Silvermoon City.
Crystal River.
Hundreds of tents, stables and carriages turned a vast grassland into a huge camp. In the camp, apart from the half-elven nobles and their followers, there were tens of thousands of civilians who came to watch the hunting party.
Aristocrats in fine costumes, soldiers in shining mail, horses in gold and silver, jubilant crowds, children running about, bards in strange costumes, jugglers performing hard, rude mercenaries, loud voices The shouting hawkers and countless flags fluttering in the wind form a vivid and wonderful picture scroll.
The annual hunting festival is a large-scale festival unique to the half-elf clan, and it is also a rare entertainment celebration.
Of course, a high-level knight like Colin would definitely not participate in the hunt. After all, no matter how ferocious the beast was in front of him, it was not a qualified prey.
The main participants in the hunting club are still low-level professionals and apprentices.
After the hunting meeting, there will be a tournament.
In fact, the hunting meeting is just an appetizer, and the tournament is the main meal.
In the martial arts competition, there will be truly high-level professionals participating. They will show their strength and courage in front of the queen and win their own honor.
Every year, the winners of the tournament will be rewarded by the half-elf queen herself—swords, armor, horses, and even titles.
Before this year's martial arts competition, rumors spread that the rewards for this martial arts competition will be unprecedentedly rich, and there will even be a large number of title rewards.
The half-elves are convinced of this, because in the previous rebellion, the half-elf aristocratic circle suffered a major purge, and a large number of titles and official positions were vacant and needed to be filled.
Therefore, it is very likely that Queen Aisha will take advantage of the opportunity of this martial arts tournament to select new blood and cultivate upstarts who are loyal to her.
With such anticipation, this year's hunting fair has become unprecedentedly grand.
Almost all the half-elf nobles, even families that have been deprived of their titles, such as the Rutte family in Clover City, also sent their knights to Silvermoon City, hoping that some of them could stand out and be appreciated by the queen, and revive them. Family glory.
When Colin and Queen Aisha came to the viewing platform, there was already a sea of people around the venue, and the chief of ceremonies chanted the names of Queen Aisha and Count Angelet loudly in a strange tone, announcing their arrival.
Queen Aisha graciously held Colin's arm, followed by the half-elf maid Cathy who embraced Sylph, and boarded the seat of the audience together.
The half-elf nobles along the way stood up to greet Queen Aisha and Count Angelet. Aisha and Colin nodded in response with impeccable and elegant smiles on their faces.
Even in such public occasions, Queen Elsa actually behaved like a gentle and beautiful wife, accompanying her husband.
Perhaps it was because everyone knew about his relationship with Colin, so there was no need to deliberately conceal it. Moreover, in the current half-elf kingdom, no one dared to challenge Aisha's authority.
What's more, with the purity of Sylph's Phoenix bloodline, even if she is an illegitimate daughter, no one would say that she is not qualified to be the crown prince of a half-elf.
woo—
Amidst the sound of the trombone, the team returning from hunting gradually appeared at the edge of the forest not far away, galloping towards the viewing stand.
"Teacher! Teacher! Brother really hunted a brown bear!"
Before reaching the stage, Colin heard the voice of Princess Judy yelling, even the sound of rumbling horseshoes could not cover it up.
"That's right!" Ke Lin stood up and greeted the returning hunting team with a smile.
Prince Harrison took the lead and rushed to the forefront of the team as a matter of course. When he was approaching the viewing platform, he skillfully reined in the horse, slowed down, jumped off the horse, and rushed forward a few steps according to the inertia. Just stopped in front of the stage, bowed and saluted:
"Yes, teacher! Please allow me to dedicate this honor to you!"
It stands to reason that today's prey should be dedicated to Queen Aisha, but after all, Prince Harrison has a special status and is not a vassal of the half-elf queen. No one dares to say that he is rude.
Ke Lin glanced at the huge brown bear carcass pulled over by the flatbed truck, and was really surprised.
Considering that my predecessor, at Harrison's age, didn't seem to have the strength to hunt and kill an adult brown bear independently, it seems that my student's talent is really good.
"Very good!" Colin nodded with a smile and praised.
Prince Harrison raised his head with a smug smile on his face.
Princess Judy also came to the stage on a pony at this time, shouting: "Teacher, what about our reward?"
Colin frowned and asked, "What reward do you want?"
Before Prince Harrison could speak, Princess Judy shouted, "I want Bella!"
As he spoke, he raised the rein in his hand, indicating that "Bella" was the pony she was riding just now.
The little pony pawed the ground impatiently, obviously not completely subdued by Princess Judy.
This horse is the property of the half-elf royal family, but it is just a horse. Colin didn't even need to ask Aisha, so he nodded with a smile and said:
"Of course, it's its honor. However, you have to ask your servant to feed it carefully. This Miss Bella seems to have a bad temper."
"I'll feed Bella myself!" Princess Judy put her arms around the pony's neck, and her snow-white hands scratched the pony's neck affectionately, as if it had been tickled, and the pony purred comfortably.
Princess Judy suddenly giggled.
Colin also laughed seeing her naive appearance, then turned to look at Prince Harrison, and asked, "Harrison, what reward do you want?"
Prince Harrison hesitated for a moment, glanced at the viewing platform, and then immediately retracted, saying: "Teacher, your approval is the best reward for me."
Colin didn't need to turn his head to know that it must be his half-elf maid, Cathy, who Prince Harrison was sneaking at just now.
But fortunately, he still had a sense of propriety, and he didn't dare to ask Colin for Cathy on such an occasion.
Afterwards, Colin returned to his seat and asked the rest of the half-elven nobles to present their prey to Queen Aisha.
After the gift was finished, the long trumpet sounded again through the viewing platform.
Two knights on tall horses walked slowly onto the arena, and the much-anticipated martial arts tournament officially kicked off.
At the same time, an attendant quickly came to Colin and reported:
"Your Majesty the Queen, Your Excellency the Earl, the envoy from the Eastern Realm is here to see you."
Ke Lin smiled faintly, and said: "It's just in time, please invite him to enjoy this martial arts tournament together."
"yes!"
Not long after, Lord Fei Yin came to the viewing stand led by his attendants.
"My lord, Your Majesty the Queen!"
Lord Feiyin saluted his master respectfully.
Ke Lin looked away from the martial arts arena, and said with a smile: "Judge Fei Yin, you've worked hard all the way, why don't you watch the martial arts competition first."
"Okay." Lord Fei Yin nodded in response, but he did not take his seat, but continued, "Your Majesty, our Eastern Realm has also prepared a big gift for the winner of this tournament."
Queen Aisha was taken aback for a moment, then she squinted her eyes and looked at the young Viscount of the Eastern Realm, and said lightly:
"Lord Feiyin, you have a heart, but the subjects of the half-elf don't need rewards from the East."
It stands to reason that the host has already categorically refused, and the guest should also retreat in spite of the difficulty.
But Jue Fei Yin clapped his hands, and asked the subordinates behind him to hold out a knight sword, saying:
"Your Majesty don't need to worry too much, this is just a little care in the east."
Colin didn't pay attention at first, but when he saw the knight sword, he clenched his fists instantly.
Because, he recognized the knight sword—
It is the sword of Marquis Garcia!
(end of this chapter)