the ground with the sword so it stood on its own.
She then kneeled alongside and declared, “I will never betray you. I will
never fail and always protect my honor. I will spend the rest of my life
serving you. I will enter the gates of hell and fire for my emperor. I will
fight for you. I, Sir Poliana Winter, swear my loyalty to your highness.”
“I, Lucius the First, as the emperor of Acreia, am the man who is going to
create a world where a woman does not need to apologize for giving
birth to a daughter.”
Poliana looked up at the emperor. Her eyes were filled with
determination as she replied, “I will never leave your side, your highness!
I will forever stay with you and fight with you. As long as you allow me, I
will remain your knight until I die!”
“That is not true, Winter. Even if I don’t allow you, you will always be my
knight”
Lucius the First waved and smiled at her a little awkwardly. It was
obvious that he was nervous. He said to her, “So rise, Pol. It is now my
turn to kneel.”
Poliana stood up and this time, Lucius the First kneeled on the ground.
Because the grass was wet, his pants became wet, but he didn’t care.
He asked for her hand.
“I told you once before. Sir Pol, you are enough just as you are. In fact,
you are perfect the way you are now. That means you shouldn’t have to
change your name. Pol, you are the perfect partner for me. Your
existence makes me breathe and laugh.”
This was the happiest moment in Poliana’s life. The man kneeling before
her looked up at her like she was the most precious thing in this world.
“Again, I ask you. Poliana Winter, will you marry me?”
Lucius the First kissed the back of her hand and offered her a small box.
Inside was a ring that was unusually big.
“It was my father’s ring. You can wear it over your gauntlet.”
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There could be no gift more perfect than this. Poliana gritted her teeth so
she wouldn’t cry. This was the happiest day, so she didn’t want to show
any tears. Poliana nodded and put her hand on top of his as she replied,
“Your highness. My beloved, will you marry me?”
“You will make me the happiest man.”
Lucius the First put the ring on Poliana’s finger. It was obviously too big
but Poliana knew it would fit perfectly over her gauntlet. The people
around her threw flower petals at them.
Sir Donau and Sir Howe kissed their wives happily. The other knights,
watching the happy couples, wished they brought their own wives. Sir
Ainno tried to kiss Cekel but she kicked his knee. When he looked upset,
Cekel sighed and closed her eyes, and nodded. Sir Ainno smiled
happily.
The emperor’s personal scribe Momo couldn’t help his tears, but his
hands continued to move quickly. He was writing down everything that
was happening today. This would make the greatest love story of the
century.
Stra smiled brightly while Tory dabbed her eyes daintily.
The emperor kissed the knightess.
They became a good couple. They were husband and wife, but this
didn’t change the fact that they were still the emperor and the knightess.

Chapter 360: Epilogue – Chapter 360

Epilogue
Chapter 360

In the capital city Yapa’s royal castle, the innermost area was where the
emperor’s public office is located. This was where he held official
meetings with the noblemen.

Inside this place, there are many large paintings that fill the walls. They
were mostly the painting of various events in history. The one on the
main wall is the painting of the emperor’s wedding.

This painting was unusually big and detailed. It was so meticulously

done that one could see each face of all the spectators. The number of
paints, effort, time, and the number of painters it took to create this
masterpiece was considered to be the greatest in the history of Acreia.

As one would expect, the emperor’s wedding was extravagant and

luxurious. Lucius the First was beautiful as usual, but everyone was
shocked once again to see his radiance on this day. His flawless skin,
his golden hair, his bright eyes, and his perfect body… It seemed that no
one could ever get used to his incredible beauty and elegance.

The bride, who was supposed to be the flower of the wedding, appeared
wearing her armor. When someone mentioned how a bride should be
wearing a dress, Poliana replied, “But the tradition dictates that the bride
wears the most expensive outfit she owns right? I am only following this
rule.”
Indeed, the bride was right. It was true that the bride was supposed to
wear the most expensive outfit in her closet and it was also true that the
metal armor, which was gifted to her by the emperor himself, was the
most expensive outfit she owned. It was further adorned by being
painted with white gold and jeweled with various precious stones. It was
possibly the most expensive armor that was ever made. Because it was
the bride that was wearing it, everyone seemed to be in awe and
discomfort. If the emperor wore it, people would’ve openly admired it.

