Maria wasn’t just going for a casual stroll. After leaving the castle, she headed straight for the forest.

Instead of riding sidesaddle, she rode astride, which allowed the white horse to run faster. Cloaked entirely in her black mantle, Maria’s face was hidden, making her appear like a gust of wind as she rushed into the woods. Even if someone saw her on the way, they likely wouldn’t recognize her as a woman. Since it wasn’t customary for women of this era to ride astride, anyone who saw a rider would first assume it was a man.

Once inside the forest, Maria followed the system’s guidance to avoid the wild...