Holly took Felix's hand. "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said.
They left the castle together. Several knights that Cass ordered followed quietly behind.
Holly had made up her mind. If she wants to live, she must help Felix carry out a plan to seize the kingdom. They had to do it quickly before the humans decided to come and torture them.
[I have to stay alive.] Holly clenched her fists the whole way. Even though she couldn't die, she wanted to live properly. Like a human or a wolf, she didn't care.
As Holly knew, the Dark Forest was no longer dark. The path that Holly and Felix walked was full of green grass and beautiful flowers, accompanied by the sound of birds chirping. This forest was very bright and warm. If humans find out, they will no longer hesitate to enter the forest.
"Why did you only choose me? Can't we go with Cass?" asked Holly when they were almost there.
"I can't stand her nagging during the trip."
"You must be very close with her, Your Majesty," Holly said quietly. There was a slight flutter in her heart.
Holly had already guessed that Felix and Cass's closeness was unusual. Cass was the only one who could act recklessly in front of Felix. Even Gilbert still kept his attitude in front of his brother.
"Yes. Of course. We have known since childhood because her father is a government official."
"Ah, I see." There was disappointment in Holly's tone. But she also did not understand why she should be disappointed.
"She saved me several times when her father almost killed me."
Holly stopped in her tracks. She looked at Felix in disbelief. "Her father wants to kill you?"
Felix chuckled at Holly's expression. "You've met him before. An old man with a scar on his face. He came on the day of your coronation."
Of course, Holly remembered. It was the one who dared to challenge Felix the most. So Holly's guess was correct. The man was indeed dangerous. But he is Cass's father?
"Their relationship is not good. Her father wanted to kill me while Cass actually saved me. I guess this curse is helping me stay alive a little bit."
Holly didn't understand how Felix could discuss his attempted murder so casually. Felix noticed Holly's surprised look at him. He gave Holly a wide smile to reassure her.
"Most of the Kings end up being killed. That's a very common thing. My family rarely gets past the age of fifty. I think I broke the record by six hundred years." He chuckled.
Not funny to Holly. What if, after this curse was broken, they would kill him? Holly suddenly hesitated as to whether she should break the curse.
Finally, they arrived at the village border. No one was there because this place was on the outskirts of the village and avoided by many people. The village and the Dark Forest boundary were only separated by a few useless short wooden fences.
Holly and Felix jumped over the fence with ease. A breezy wind greeted their arrival. From far away, the sound of children laughing could be heard.
Holly was silent for a moment. She had to muster up the courage to take a step.
Felix reached out his hand to her. "I'm here," he said.
Right. Things have changed. She was no longer Holly, the traitor's child. She is Holly, the werewolf Queen.
Bravely, Holly grabbed Felix's hand. They started down the path to the centre of the village. No one paid attention to them because this village was always busy. The market was not far from here, making many traders and buyers go back and forth around them.
Felix was busy observing around as they walked through the market. Happiness and anger became one in his heart.
"Six hundred years have passed, and not much has changed. Such a shame," Felix muttered.
Holly agrees with that. The King rarely made developments and changes in the kingdom. This area and the entire kingdom have never had any significant changes.
"Did this area belong to Reloux?"
Holly nodded. "The central belonged to my family."
Holly glanced at Felix, he seemed to have understood. Holly smiled proudly. As expected from the real King. For foreigners, it might be difficult to understand the Grisia region because this kingdom was not divided like a kingdom in general.
Other kingdoms have the central area as the capital, where the King's palace was located. Grisia was a little different. The capital was in the northern region, which was very close to the Central Area.
"You know why the Palace isn't in the central area of the kingdom?" Felix asked as if he knew what was in Holly's mind.
"Because there is a Dark Forest in the middle of the kingdom. The King was afraid of a beast that could appear at any moment and destroy the capital's defences. Besides that, no other officials want to take the middle area, so they gave it to my family," answered Holly clearly.
Felix laughed. "Is that what they taught you?"
Holly nodded innocently. That's what she learned from her teacher since childhood. The Dark Forest and Dark Hill were located right in the middle of the kingdom and made the Central Area, where his father ruled, a fertile but also dangerous territory. One of the reasons why the King built a palace on the outskirts of the kingdom.
"Then all of your histories are bullshit. The palace was there even before rumours about beasts existed."
Holly stopped when she heard Felix's answer. She didn't even think about it.
"The castle we live in belongs to my mother, the Luna. You remember the lake where Luna worshipped, right? That place was deliberately located in the middle of the kingdom as the centre where a Luna is worshipped."
Holly was flabbergasted. She didn't expect this shocking fact.
"If you are in the highest tower of the palace, you will immediately be able to see our castle. That's why the palace was purposely built in the north, so the King could see the castle while Luna was there, far away from the King to do her job," Felix continued.
Holly was at a loss for words. What she had heard all along turned out to be a lie.
"I didn't know there was a romantic story behind it."
Felix chuckled softly. "Though that doesn't apply to my father."
But Holly still didn't accept it because humans have turned this beautiful history into a ridiculous excuse for being afraid of beasts for hundreds of years. Meanwhile, the beast that Holly knew wasn't as scary as what people said.
"Is that place always been dark even before you sleep?" asked Holly, pointing to Dark Hill as they stood.
"No. I only heard about it after I woke up. It might have something to do with my curse, but I'm not sure either. I didn't see what was happening while I was sleeping."
There was sadness in Felix's eyes. Deep in his heart, Holly was sure Felix still blamed himself for everything that happened. Holly knew all too well about that guilty look. Because she felt it too.
A regret that Holly would never forget. Regret that Arthur might have died because of her.