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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.

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“…”

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.”

Only

“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.”