Exiled Villainess Becomes Ruler (Republished/Edited)

The Kooky Forest

The three Becketts, Julia, and Eve headed home together.

As they walked, Eve was deep in thought, wrestling with a persistent question: Should she enter the Kooky Forest or not?

After a moment of internal debate, she reached a decision.

"Alright, I'm going," she thought resolutely. "Even though it's dangerous, the Kooky Forest piques my interest too much, and Healer Marick desperately needs to be saved. I owe him that."

She could turn back now and tell Orion her decision, but first, she needed to get home to prepare.

"I've decided to enter the Kooky Forest," she told the Becketts and Julia.

The three Becketts looked at her in surprise, their faces reflecting a mix of admiration and concern.

Seeing her determined expression, the fear in the kids' eyes was replaced by motivation.

"I want to go too!" Kyle said without hesitation.

"Me too!" Mason chimed in.

"I also want to go!" Julia added.

"No, you kids are not coming!" Jeremiah said firmly.

The kids' confident expressions fell immediately.

"Father, why can't we? Eve has trained us for years, and we've gotten stronger!" Kyle argued passionately, taking the lead in their pleas.

"Yes, I've seen how strong you've all become, but you're still children! Children shouldn't be entering a dangerous forest where anything could attack or even kill you! Your mother and I are firmly against it," Jeremiah countered.

"Julia's parents also feel the same way," he added, causing Julia to gasp.

"Eve, we can handle the forest, can't we? We're ready for anything!" Kyle pleaded.

Eve shook her head.

"No, Kyle. I agree with Jeremiah. I don't think you're ready for this task. None of you are even teenagers yet. Plus, you're still unable to land a hit on me."

"But Eve—" Kyle began to argue.

"No, Kyle," Evelina cut him off.

"Why did you train us in the first place?" Kyle asked angrily.

At this point, everyone had stopped walking, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Eve and Kyle stared each other down.

"Kyle," Eve began calmly, "I trained you to build character and integrate the core values of martial arts into your lives so that you can grow up with a sound mind, moral integrity, and responsibility."

"Values? I remember you mentioned them before..." Kyle said, trying to recall.

"And what are they, Kyle?"

Kyle thought for a moment before responding, "Respect, confidence, patience, and self-discipline."

"Yes, that's right," Eve confirmed. "The training was never intended for you to undertake an extreme task like this."

"But why can you go?" Kyle asked.

"I've been wondering the same thing," Jeremiah interjected. "Julia is a child and shouldn't go, but Eve, you're an adult, yet..."

"Because I'm a woman?" Eve said flatly.

Jeremiah's silence confirmed what he was about to say.

Eve sighed inwardly. It's the medieval mindset; changing it will be difficult.