Isabella cried when Duke Kyar glanced at her.
It’s been a year and a half since their eyes met, and she was so glad that she teared up.
She just couldn’t stop the tears streaming down her cheeks the instant she saw him.
It was something that she couldn’t control.
The Archduke’s brows furrowed as he stared at her.
Isabella avoided his gaze and quickly lowered her head, acting as if she had witnessed something unpleasant.
She was doomed.
Setting his first impression aside, his second impression of her might be a mistake that the Archduke would clearly remember.
Isabella sighed inwardly as she wiped away her tears.
She just hoped he didn’t remember their first meeting a year and a half ago.
The Archduke might have labeled her a crazy woman who cries every time she sees him.
With her head still lowered, Isabella saw a handkerchief in her vision.
She glanced up again and saw the light blue-haired man she had encountered at the market before.
Isabella gasped in surprise.
“Why are you crying? Are you scared that you wouldn’t win?” The man asked with a grin.
Isabella kept her mouth shut, wondering why this man was so friendly to her.
“I’m all right.”
Isabella rejected his handkerchief, went to the waiting room, and sat down.
The man followed Isabella and took the next seat.
“I had no idea you were a participant in the archery competition. By the way, I’m Evan.”
The man introduced himself and reached out a hand for her to shake.
He was being a gentleman so far, but she didn’t want to let her guard down.
“I’m Isabella.” She replied and ignored his outstretched hand.
He murmured her name, and his dark blue eyes turned into crescents every time he smiled.
“Isabella. That’s a pretty name.”
She remembered the Archduke telling her that her name was annoying but pretty in the past.
A smile had spread across Isabella’s face from the recollection.
“Huh? Did you just smile at me? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile.”
Evan’s loud voice drew attention to both of them, and one of those people was Duke Kyar.
Duke Kyar’s gaze was so intense that she swore he could see right through her.
When she saw frown lines mar Duke Kyar’s forehead, Isabella pursed her lips and turned away from Evan.
Please.
She didn’t want this noisy man to talk to her anymore.
Yet, despite her silent wishes, Evan droned on and on and on about her small bow and whether or not she would use it.
He told her that he was prepared to lend her an extra one.
Isabella kept her mouth shut throughout the one-person conversation.
Was this part of his strategy, too?
Maybe, his goal was to drain his opponent’s energy before the game started.
Isabella glared at Evan’s back while he stood in front of the target.
‘Let’s see how good your archery skills are.’ Isabella thought as she pouted her lips.
Isabella’s eyes grew instantly when Evan’s arrow hit the bullseye.
He looked calm and relaxed as if nothing fazed him.
Evan’s face felt so familiar to Isabella.
It turned out that he was good at archery.
Isabella remembered the day Duke Kyar gave the people of Rubella Castle a sudden vacation.
She swore she had seen Evan’s face when he once bought medicine for motion sickness.
“I won the archery competition and became a black knight.” He told her.
“Really? You’re my senior.”
Evan had smiled shyly after that.
At the same time, Isabella’s mind was filled with storms.
What if she failed the archery competition?
**
Isabella exhaled a deep sigh when Evan stood next to her.
The man grinned widely as he wore a laurel crown on his head.
Isabella finished second with 98 points, and Evan won the championship with a total of 100.
Isabella looked sullen as she recalled ten of Evan’s arrows hitting the bullseye without a miss.
Yes.
He was that great.
None of the audience could deny his archery skills.
Isabella was green with envy when she saw Evan receive the prize money from Duke Kyar.
Luches didn’t even catch Isabella’s eye when he delivered the prize money to Evan.
Isabella would have been happy to win the first prize and earn 500 gold coins, but money wasn’t her goal.
Isabella’s disappointment was immeasurable, and her day was utterly ruined.
“You’re an excellent archer.” Duke Kyar praised him.
“I dreamed of joining the Black Knights for a long time, Your Highness,” Evan said with determination.
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”
Duke Kyar patted Evan’s shoulder before moving away from the podium.
Isabella scowled at him.
“You’re pretty good, too. Isabella. It’s a waste that you didn’t win. Next year, do you want me to help you in the archery competition?” Evan asked as he smiled at Isabella.
“I’m all right.”
She was the winner of the archery competition the next year anyway.
Her biggest mistake was that she had no idea that such a great talent would appear in this year’s competition.
Now, she had to wait another year to be with the Archduke.
