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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.

Only

“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.