Chapter 242 - The Bare Minimum

'I haven't even done anything yet so what is he so happy about?' Yvonne was perplexed at the sudden appreciation she was receiving from her grumpy and ever dissatisfied elder brother.

Shoving his thoughts aside, Howard concentrated on what needed to be done now.

"You have three chances to shoot your arrow at each target." He spoke and clapped his hands.

In the next instant, three maids came over while holding a tray in their hands.

Three tiny arrows were visible for everyone to see in each tray.

Howard had heard from his father that a customized bow and arrows set had been prepared for the little girl and hence decided to use those very arrows for the trial.

"The bullseye gives an instant win but that seems hard to perceive." He muttered which garnered him a glare from three people.

To his surprise, two of them were expected while the third one was someone whom he had not imagined to get such a vivid reaction from.

Yvonne's and Taylor's glares were predictable for him but the Captain who had also glared was a wildcard entry for him.

'Don't think too little of my student, she might just surprise you.' Captain Desmo harrumphed and chose to let Yvonne's skills do the talking for him.

The little girl was on the same page as her trainer and decided to make her elder brother drop his jaw in awe at her skill set.

"However, if you wish to pass this trial… You need to attain more than fifteen points obtained through those nine arrows." He concluded his narration of the instructions.

The men were all staring at him with amusement as what he had proposed was both good and bad at the same time.

Neither was he too lenient and serving the victory on a silver platter to his little sister nor was he too strict without giving her a chance to achieve her success through her own efforts.

'Vonna needs to score five points… No, a bare minimum of five points at each target if she wishes to succeed in the second trial.' Rutherford analyzed the conditions he had heard from his son.

Three targets with three arrows each gave Yvonne a total of nine chances to accumulate the minimum score, which was fifteen points.

'So fifteen is the minimum for me to obtain…' The girl lowered her head as she tried to think of what her plan would be.

Howard glanced at her and then looked up as he had not yet revealed the last part of his conditions for her to pass the second trial.

"Shall we?" He quizzed while scanning the rest of the people present with them.

Everyone nodded and their eyes fell on the girl who was also ready as she gave him a firm nod.

With this, Howard strode ahead and the rest followed him to the shooting line from where Yvonne would shoot her arrows at the targets.

According to his instructions, the archery field had been arranged and he was pleased with the results he scrutinized.

Once they had reached the shooting line, the servants in charge of the archery field knew what needed to be done next and they rushed forward.

Everyone watched in silence as the men carried the targets away from where they had been placed earlier.

While one of the targets remained in the same position, the other two were moved around.

"Three targets. At 15m, 30m, and 50m." He announced the final information about these targets.

Yvonne now had to make sure that she achieved more than fifteen points by shooting arrows at these targets which were stationed at different distances.

"Can you do it?" The elder brother inquired with a doubtful gaze appearing on his face.

'I have my doubts about the last one but these two…' She alternated her gaze between the two targets at the shorter distances.

"I can do it!" She declared in a firm tone to push away his skeptic thoughts, not letting them affect her.

Howard did not argue with her any further as he and everyone with them took a couple of steps away from the shooting line.

The little girl stood alone at the line drawn on the ground with white powder and stared at the targets before her.

Glancing to her right, she found the caretaker of the archery field holding her bow in his hands which he hurried to bring it over and entrust it to her.

The chubby little hands held the bow which was made specifically for her and then gripped it tight in her fists.

'You've practiced this many times so do not panic.' She gave herself a pep talk and looked to the left.

The first of the three maids stepped closer to her with the tray still in her hand.

The little girl picked up her first arrow after which the maid went back to her original position.

No one was close to the shooting line, giving her the perfect ambiance to concentrate and shoot her arrow at the first target.

Fifteen meters wasn't that big of a distance but when the archer was a mere child then the distance was considered as great.

There was absolute silence as the spectators dared not make a move so as to not hinder her in any way.

As much as Taylor wished to cheer for her until his throat was sore, he knew that the best way to encourage her right now was to remain silent.

While Rutherford and Raylene clung to each other and prayed for their child's success, the four young boys were also staring at her with various thoughts swirling in their minds.

However, each one of them had one common aspect to their thoughts.

'Will she be able to do it?' They all wondered about the same matter.

Captain Desmo was just like his student and was confident about her accuracy for the first and second targets but the third would be the source of worry for both of them.

'She has never practiced with a fifty-meter target.' He hoped that she would surpass the minimum requirement in the two targets itself.

This way, she would not have to even reach the third target which was a new realm for her.

Yvonne had the same thought in her mind as she raised her arms, acquiring the position of an archer, just like she had done numerous times during her training with the Captain.

'Raise your elbows!' Desmo scowled when he saw that she had once again assumed the same clumsy form.

The little girl rolled her eyes when she felt his heated gaze and lifted her elbows higher without having to be reminded by his nagging comments.

Topher and Damien were impressed and amused when they watched the little girl take up the stance of an archer.

Usually, there would be a time limit for each target but as Howard had not mentioned about this they were not worried about any time constraints.

Yvonne stood at the shooting line and was exactly 15m away from the first target.

Her eyes were fixed on the target as she aimed her bow and arrow in its direction.

'Slow and steady…' She chanted and took deep breaths as her entire concentration was on the target before her.

She had done this several times and this time should not be any different from her training sessions with the Captain.

Her left hand held the grip or the handle of her customized recurve bow as her right hand held the arrow which was pulling on the bowstring.

The spectators held their breaths as they waited for her to shoot her first arrow.

'Oh god, Asmodeus please help my young miss!' Mrs. Jacinth prayed as her heart thumped in anxiety for the little girl who had to face this difficult trial.

Everyone was wishing for her to succeed in this trial while there was only one woman present here who was least bothered with what was happening around her.

'Finish this already!' Paula groaned in her heart as she waited for the little statue with violet hair to make her move.

As though the gods had answered her prayer, the annoyed maid's eyes shifted towards the little girl and then to the arrow in her hand.

*Swoosh*

The sound of the arrow shooting through the air was the only sound heard in the silent field.