Just as he promised, Lucius the First put the wedding ring over his
bride’s gauntlet. No expense was spared for this event. It was a
luxurious and extravagant wedding, but rather than being known for how
beautiful it was, this wedding was forever going to be remembered as
the strangest event in Acreian history.

The painting, when completed, was the talk of the town.

“Those royal painters should be ashamed of what they did. This painting
is supposed to be an accurate representation of the true event.”

“This is… wrong. This isn’t right.”

“Actually, I think I can understand why they did this… I mean, she is the
very first empress of this continent, so it would be too sad if the painters
painted the truth… You know what she looks like… The painters
obviously had no choice.”
“Then they should’ve just drawn a helmet over her face rather than lie
about it!”

“But that didn’t happen, so the painting would be inaccurate. She didn’t
wear a helmet so how would they be able to draw it in?”

“…look at the empress’s face on that painting. Do you think that is

accurate?”

Poliana Winter.

The enemy knightess who was caught by the emperor. The knightess
who betrayed her own kingdom to serve Lucius the First. Even as the
foreigner and a female, the knightess who became the marquess and
eventually the first empress of Acreia. There was no doubt that Poliana
Winter was going to be the most remembered female figure in Acreian
history. This meant that the royal painters had the obligation to paint as
accurately as possible, but… They just could not make themselves paint
Poliana accurately. This was especially the case because standing next
to her was the beautiful Lucius the First,

So they changed her features a little. Just a little bit.

They straightened her twisted nose a little. They made her eyes look a
little larger and slimmed down her manly chiseled cheekbones. They
rounded her harsh face a little and painted her cheeks pink. They also
made her skin look brighter and clearer.
When Lucius the First saw the finished product, he was furious.

“It looks like I married another woman!”

But Poliana understood how tormented the painters must’ve been. To

appease the emperor and make the painters feel less guilty, they
decided to paint a portrait of Poliana.

Normally, when an important figure such as a royal member of a

nobleman, the portrait tended to be painted subjectively based on the
painter’s discretion. The more powerful the figure was, the more
beautiful the portrait turned out to be.

It would’ve been normal, even expected, for the portrait of the empress
to be beautified, but Poliana ordered, “You need to paint me truthfully.”
Because a personal portrait was usually enhanced dramatically, the
wedding painting would’ve been expected to provide a more accurate
face of the empress than her portrait. So what will the future generation
think when they see how Poliana looked much uglier on her personal
portrait than the wedding painting?

Either they were going to say that the painter who painted the portrait
must’ve hated the empress or that Empress Poliana Winter was truly an
unattractive woman.
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Poliana, however, thought that by comparing her portrait to that of the
emperor, the future generation would realize what a beautiful man
Lucius the First was.

***

Poliana groaned as she stretched her arms. She ended up resigning as

the head of the Second Division. The Second Division was responsible
for the protection of the royal family, and now that she became part of
this family, it didn’t make sense to protect herself. So instead, she was
reassigned to the head of the Third Division, which was responsible for
protecting the Yapa castle and the surrounding area.

It was a big job as it involved providing security for the entire capital city.
Because they were so short-handed, Sir Jainno and Sir Wook, who were
the heads of the Second Division, welcomed Poliana with open arms.

To replace Poliana, Sir Mahogal became the head of the Second

Division. Sir Mahogal, happy to have left Sir Ainno’s grasp in the First
Division, apparently cried for three days straight.

The position of the second-in-command of the First Division was given to

Sir Beke. Although he wasn’t the best fighter, the guards of the First
Division were notoriously unruly so it was decided that Sir Beke, who
was considered a logical and sensible man, would be perfect for the job.
It also helped that Sir Beke was Sir Ainno’s brother-in-law. There was no
way any knight would ever dare to disobey Sir Beke knowing how Sir
Ainno could come after them.
Sir Ainno, after becoming a father of a daughter, finally received his title
and became Duke Seki. The story of what Sir Ainno’s face looked like
when he saw his daughter for the first time was a popular one.
Unfortunately, Poliana didn’t get to witness this in person, but she heard
that Sir Ainno cried. Sir Jainno was laughing so hard when he told
Poliana the story. Apparently, Sir Ainno’s usually grumpy face was gone,
and his lips trembled for the longest time. Poliana laughed hard when
she heard the story too. It was a story she knew she would never forget.

Chapter 361: Chapter 361

Chapter 361

After a productive workday, Poliana returned home and was greeted by

two children.

