I finally closed my eyes when Josephine was hurt so much. I sat on the ground as I was dead tired. I took some deep breaths as the knights circled her and took her with them. Thest wound was severe, I knew. But if I did not have done that, I would not have won.


    Though I was still only second. Now I wonder if I would have lost this match. Would I have still been second? Then what was the sense of doing so much hard work!?


    Shocked people finally came back to their senses and an uproar sounded again.


    "You did a good job, now you are officially my knight" said William as he walked towards me. I stood up with some difficulty and bowed my head, epting the honor he was providing me with.


    But before I could thank him I heard the voice that I could not forget even in my nightmares. The voice that had kept me awake for years and had forced me to return back in time.


    "I apologise but the second winner of the knightpetition belongs to me. I mean the winner is the one who served the royal family and the first runner up always served the archduke family, and the second runner up served the duke''s family. That is how it goes, right?" asked Gerard tilting his head. His eyes were cold and devoid of emotions.


    I stood and looked at him. I had thought that I would be able to handle him but When I encountered his cold eyes, I felt a cold sweat breaking out on my back. On the one hand, my body felt hot.


    On the other hand, I suddenly remembered thest few moments of my life. His expressionless face when he killed my family, his cruelughing after he told me how he had never loved me but I was just a pawn in his game, and his smirking bloody lips.


    Did the wind blow over me? I felt cold on my body. I trembled because I felt the same feeling as when I was stabbed by his sword in my past life. My eyes began to burn ck. The eyes of the man who I just encountered in my darkened view came to mind. His eyes that I had met for thest time were ovepping with the young man standing in front of me.


    Right at that moment my blood was frozen. The cold energy that began to spread from my heart ran all over and bound me tightly.


    After keeping silent for a while, he spoke, "Green eyes. I wonder if you are the daughter of the Essendsons family."


    "… "


    I knew I had to show him due manners, but I couldn''t do anything. I had to reply, but my frozen lips refused to move. All I wanted was to use my sword and kill him then and there. My hands on the hilt of the sword tightened yet they started trembling from the anger I felt towards him.


    William was looking at me with intrigue as my actions were out of my control and so was the man who was getting impatient and angry every passing second.


    When I was just blinking my eyes without opening my mouth, he said, "Even though you are the daughter of the duke''s family, you are very arrogant. I think you know who I am, then where is your manners?"


    "… "


    He shouted as if he was dumbfounded by my silence. My face turned red. Now that the hot energy that flowed through my heart disappeared, I was shivering in anger and hatred that my past would be repeated right now. I could not force myself to give the man some respect, who had taken my virginity and then killed my family and me.


    "You don''t want to answer my question?"


    "… "


    "Oh my goodness, how arrogant you are! I hear every political faction is supporting your family. It looks like you are holding your head high because of them."


    My heart was leaping at his annoying voice. All he could think was politics, I moved my sword but William held my hand right then.


    I looked at him with the same anger and tried to open my trembling lips but couldn''t.


    "You beat me. Enough. I think it''s useless to talk to you more. " he said as he looked back at William who was still holding my hand and looking at me.


    "So, ording to the rules, she is my knight from today." he repeated as i closed my eyes to try to control my emotions, only then would i be able to deny him.


    Or should i ept his offer and kill him by myself when the first chance i would get. Why go the long way when I could finish our story just by killing him with the first chance I got.


    "That could not be possible, Abigail would serve me as the knight and she would not only be just any night but my head knight on duty who would also go to the academy with me." he announced in a tone that said it was final and there was no ce for argument. It was the first time I was seeing him using this no nonsense tone as his attitude was generally veryzy andid back.


    "Why, don''t tell me that you are interested in her? At least leave knights on duty. You have many girls to have your entertainment. So what was special about this girl is that you are even ready to break the rules for her '''' he said as his eyes looked back at me but this time i was standing confidently as i had taken control over my emotions.


    I wanted to tell him that I had no problem serving him when William spoke once again, "I am not breaking any rule, lord Gerard. I am just stating facts. The winner of thepetition serves the crown prince. But this year thepetition is won by my own silly sister."