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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?

Only

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.