Knight: Becoming King of the World

The participating Knights and Attendants stood at the firing line, gripping their meticulously crafted bows and arrows, their eyes fixed firmly on the distant bullseyes.

After the referee announced the rules, the archers stepped forward one by one. They drew their bows and nocked their arrows, their movements fluid and precise.

Arrows whistled through the air, striking the bullseyes with precision and drawing waves of applause and cheers from the crowd. Each successful shot was a test of the archer’s strength, skill, and stability.

In addition to shooting at stationary targets, there was an even more exciting event: moving targets.

Soldiers tied round hay bales to ropes and forcefully flung them into the sky. The bales traced a wide arc as they flew through the air.

The participating Knights and Attendants had to shoot the bales before they hit the ground, using arrows with cloth-wrapped, blunted tips.

This tested not only the archers’ accuracy, but also their sense of timing.

The spectators held their breath in anticipation. Whenever an arrow struck a bale, the crowd would erupt in fervent cheers.

The children were especially excited, jumping to their feet. Their eyes followed every soaring bale, as if they themselves were the heroic archers.

The Knights and Attendants held nothing back, showcasing their precise marksmanship and their keen judgment of wind speed and arrow trajectory.

As expected, Bain was crowned the champion.

Henry feigned embarrassment, remarking that his Attendants were too eager for victory and didn’t understand the principle of "friendship first, competition second."

The other nobles, seeing the barely-suppressed grin on Henry’s face, didn’t quite believe him.

After the archery competition concluded, the crowd’s attention turned to the final and most spectacular event: the Riding Skill competition.

It was a test not only of a rider’s ability, but also of a horse’s training. The Knights would demonstrate their balance, agility, and precise control while on horseback.

Before the competition began, the riders entered the arena one by one. Their horses were groomed to a brilliant shine, and their tack was polished until it gleamed.

Under direction, the spectating Free People orderly dispersed and removed their seats to create more space for the racecourse and prevent any casualties.

As soldiers prepared the field, the townsfolk could see each rider dressed in their family’s colors, looking particularly dashing.

The Riding Skill competition included several events, such as obstacle courses, equestrian vaulting, and speed races.

Riders had to guide their horses over a series of obstacles, which included high fences, wide trenches, and double jumps that required precise timing.

As the competition began, the first rider took the field. He was a young Knight, and his mount was a beautiful chestnut horse.

At the rider’s command, the horse effortlessly cleared one obstacle after another, earning thunderous applause from the spectators for their magnificent performance.

A true union of horse and rider!

One after another, the other riders took their turns. Their performances varied; some horses hesitated before the obstacles, while other rider-and-horse pairs worked in perfect harmony, smoothly clearing the entire course.

The most striking competitor was a Knight under a certain Viscount. He was a true son of the steppes, a proper Tuerhute.

Ultimately, the man from the steppes won the championship by a narrow margin, with Selas following close behind to take second place.

After the competition, Henry went forward to congratulate the Knight who had won the Riding Skill competition. Then, he turned to Selas and told him not to feel bad.

"Is it really so shameful for someone from the western coast to lose a Riding Skill competition to a man who grew up on horseback? It’s not shameful at all—in fact, it’s something to be proud of."

At this, Selas’s tension immediately eased.

"Nobles! My people! Tonight, let’s get drunk on wine and sleep on piles of steak!"