“Poli~!”

“Mother!”

Poliana picked up Princess Luminae with one hand and Gerald with the
other. Because they were getting big, Poliana could only pick them up
for a few seconds, but the children laughed excitedly. Princess Luminae
was heavier than Gerald because she carried a sack that was filled with
various items she picked up from everywhere. Gerald was wearing an
alligator hide.

Poliana said to her son, “Gerald Winter, you know how that hide will
shock your father! Take it off right now.”

“Mother, I am going to become her highness’s alligator dog when I grow

up! Woof woof!”

Gerald barked a few times like a dog and ran in circles. Poliana and the
maids asked him to stop, but he refused. Princess Luminae, the heir to
the throne, held her forehead as if dizzy and said to Poliana, “He has
been doing that all day today. Hey, Gerry, you need to stop.”

“Yes, your highness! Woof woof!”

“See?”

Princess Luminae said to Poliana as she shook her head in resignation.

Poliana, knowing how her husband hated reptiles, decided to get rid of
this alligator hide as soon as possible before the emperor got home.

Princess Luminae sighed, “Duke Seki came by today and watched Gerry
practicing his sword. Since then, Gerry has been acting like that.”
“Duke Seki came by?”

“Yes. Sir Mahogal asked him to come by.”

“Woof woof! Woof woof woof!”

“Gosh, you are so noisy! Gerry, fetch!”

Princess Luminae, annoyed how Gerald was interrupting their

conversation, took out a ball from her sack and threw it. Gerald, excited,
ran after it immediately.

Princess Luminae looked genuinely concerned and asked Poliana, “He

won’t really bring the ball back in his mouth, will he?”

“I am sure he will bring it back in his hand. Your brother isn’t that stupid.”

So Duke Seki visited today? Poliana wanted to talk to Sir Mahogal. After
excusing herself, Poliana left Princess Luminae to talk to the knight.

Sir Mahogal explained to Poliana, “Prince Gerald has a true talent.”

“Gerald? Even though he is my son?”

“Yes, even though he is your highness’s son.”

“Hmm.”

When Poliana seemed unconvinced, Sir Mahogal continued, “Duke Seki

said so.”

Duke Seki. He was the man who claimed he was the strongest and best
man in the world. He was the man who declared that everyone else in
the world was weak compared to him.

In a word, he was a jerk.

So if Duke Seki said that her son had a talent for swordsmanship, then…
Poliana gasped in surprise. It seemed that although she wasn’t gifted
with this talent, her son was going to be spared.

“F*ck… I mean, good.”

Poliana, the empress of Acreia, coughed to hide her reaction and asked
Sir Mahogal, “So the reason why Gerald is insisting on becoming the
alligator dog is…”
“Duke Seki apparently told the prince that he should become the head of
the First Division when he grows up, and you know the symbol of the
Knight’s Order is the alligator dog.”

“I assume Duke Seki gave him the alligator hide then.”

Sir Mahogal nodded silently. It was obvious what happened. Duke Seki
most likely brought the hide to scare the emperor. When he saw
Gerald’s talent, he probably gave the hide to the boy. Lucius the First
and Duke Seki were both fathers, but it seemed that they would never
tire of teasing each other.

After her conversation with Sir Mahogal, Poliana returned to her quarters
and saw the brother and sister pouring over something. She walked to
them and realized that they were looking at the map of the continent
Poliana gave to Princess Luminae on her seventh’s birthday.

This map was created by all the information Poliana gathered from
trusted sources. It was the first sample of what was going to be a
comprehensive military map of Acreia. Although it was only a first draft, it
was accurately made with all the roads, waterways, and cities marked in
detail. It wasn’t the kind of thing that should be shown to everyone, but it
seemed that Princess Luminae has been carrying it around in her sack.

‘I am going to ask her not to do that.’

If she told Princess Luminae not to do this right now in front of her
younger brother, it was going to weaken the future heir to the throne’s
authority in front of Gerald. Poliana decided to talk to the princess later in
private.

Meanwhile, the two children continued to chat seriously.

“So the land up to this ocean and the ocean itself is all mine.”

“Your highness, what about the islands over here?”

“Those are someone else’s lands.”

“Your highness, your loyal subject Gerald Winter will conquer those
islands for you!”

Poliana covered her mouth to hide her laugh. Because the children lived
in the castle, the way they talked was too mature and formal for their
ages sometimes.

