(William's POV)

A few months have passed since Alicia gave birth to the twins. The war with Jennovia has finally ended when the former queen, Queen Patricia died in the final battle.

Many things happened in that final battle. That day was the day Alicia gave birth to the twins, Dimitri was known to be an illegitimate son of the last king of Atlantia, making him her highness Leticia's younger half brother and Alicia's uncle. Atlantia also rose from the depths of the sea, making the continent bigger once more. Atlantia was given to the two male heirs with Atlantian royal blood, Gladiolus and Dimitri.

I am still a knight under King Regaleon's rule. Tomorrow is the day the empire will be formally established, the empire of Astley. Tomorrow the king and queen of Grandcrest will be crowned as the first emperor and empress of the Astley Empire.

The palace is quite busy with all the preparations for the big day tomorrow. I was standing guard as always at Alicia's side when I was called by Regaleon to his office.

I walked the busy hallways towards his majesty's office and knocked on the door.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Come in." Regaleon's voice was heard from inside the office.

I opened the door carefully and came inside the king's office.

"You called for me, your majesty." I bowed as a sign of my respect.

"Yes. Thank you for coming William." Regaleon replied. "Dimitri, please leave us. I have some private matters to talk with Sir William."

"Of course, your majesty." Dimitri bowed and closed the door behind me after exiting the office.

Regaleon stood up and ushered me towards the lounging area of his office.

"Come Sir William, please seat. I called for you here not as a knight under me but as a friend, so no need to be nervous." Regaleon gestured while he himself took a seat on the comfortable couch. He can read my expression right now, someone who is nervous of what might be the reason I was called.

I have always thought of what would happened after peace has been achieved. I fear for the position I am holding on to as the personal knight of the queen. I am after all of noble blood from a duke's linage and working as a knight is something below my social status. I have had a good reason in the past for being by Alicia's side, but now that the empire is being established and peace has been achieved, I fear that my position as a knight by Alicia's side will be taken away from me.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

The knock on the door freed me form the tension I was feeling.

"Come in." Regaleon said.

His majesty's butler, Theon came inside pushing a tray with a very beautiful tea set. Theon has been the one managing the palace since Regaleon had took the seat of the king of Grandcrest, and I know he is one of the people that his majesty trusts and respects.

"The tea is here, your majesty." Theon said.

"Thank you, Theon." Regaleon replied. "Please put it on top of the table."

Theon elegantly put the tea set on top of the table.

"You can go now." Regaleon said after Theon was done with his job.

"I will now excuse myself your majesty." Theon bowed. "Please call for me if you need anything else."

"Please have some tea." Regaleon said. "My wife personally brewed this herself."

"T-Thank you, your majesty." I replied. I took the beautiful kettle and poured it into the cup in front of me.

The tea was fragrant, and it tasted mildly strong, something that is to my taste. I smiled knowing that her majesty was the one that brewed this herself. It helped calm my nerves.

"Sir William, do you know why I have called for you?" Regaleon asked.

"I am sorry your majesty, but I am at a loss." I feigned ignorance.

"I am sure you have some kind of idea, Sir William." Regaleon smiled.

I instinctively flinched from his words.

"I am really not sure why you called me, your majesty." I maintained my composure.

"Then let me ask you, Sir William." Regaleon said. "What are your plans, now that we have achieved the peace we fought for? The war is over, and we are looking at a bright future ahead."

"Sir William, you are my wife's personal knight because of the order from my father in law, the former King Edward." Regaleon said. "I have seen how capable you are and have permitted you to stay by my wife's side as her personal knight and protector in my stead when we were apart. But now that I am always at my wife's side, I believe a personal knight is not needed any more."

I clenched my fist hearing the words that Regaleon had just spoken. I am not mad at his majesty himself but the words 'not needed anymore' is what that hit me hard.

My feelings for Alicia had been there since the first time I laid my eyes upon her in her debut party. I may not be the one she had chosen, but I have wanted to be by her side and be of use to her in any way possible. I admit that it is my own selfishness that made me hang to her, but I am afraid I am in to deep to have the courage to let go.

"You are the rightful heir to the Cunningham dukedom in Alvannia. You could be a great vassal under Richard. You were born as a nobleman and being a knight should not be where you should be." Regaleon said.

"Your majesty… is this… what her majesty wants as well?" My heart was pounding inside my ċhėst with fear. I have not been afraid even when death was in front of me in the middle of the battlefield, but if Alicia also wanted me gone from her side, then it frightened me to death.

"My wife… she wanted what is best for you." Regaleon replied. "She said she will respect your decision, whatever it may be."

"Your majesty, then if you are ordering me to go back and take my rightful title as Duke Cunningham, then I would like to refuse." I was about to speak against the king and future emperor, but I do not fear anything. Even if he put me to death by not listening to his order, then I will take it gladly rather than be away from Alicia. "I am willing to give that title to my younger brother and I want to stay here as a knight under you and her majesty."

I stood up and knelt down on my knees and bowed my head low in front of the king. I would do everything just to stay here by Alicia's side, even as a mere knight.

"William, you do not need to kneel in front of me. Stand up." Regaleon walked towards me and I felt his hand on my shoulder. "What I just said was a suggestion and not an order. You do not need to beg me."

"Y-your majesty…" I looked at him and saw that he was being sincere.

"Now sit down and let us continue." Regaleon said.

I took a seat once more and looked at his majesty who was looking at me with seriousness.

"You have been a big help to me William, and I consider you as a good friend and a great rival. I may have won my wife's heart, but you have secured a small piece of it, something I cannot take away from you." Regaleon said. "I owe you much, for guarding Alicia in my place when we were apart, and I will forever be grateful for that. Tell me William, is your heart still the same?"

I know what Regaleon's question means, if I still love Alicia.

"It is the same as before, your majesty." I said with a sad smile. "Even though I know I will never get her love, my selfishness prevents me from leaving her side. If what you said is true your majesty, then the more I do not want to part from her majesty and hold on to the small piece I have in her heart." Regaleon sighed.

"I am a bit furious to tell you the truth. You have a great potential as a vassal under Richard, but you still selfishly want to stay as a knight." Regaleon replied. "I am also quite jealous because I cannot take that small piece away from you. Alicia does not want to hurt you because she has given you enough pain for not being able to return your feelings, therefore she cannot push you away as well. Hah, whatever would I do with you Sir William."

I can see that Regaleon is also struggling with knowing a man that loves his wife is by her side. And also, that his wife will not push that person away.

"Like I said William, I am in debt to you and I will not order you out of here because my wife would not like that as well." Regaleon sighed in defeat. "But I will give you another position rather than being my wife's personal knight. I will appoint you as the captain of the royal knights of the palace. You will not leave the palace but at least you will not be around my wife all the time." His words gave me great joy.

"Thank you, your majesty. Thank you very much." I bowed my head with gratitude in front of his majesty.

"You really are something, being happy with this position rather than inheriting a duke's title." Regaleon sighed in defeat. "I wish you all the best then, Sir William. And I hope that you find someone that can return your feelings, someone that can give you a family."

"Thank you for your concern your majesty, but I gave that up a long time ago." I replied. "My heart, I am afraid will never change." I can feel a sad smile on my face.

Regaleon had a pitying look towards me. It was something I do not want to see, knowing that he was the one that I lost the love of my life to.

"I will be going now, your majesty. If there is nothing else?" I asked with a solemn voice.

"That is all." Regaleon sighed. "Be ready because tomorrow I will also announce your promotion."

"I understand, your majesty." I bowed and walked to the door and outside the office.