The Emperor and the Knightess

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.

Only

‘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?”