Princess Luminae replied, “There is no need, Gerry. When I become the

next ruler, you will be busy taking care of those who oppose me just
because I am a woman.”
There was no need for Gerald to go all the way south. In about 20 years,
their powerful cousins, Marin and Martin, were going to take care of
everything anyway.

Gerald insisted, “But that would be Park’s job.”

Park was Duke Luzo’s son. For the first time during their conversation,
Princess Luminae became angry, “Why do you call Park by his name,
but you call me your highness?! Why won’t you call me by my name?”

“You are your highness and my sister, but it would be too hard for you to
be both. So just be your highness!”

“No! I am going to be both! So you be both as well! You be my brother

and my loyal subordinate!”

“It’s too hard!”

Gerald insisted that since Princess Luminae was going to be the next
ruler, he was going to serve her as such beginning now. Luminae, on the
other hand, was always annoyed that Gerald refused to call her his
sister. This was an ongoing fight between the brother and the sister.
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But they were only children for now. Just as they began to fight, they
quickly began to laugh and play together again. Poliana ushered them to
their rooms for bedtime.

When Gerald was in his bed, Poliana said to him, “Gerald, if it’s too hard
for you to be both all the time, you can alternate. Since you were her
loyal subordinate today, you can be her brother Gerry tomorrow.”

“What if I become her subordinate again tomorrow?”

“Then you can be her brother for two days after tomorrow.”

“Alright…”

Gerald finally nodded and fell asleep. Poliana caressed his forehead
gently. Thanks to the changes to the legal system, a woman could now
inherit family title and wealth. Only the first-born son used to be able to
inherit everything, but now, the firstborn, no matter whether it was a male
or female, was to inherit everything.

People often asked Poliana if she felt disappointed that her own blood
son wasn’t going to be the next emperor. The child of another woman
was going to take over the throne, so did Poliana feel unhappy about it?

Chapter 362: Chapter 362

Chapter 362

Poliana’s answer was always the same.

Not at all.

This was just her opinion and not Gerald’s, and Poliana did feel
apologetic about it. But thankfully, Gerald seemed to have no desire to
become the next emperor. Of course, he might change his mind as he
became older, but for now, his goal in life was becoming Princess
Luminae’s alligator dog. When he grows up and he becomes upset
about not becoming the next emperor, Poliana would tell him to blame
her. It was just a bit of unfortunate luck on his end that he was born to a
marquess.

Next, Poliana went to Princess Luminae’s bedroom. The little girl was
already in bed and ready to go to sleep. She said to Poliana, “Good
night, Poli.”

“Lumi, you can’t show that map I gave you to just anyone.”

The map was just too important to be given to a child. All Poliana wanted
to do was to show Luminae the land she was going to rule one day, but
now, Poliana regretted her decision. Princess Luminae contemplated for
a moment before nodding, “I agree that I made a mistake. But I won’t
apologize for it since I will become the next emperor.”
“I agree; the emperor must never apologize.”

Princess Luminae looked up at Poliana and asked, “Poli, why do you

think Gerry doesn’t call me Sister?”

“Because when you are a young boy, you think being different is cool.
Most families have sisters and brothers, but they certainly don’t have a
future emperor and her subordinate.”

“But I would prefer him to call me Sister… Besides, we are already

different than the other families since we have different last names.”

“I am sure he will start calling you Sister more and more from now on.”

Poliana kissed Luminae’s forehead and left the room.

Luminae Clair and Gerald Winter. After the law passed that allowed the
women to inherit the family title, it also became possible for children to
receive their mother’s maiden name. A child could either take both
parent’s last names or choose one when older.

Inheritance law was a complicated matter. Although a basic change was

made, the paperwork was far from being over. It was still an ongoing
process. It was going to take a lot of work from the poor scholars to
complete this process.

“Phew…”

Poliana sighed quietly, making sure no one heard her. She felt guilty that
she took the throne away from Gerald. She also felt guilty that she was
forcing the throne on Luminae.

Thankfully, Princess Luminae was a greedy girl. It made sense since

both of her parents were greedy people. One good thing was that since
she was born with so much, she didn’t have any desire to take other
people’s things away from them. However, she also refused to give up
anything that was hers unless there was a good reason for it.

This meant that Luminae was never going to give up the throne because
as the first-born child of Lucius the First, it was her right to become the
next emperor.

