Moonsen turned to him, eyebrows furrowed in silent question. He couldn't help but wonder what made Jade so sure of it.
But Jade didn't need to say more.
'Her Highness will surely make a wise decision.'
Princess Genie's gaze, deep and focused, moved toward the two women standing before her. The woman claiming to be Gwak's widow stood beside the magistrate with a relaxed smile, almost too calm in the face of such a serious matter. In contrast, the woman claiming to be the wife of Gwak's son appeared anxious, her hands fidgeting nervously by her side.
The tension between the two women, their conflicting emotions so palpable, only added to the gravity of the moment. Princess Genie knew the judgment she would soon have to deliver would be no easy task.
Ju Tak's lips curled into a faint smirk as he watched Princess Genie, noticing the subtle furrow of her brow, the hint of indecision in her eyes.
'She's struggling,' he thought with a sense of satisfaction. 'Victory will be mine, anyway.'
What Genie didn't know was that Ju Tak had already secured his victory before the competition had even started. Through Supreme Judge Hwan, Ju Tak had secretly met with the village magistrate. During their conversation, the magistrate had revealed which judgment would win the favor of the villagers: Gwak's widow was the favored choice. The villagers remembered how she had generously shared her crops during difficult times, earning their admiration and loyalty.
Confident in the outcome, Ju Tak glanced casually at the hourglass positioned in front of them. The sands were almost completely gone, and there was just one minute left.
Meanwhile, Princess Genie's mind raced. 'There must be something I've missed,' she thought, frustration mounting as the pressure of the competition weighed on her. Her thoughts were a swirl of possibilities, none of them feeling quite right.
And then, as if a light had been switched on in her mind, her eyes widened. 'Aha! That's it!'
The solution had come to her—like a bolt of lightning. Her earlier conversation with Jade during their journey to Canin Village resurfaced in her memory, and she realized the key to the judgment.
Her gaze darted through the crowd, searching for him.
'Where is he?'
And then, she found him. There he was, standing among the villagers, his eyes fixed on her with an expression of quiet confidence. Their eyes locked, and she could see the subtle, knowing smile on his face. It was a smile that told her everything.
Her heart swelled with gratitude and relief. She couldn't help but beam brightly at him, her earlier uncertainty now replaced with newfound clarity.
'Your Highness, have you realized it now?'
Jade seemed to ask with his eyes, his unwavering belief in her a silent encouragement.
Genie smiled back, her eyes sparkling with renewed confidence.
'Thank you, Jade. You helped me again.'
Her heart was filled with determination as she prepared to make her judgment. She knew now what needed to be done.
The magistrate stood in the center of the square, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd.
"Now, ten minutes have passed. We will decide the order of judgments with rock-paper-scissors. The winner may choose whether to judge first or second."
Princess Genie's fingers moved with practiced ease as she raised her hand, showing scissors. Ju Tak's hand came up to reveal a rock.
A confident smile spread across Ju Tak's face as he stepped forward.
"I will deliver my judgment first. That would be more convenient, wouldn't it, Your Highness?"
"Suit yourself," Princess Genie replied with calm poise, her voice steady and unshaken.
"Lord Ju Tak, please give your judgment first," said the magistrate.
With a confident smile, Ju Tak stepped forward, the air around him thick with his arrogance. He spoke without hesitation, his words smooth and calculated.
"Of course, Gwak's son's assets should go to Gwak's wife. Why? First, there is an order to everything. It is only right that the mother who lovingly raised Gwak's son should inherit them. Moreover, Gwak's wife has been a role model for the people of Canin village. Naturally, the one who has supported the people of Canin village both materially and spiritually should receive…"
As he spoke, the villagers began to murmur amongst themselves, their voices rising in low, uncertain tones. Ju Tak's confident façade faltered for a moment, his eyes flickering around the square as he sensed the shift in the mood. His words, though firm, no longer carried the same weight.
Flustered but determined to maintain control, Ju Tak quickly pressed on, finishing his judgment in a hurried tone.
"Thus! It is right for Gwak's wife to inherit the assets."
The magistrate nodded and turned toward Princess Genie, his eyes expectant.
"Now, Your Highness, please give your judgment," he said.
Princess Genie's gaze was steady as she stepped forward, her presence commanding the attention of everyone around her. She took a brief moment to observe the two women before her.
Gwak's wife stood with a self-assured smile, the confidence in her stance belying a deeper, darker truth. On the other side, Gwak's son's wife looked anxious, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to maintain composure.
Genie's heart went out to the wife of Gwak's son, who had endured so much already. She silently promised, 'Don't worry. I will clear your injustice.'
With one last glance toward Jade, standing among the crowd, her resolve solidified. His small, encouraging smile was all the reassurance she needed. He believed in her, and now it was time for her to do what she did best—speak the truth.
A few hours earlier, on the way to Canin village for the second competition, Jade had shared a story to Genie as Genie, Jade, and Moonsen all rode on the horse in the front and the royal guards followed them from the back.
"I once visited Canin village long ago," Jade said as he rode beside Genie.
Moonsen just quietly heard their conversation as he went a little behind the two.
Genie asked, "You've been to Canin village?"
"Yes. When I was first assigned as Your Highness's bodyguard, I passed through Canin village on my way to the palace. I stayed at a village inn for a few nights," Jade said calmly.
Genie remembered the day she first met him, eleven years ago.
'He really did come from far away...' she thought.
Jade seemed to recall something and continued.
"Though it was a long time ago, I still remember what the innkeeper told me."
"What was it?"
Many people in Canin Village had suffered under the burden of horrendous high-interest loans. If memory serves, it all started with Gwak's wife… She had been the one to lend money and rice to the villagers when they were in dire need, only to later demand outrageous interest in return." Jade paused for a moment, his gaze drifting to check Genie's reaction.
Genie looked furious, her face flushed with frustration.
"Please, continue, Jade," she urged, her voice tight with anger.
Jade hesitated, then pressed on, his voice lower this time.
"It was said that she had slandered Gwak's original wife and, through cunning and manipulation, had risen from being a concubine to the position of the official wife. Worse still, Gwak's only son had grown up in her household, enduring cruel mistreatment at her hands."
Genie let out a small, weary sigh, the weight of the injustice sinking in. Her lips tightened as she struggled to contain her rising anger.
"Such injustice... How could the village magistrate allow this to happen?" she muttered bitterly, her eyes flashing with indignation.
Her mind raced back to her conversation with Jade. The pieces were falling into place now. Looking at him, standing amidst the crowd, she felt a surge of gratitude for his revelation.
'The story Jade told me gave me the answer.'
With newfound clarity, Genie stood straighter, her voice steady and resolute.
"Gwak's son's assets should be inherited by his wife," she declared boldly, the words cutting through the air with quiet authority.
At her words, a ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd, their collective breath catching in surprise. The face of Gwak's son's wife shifted dramatically—where there had been despair, now there was hope. The glimmer of possibility shone in her eyes.
Genie didn't pause. She knew her words had struck a chord, and she wasn't done yet.
"First of all, the will written by Gwak's son was torn and unreadable, so we cannot know for certain whom he intended to name as his heir. However, we can make a reasonable assumption." Genie's gaze sharpened as she turned to face Lady Gwak directly. "Lady Gwak, may I ask you a question?"
Lady Gwak's expression faltered for the briefest moment, a flicker of surprise crossing her face, but she quickly masked it with a polite smile. "Yes, Your Highness."
Genie's voice grew firmer, her words cutting through the air. "Lady Gwak, did you lend crops or money to the villagers when they were struggling?"