The morning events went quite smoothly. The only interruption came before the riders set off, when Duke Seriqi's second son, Mr. Enhor Seriqi, who looked even younger than the Outlander, sought Shade out alone:
"Hamilton of Leijed, I'll use this competition to prove that I'm more suitable for Her Royal Highness the Princess than you are!"
After saying that, the young man fastened his helmet and left.
"Who was that?"
Shade asked the Blonde Young Lady beside him in surprise. Of course, the soul in that body was Leisha's. The Princess had wanted to bless Shade before his departure.
"An infatuated suitor. I have plenty of suitors in the city too."
Leisha said, then rose onto her tiptoes and kissed Shade on the cheek.
"But they're all foolish boys. No one compares to you in my heart."
Shade nodded in agreement, then turned to look at young Mr. Seriqi's retreating figure. He was not so petty as to want someone dead over something like this. He merely thought that, no matter what, he had to win.
The horn sounded, and the riders mounted up and set off from Edward III Arena. The Bards holding telescopes continuously reported information about the leading riders to the ever-enthusiastic audience through enormous sound-amplifying devices powered by Steam Power.
Although the audience could not see the contestants racing along the country roads, the atmosphere at the venue was even livelier than during yesterday's archery competition.
As for Shade, over the winter he had completely mastered riding skills that the Outlander could never have imagined in his original world. Compared to Creekside Woods in Randall River Valley, where there were practically no roads at all, riding through Tobesk's countryside was simply too easy. From the moment he set off, he remained near the front, and the