Since she was going to become the first female ruler of this kingdom,
Lucius the First insisted on making sure Luminae received the best
education possible. He did not want her to be criticized in any way by the
other noblemen. This meant that Princess Luminae’s lessons were very
strict. Some believed this was too cruel for a child, but Lucius the First
was firm on his decision. Fortunately, Princess Luminae loved to learn.
Her greed for knowledge was unmatched.
Poliana shook her head, trying not to worry too much about the children
and their futures.

She just returned from work for the day, but her work was not over yet.
In addition to being the head of the Third Division, she was also the
empress, which involved much work. Baroness Leef managed the castle
affairs instead of the empress herself, but Poliana still needed to hear
the daily report.

After telling Poliana a few things, Tory smiled, “You look very tired.”

“There is too much work.”

Poliana grumbled. Tory’s situation was the same; there was no end to
her work either. Tory stopped herself from slumping and replied, “It’s the
same for me too.”

“I’m sorry, Baroness. I will get you more staff as soon as possible.”

Technically, Tory was taking care of the things Poliana, as the empress,
was supposed to do. Poliana stretched her arms again and thought of
her past, which became her end-of-the-day habit.

Poliana’s life has been an average one. Of course, others may disagree,
but to her, it felt like an ordinary one. One thing Poliana could say with
confidence was that she worked hard, and she lived for herself. She
believed she lived her life greedily, making everyone around her,
including herself, work hard, and she was glad to say that she felt happy.

In romantic novels, a knightess was always forced to choose one life

over the other. She could never have anything. In reality, this knightess
also at first believed that her ambition was out of her reach. She thought
she should not be so greedy. She thought she had to choose one thing
over another.

But then, her husband appeared and gave her the whole world. He told
her she deserved everything in life. He was going to help her get
everything she ever wanted.

So Poliana decided to fight with him. They fought, are still fighting, and
will continue to fight till the end. After the wedding, they haven’t had a
day of rest.

Poliana sighed and asked Tory, “I guess it will be another 10 years

before I can take a break, right?”

“I think you might have to work like this forever.”

“We are probably the only emperor and the empress who work this hard
in the world.”
Well, there were only one emperor and one empress on this continent,
but that wasn’t the point.

After Tory’s report, Poliana finally went to her bedroom. Unlike her, who
at least got to go outside to work, her husband was trapped inside the
castle all day.

“Welcome back, Wife.”

“Hello there, your highness.”

He may have had dark circles that reached his lips, but Lucius the First
still was the most beautiful man in the kingdom. When he saw his wife,
the emperor brightened immediately. He saw Poliana every day, yet he
always smiled whenever he saw her as if he hasn’t seen her in a long
time. Lucius the First was still falling in love with Poliana every day.

The emperor was already in bed looking tired. Poliana began to

massage his face for him and Lucius the First groaned like a tired
middle-aged man.

‘Well, I guess he is actually really a middle-aged man. He’s so

handsome that I keep forgetting that.’

“Does that feel good, your highness?”

“It does, my lady.”

Lucius the First was overworked as usual, but it was completely his fault.
The emperor, however, did not regret his decision since it was for the
woman he loved.

Lucius the First wanted more than just a face massage from his wife. He
wanted to get physical with her, but his body was so tired. The emperor
has been feeling his age lately. He tried his best to keep in shape, but
the amount of work he needed to do every day was too much for him.

In the end, the emperor chose to do what he thought he never would do.
He secretly asked Viceroy Bika to send him the white-tailed lizard to
increase his stamina. Until then, all he could do was work out as much
as possible. To be able to make love to Poliana, Lucius the First was
willing to do, or eat, anything except for giving up his kingdom of course.
If necessary, he was ready to eat an alligator alive.

Lucius the First grabbed Poliana’s hand and kissed it again and again.
Poliana giggled and when her broken fingernail caused his lips to bleed,
Poliana kissed his lips clean.

Lucius the First, unable to control himself, whispered to her, “Wife, I am

a dangerous beast at the moment.”
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“Me too, your highness, hehe.”

The husband and wife undressed quickly. Didn’t they say they were both
tired? Yet they moved like they had all the energy in the world.

Lucius the First whispered, “If we get a third child…”

“As long as it’s healthy, it won’t matter.”

“That was my exact thought, Pol.”

They kissed passionately and Poliana’s giggle filled the room.

-The End.