Pampered by the Villainous Tyrant King

Chapter 38

"Come on, don't gawk at them." The queen chided.

Percy smiled and lace his own hand with hers. He led Annabeth to their own designated tent, decorated with the colors of Eldoris.

The hunting horn soon rang out, signifying the start of the archery competition. A shadow guard secretly dressed as a knight bent and whispered into Percy's ears. Percy nodded.

"Just go on as we planned."

"Understood, Your Majesty." The knight bowed and exited the tent.

The queen raised an eyebrow questioningly. Percy patted her hand.

"Just a report about the competition. Some people were complaining that they were not allowed to use their own arrows."

The queen furrowed her brows. "Why would that be a complaint?"

"Some competitors will naturally have better arrows than others, especially those who are nobles. The commoners would never have had the advantage, otherwise. That is a result of privilege, money and status. But to test whether they are truly skilled in archery, then winning must not be based on the instrument but on technique and talent." Percy explained.

"Ah, I see."

Percy picked up the teapot and personally poured the queen a cup of her favorite jasmine milk tea. He cast some of his magic and formed some ice cubes in the drink before passing it to the queen. It was good to have some fare to eat to watch the good play he had prepared.

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Artemis coolly tightened the strings of her bow, not caring that some of the other competitors were laughing at her.

"Well, well, well, who is this?"

A young man approached. Artemis recalled that this was the third son of some count's family in Kiran. Count Lecht or something like that? He had been coddled by his family as the youngest, and as a result had gained a twisted and arrogant personality.

"I wondered where you've been hiding all these years? I've never seen such a beautiful lady before." The young man leered, looking up and down Artemis' body.

Quick as a flash, Artemis raised her bow and loosened an arrow. The count's son shrieked, drawing the attention of others.

"There was a wasp by your ear." Artemis merely said.

Behind the count's son was a wasp, pinned dead to a maple tree by Artemis's arrow.

"Countess Artemis."

A voice called. It was Frank Zhang. Artemis recalled that this scraggly young man from the country of Lijian had now transformed into someone with a physique of a grizzly bear but the heart of a teddy bear. He had grown up well. For Lord Zhang to be here at the Festival, did that mean that Eldoris had allied with Lijian?

Still on the ground, the young man paused. The lady he had just hit on was a countess. Technically, she was of a higher rank than he was, a count's mere third son who had yet to inherit any title. But why couldn't he recognize who this lady was? Or else he would have never dared to flirt with her.

"Lord Zhang," Artemis greeted.

The physician glanced at Count Lecht's third son, who was blubbering on the ground. The young man looked to the physician for help. Zhang looked away.

"I do believe that we are not supposed to bring our own arrows to the competition," Zhang said, ignoring the man who had collapsed on the ground.

"Ah. I forgot." Artemis tossed her arrows to one of her attendants.