Chapter Nine, The New World Revealed by the Witch

In fact, without her reminder, the king's attendant had already raised his musket. After a volley of gunfire, the hunting dogs barked excitedly, weaving in and out among the reeds and rushes, continuously retrieving game for their master. They startled a group of vividly colored pheasants, which, in a state of panic, squawked and ran, yet ultimately fell victim to the hunting dogs. They were piled on Mary’s small horse, resembling a cluster of black, blue, and red tails of a vulture blooming on the horse's back.

Upon seeing the familiar gray-black wolf skin, Louis truly began to suspect whether this was a provocation. Did this Prince of Condé not know that he had recently suffered an attack from Serbian werewolves? Or was it the work of Duke Gaston of Orléans, seeking to incite discord between them and the Prince of Condé? However, regardless of which it was, the King, the Queen Mother, and Cardinal Mazarin would have no objections, as they relied on the Prince of Condé to suppress the mobs of Paris

Prince Kong settled in the Anglais Castle, yet it was evident that he was reluctant to undertake this arduous task. It is said that the mob in Paris had nearly 100,000 members, while he had only 200 cavalrymen from Flanders by his side

... ...

"Hurry!" Just when Louis thought she was merely being mischievous, she tugged at the king's shoulder strap and urged, "We have roast goose to eat tonight!"

Louis was somewhat surprised, as he had not heard any relevant information prior to this. He instructed some attendants to look after the prey and Marie, while he quickly returned with the others.

The scattered gray traces on the path are left by the black dog demon, not a werewolf. They are a type of monster that even wizards deeply despise. It is said that they come from hell, with eyes as red as embers, and the ground where their paws tread appears as if it has been scorched.

However, on the surface, he was still very cordial towards Louis. He bowed to the king, then affectionately took the latter's hands and kissed them, eagerly urging him to see the valuable gift he had brought.

A pelt of a Serbian werewolf

Prince Kong Dai inherited his father's title only two years ago. Prior to that, he held the title of Duke of Angélin and joined the military under this identity. At the age of twenty, he fought against the Spaniards in northern France. From 1644 to 1645, he engaged in battles against the commander Moses of the Holy Roman Empire. Recently, he also fought alongside Duke Gaston of Orléans in Flanders.

As they passed by the hazel tree, Mary took the opportunity to break off a branch, for it is said that if a witch can plant a living branch of a hazel tree at the moment of the full moon, and it grows taller than her shoulder, she may make a wish upon it

Louis immediately understood why Queen Mary of England, his cousin Henrietta, and his brother Philip were not present here. It was evident that they were not qualified to be informed about the matters of the inner world, or rather, England also had its own inner world, but this was not a good reason for foreigners to investigate its secrets

Upon reaching the marshland, a patch of reeds had been neatly severed at the roots, with broken branches and leaves floating on the water. Mary said it was because a water monster or a washerwoman had passed through here

It is now spring, not an ideal season for hunting, but their original intention was not to hunt. The king and his entourage leisurely rode their horses along a sun-drenched path at the edge of the forest, heading towards the Seine River. Marie rode on her small horse, while the king and the others rode on adult horses. After a while, the king noticed that the little witch seemed eager to speak, so he invited her to come closer to him, and after a while, he allowed her to ride with him.

When Mary saw the mint by the hoof, she crushed it in the palm of her hand, attracting a flock of wild geese that had filled themselves with newly sprouted reeds and small fish

Compared to the young king, Prince Condé, who is nearing his thirties, resembles a vibrant and capable ruler. However, given that the original Prince Condé, who was a cousin of Henry IV, was the first heir to the throne until the birth of Louis XIII in 1601, this assertion may lack foundation. Nonetheless, it is precisely this context that led Queen Mother Anne and Cardinal Richelieu to harbor suspicions towards him, and the Prince of Condé also exhibited a lack of loyalty and trust towards the king.

The forest in the eyes of a witch is entirely different from the forest in the eyes of a mortal. Mari pointed out to the king a cluster of mushrooms growing around the trees and quietly told him that this was the "dance circle" of the forest fairies, which mortals must not damage or step into. If anyone were to do so, the forest fairy would strike them, and they would inevitably meet a tragic end upon returning home. However, sometimes, if the visitor is young and handsome, the forest fairy would take them to dance until dawn arrives or death descends. The witches would gather these mushrooms, dry them, and grind them into powder, which can be used to treat fractures and confuse the mind. Mortals must not damage or step into this place; if anyone were to do so, the forest fairy would strike them, and they would inevitably meet a tragic end upon returning home. However, sometimes, if the visitor is young and handsome, the forest fairy would take them to dance until dawn arrives or death descends. The witches would gather these mushrooms, dry them, and grind them into powder, which can be used to treat fractures and confuse the mind.

The unexpected news greatly excited the people. Just as they were discussing whether to delve deeper in search of deer and wild boars, a panting attendant of a bishop rode up hastily. He brought a message from Cardinal Mazarin, urgently requesting the king to return to the Château d'Anlay immediately, as the long-awaited Prince of Condé had returned from Flanders to France and was now waiting by the side of the Queen Mother and the bishop for the king's arrival. He brought a message from Cardinal Mazarin, urgently requesting the king to return to the Château d'Anlay immediately, as the long-awaited Prince of Condé had returned from Flanders to France and was now waiting by the side of the Queen Mother and the bishop for the king's arrival

Finally, Queen Mother Anne managed to sell the last bit of jewelry (even removing the diamonds from the crown) to hire six hundred soldiers for Prince Condé's army, replace the firearms, and replenish the supplies, after which Prince Condé reluctantly agreed to go to Paris