CH 24.2

Isabella was busy reading books searching for new herbs she could include for the antidote when she suddenly heard the door open.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Archduke Kyar holding the application form she submitted to Luches in his hand.

“What’s this?” Archduke Kyar demanded, and Isabella looked up at him nervously.

He wasn’t about to stop her from participating in the competition, wouldn’t he?

“As you can see, it is an application form for the archery contest.”

“Do you think that I don’t know that? Why do you want to participate in such a competition? You don’t even have a dream of becoming a knight.”

“Because of the prize money. I am aware that Your Highness is the one hosting the competition. That is why the rewards are huge.” She replied honestly but that only made frown lines mar Duke Kyar’s forehead.

“Are you going to participate in this competition because of the money?”

“The amount is too huge for me just to give up.”

Of course, aristocrats like Duke Kyar might not care for this amount. But for an impoverished woman like her, the reward for the archery competition was quite a lot.

“So you’re going to participate in this competition?”

“Yes, I’m pretty good at archery.” She answered confidently, and he looked at her as if she had done mad.

“If you’re worried that it would affect my scientific research negatively, you don’t have to. I’ll make sure there’s no disruption.”

“Who the hell is worried about that? Have you ever thought of the possibility that you might get hurt?” He growled.

Archduke Kyar had a point, and it embarrassed Isabella so much.

From the furious look in his eyes, Isabella could tell that he was only worried for her well-being.

She gave him a nervous little smile as she stared into the dark depths of his gaze.

“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, but you don’t have to worry. It’s not swordsmanship but an archery competition. I won’t get hurt at all.”

“Are you that confident?”

Isabella nodded at his question.

“Aren’t you curious about my archery skills? If you are, please be there and come cheer for me.”

“Who is curious?” He asked harshly while his actions did the opposite.

Duke Kyar couldn’t take his eyes off the bow on her desk.

“You’re not going to participate in that archery competition, are you?”

“Hwall had no restrictions whatsoever, right?”

“What are you going to do with that toy bow? I’ll give you a new bow so that you can participate with it.”

Isabella quickly waved her hands in dismissal and replied,  “No, I’m more comfortable using that bow. It’s rather awkward for me to use a different bow, and I might be able to showcase my full potential.”’

“You’re going to attend the competition with that bow?” Duke Kyar asked repeatedly, and Isabella nodded without hesitation.

“Don’t worry and watch.”

“I’m not worried at all.”

Isabella winced at his sarcastic remark.

Still, she was a little touched.

Isabella had no idea that he was worried about her this much.

Although she found his protection too excessive, Duke Kyar could be a good man when he falls in love.

She felt a little jealous of Seria, the woman who Duke Kyar would love dearly in the future.

**

The day of Isabella’s long-awaited archery competition had finally come.

Kyle wasn’t lying when he said that the participants from other regions would be there in the archery competition.

There were a lot more participants gathered at Yeonmujang than she expected.

It was where the competition was held.

Archery competition will be in the morning, while swordsmanship will be in the afternoon.

She might find a lot of participants, but the number of spectators who came to see the yearly competition was quite large as well.

She wasn’t very nervous until the morning of the competition but seeing a large crowd weakened her knees.

After a long wait, it was Isabella’s turn.

The audience furrowed their brows when they saw her standing in front of the target while holding a slight bow.

“Did she participate in the contest with that toy bow?”

“That girl was so poor that he couldn’t purchase a new bow.”

“What is he going to do with that ridiculous bow?”

“It’s obvious that the arrow won’t fly to the target.”

“Why didn’t she participate in a beauty contest instead? I’m not kidding.”

She heard the mocking laughter in the crowd, but it didn’t bother her.

However, she was more worried about Duke Kyar’s reaction to their insults.

“Why is it so cold all of a sudden?”

“I know. Why do I feel so cold?”

The cold air they were talking about came from Duke Kyar.

Sweat trickled down Marc’s and Luches’s back as they attempted to calm down Duke Kyar’s anger.

Isabella exhaled a soft sigh and placed the arrow in her bow.

Holding her breath calmly, she pulled at her bowstring and released it.

The arrow left the bowstring with a ‘tick’ and hit the target.