"Sir, I object. I think she cheated. She does not have that strength, but she actually holds a bow with ease. I think there is something wrong with the bow," a big man speaks in the middle of the crowd. He was just like the guy who Amishta fought yesterday, but at the same time it doesn't look like him.
The captain looked at Amishta and signed to speak, but Marco didn't agree and spoke on behalf of Amishta.
"Do you think just because you're an early recruit will give you the right to bully Amishta? She obviously wins in just a snap, which I know that you can't even do."
"Why do you always help her? Do you like her?" Marco was about to speak, but Amishta held his hand and stopped him. He was annoyed and just glared at the man. The man seemed to be angry and was about to fight with him, but a man who had the same features as him stopped him.
"Amishta, I am very sorry. I was the man you fought yesterday, and I have no qualms with it, but my brother can't just accept it." Amishta smiled.
"Since that is the case and Amishta has shown her skills vividly, then it should be carried out that she---"
"Captain! I am sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to say that my bow is really light when it comes to the bows that my comrade used." Some soldiers then looked at her as if they were cheated. The captain obviously knew, but he just wanted to see how Amishta would handle everything.
"See! She cheated!" the tall man shouted.
"No, I didn't. Since you insisted that I cheated, how about we exchange bows and compete? Though I am not good at swordsmanship, I at least have confidence when it comes to archery." Amishta looked at the man and the captain as if trying to see their reaction and agreement. The captain nodded.
"Amishta, are you sure about this? I mean, I trust you"—Marco.
"You shall see," Amishta whispered.
"Sure. Then it shouldn't be more exciting if there is a prize. If I win, you quit your delusion of entering the army and immediately leave." The soldiers gasp, but then they somehow agree.
"I promise. If I win, you shall call me master." The soldiers were thrilled and praised Amishta for her wit.
"Since you have an agreement, then let's begin the competition. Same rules. Five targets, and whoever shoots all correctly wins, but if both of you shoot arrows in the target, then the winner will be based on speed."
Amishta and the soldier agreed. They went to the center of the training ground and concentrated on the target. As the captain gives the sign to start, they immediately shoot their target.
Amishta was quite slow since the bow is heavy for her. But even if she slowed down, it doesn't mean her competitor is fast. Amishta was just a second slower than him.
At the end, the man shoots his last arrow first before Amishta. Soldiers were still amazed with her, but they were worried about the result.
"Packed up already," the man stated, but Amishta smirked.
"You're sure. Look first at the result." The vice captain walked towards them and congratulated Amishta. Soldiers were bewildered, but they were happy.
"Young man, you are not bad yourself, but compared to Amishta, you are just a beginner. Her moves are very accurate, while yours are not bad." The vice captain already saw that Amishta had a future. Archery is not a day's practice, but it takes time, and he even took years to have his skills, so he was impressed.
The archery play was soon finished. The winners and losers are already determined. Amishta felt tired, so she just wanted to rest, but she was stopped by the man she competed with.
"M… master." The man clenched his fist. It is obvious that he was a man of his word, even if this will bring him shame. Amishta acknowledged it.
"Amishta, my name is Edward, and he is my twin, Edgar. I can say that you're already my goddess. How about that?" Edward stated, completely disregarding his older brother. Amishta laughed.
"Since I am your goddess, then you shall be at my service." Amishta pretended to be cold. Edward was rather happy about it.
"Sure." Amishta laughed even louder. Edgar was mesmerized by Amishta's laugh, so he just tilted his head to cover it. Edward noticed his brother's weird reaction and thus smirked.
"Goddess, since my brother is my twin and he just called you master, then he can also be at your service," Edward stated with hidden words behind it. Amishta just laughed at him and didn't take it seriously. She stared at the tall, shy man beside Edward and smiled.
"Amishta, you seem to have bewitched both of them." Marco suddenly appeared and whispered to Amishta. She pursed her lips and glared at him.
"Since you pledged service with my sister, then from now on let's be friends. Let us protect my sister from today onwards up to the future." Marco declared that was agreed by the twin. Amishta just shrugged and walked away from them. She is tired, and she needs to rest.
…
"Father, Duke William was not in the Shadow Kingdom. I even tried to delay my stay there to find him, but I didn't have a glimpse of him. I think he was just in our kingdom," Prince Jiro reported. He was just back from Shadow Kingdom as an envoy.
"Then find him here. Locate everywhere." The King ordered, and Prince Jiro agreed. He was dismissed early and bumped into Prince Axel. They greeted each other and talked about their missions.
"Amishta was not in the palace," Axel stated when he saw a wrapped present that was hidden by Jiro.
"Then, I'll just wait for her in her residence. I bought something for her, and I think she will like it a lot."
"She went to Jinya. She presented herself as a disciple of our Grandfather---"
"Wait. What? You didn't even---"
"Listen first. She wants to fight alongside us on the battlefield. She was rather desperate."
"But---"
"Father agreed and warned us not to get in contact with her so as not to disrupt her growth. Father also stated that we will use this chance to clean the palace and officials to safely bring Amishta back into the palace." Jiro gritted his teeth.
"Don't go. I already sent someone to protect her. We just need to trust her."
"I… Fine, but I won't promise that I won't see her." Axel nodded as he convinced his brother just fine.
"I heard that you were nearly forced to get married in the Shadow Kingdom."
"Yes, but I won't marry someone who I don't know and like. In the end, I think that I created a mess for myself before I left."
"It is just fine. They won't dare do something to you. But don't you think you need to consider getting married? Father might not be pressuring you, but the court officials are already lining up their daughter for you."
"I will think about it."
"We don't need to be pressured. Our father promised us three that we will marry someone not because of politics but because of love."
"Alright. Then, how about you? Did you find her?" Axel's face becomes sad. He has been looking for a girl whom he liked a lot. Though he was not really sure about his feelings, he knew that she had a special attachment to his heart.
"Not yet, but I'll find her." Jiro nodded.
"Yes, you can find her." They suddenly become silent and ask the servant to serve them wine. It has been a long time since they drank together.
"Axel, I think there will be big changes in the Shadow Kingdom within this coming year."
"Why? Do you notice something unusual?"
"I met the mysterious Fourth Prince, and I must say that his aura was very hidden, but I was very sure that he is one of them." Axel's eyes widened, and he looked at Jiro.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Didn't they all die? And I already met the Fourth Prince before, but I didn't notice anything wrong, but I probably admit that he is the perfect candidate to be the next king because of his attitude."
"I don't know, but I really felt that aura, and his is not that simple but more than that of a regular, so he may be someone who worked for the master or the master himself."
"If that will turn out to be true, then the First Prince and the Third Prince will be lost in the fight for the throne. But it should be good news for us because at least he will not be waging war against us since he might be the only sensible prince in that kingdom."
"But I am very curious as to why I felt that he didn't desire the crown. He was just very loyal to the king, and he seemed very trusted by the king. Isn't that not normal?"
"Hhhm… That seems interesting. It is not good for us to interfere, but we just might as well investigate to be ready. Since he has that aura, then he is rather powerful. We need to train again. Did you report this to Father?"
"No. I want to be sure first before I report to Father."
"That will not do. Let's just report it to Father tomorrow."