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Chapter 113 - Her Majesty's Brother

He paused, letting the silence settle like dew.

"But… the decision is yours to make. No one will fault you either way."

Minister Lee looked at her with a warm, encouraging smile, his hands folded behind his back in quiet respect.

Enna felt her chest tighten with emotion. The air around her seemed to still. The two men who had shaped her life—one by blood, the other by mentorship—were giving her the freedom to choose, not pushing her but guiding her with faith.

She glanced once more at the steaming cauldron inside the kitchen, at the garden path she had walked every day, at the home that had cradled her entire world. Then, she looked up, her eyes no longer clouded by hesitation but clear with gentle resolve.

"Very well," she said softly. "I will go to the palace. If my humble skills can be of help to those who serve the kingdom… then I should go."

Her father smiled with pride, and Minister Lee gave a quiet nod of approval.

And in that moment, something shifted—like a door quietly opening, inviting her into a new chapter of her life.

Early the next morning, pale light spilled through the latticed windows of the Queen's private study. A hush hung over the room, broken only by the quiet rustle of parchment as Queen Genie reviewed a stack of court documents, her quill occasionally pausing mid-stroke in thought.

Just then, the door creaked open.

"Your Majesty," came the calm voice of Chief Han, bowing with practiced grace. "Minister Lee Baewon has arrived."

Genie lifted her head, setting the quill down beside the open scroll. A trace of fatigue softened her eyes, but her tone was warm and clear.

"Let him in."

Moments later, Lee Baewon entered the chamber, his formal robes slightly dusted from travel but his bearing composed. He knelt respectfully and bowed low.

"Your Majesty, this is Lee Baewon. I return from Westen Village as requested."

Queen Genie gestured for him to rise. 

"Did your journey go well?"

Lee Baewon straightened, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes, Your Majesty. All went well."

Genie leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening. 

"And what of Park's daughter? Has she reached a decision?"

With visible pride, the minister bowed his head once more. 

"She has agreed to take the position as head cook overseeing restorative meals for the palace. She is packing her things now and should arrive by tomorrow."

A soft expression of relief passed across the Queen's face.

"You've gone to such lengths… all the way to the provinces," she said. "Thank you for your efforts, Minister. The court owes you gratitude."

"I only did what I felt was right, Your Majesty," Lee replied, lowering his head with humility.

Queen Genie turned to Han Bigam, who stood at attention just behind her.

"Please arrange proper quarters for the new head cook. Make sure she has everything she needs."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Han replied with a bow before quickly making his way out to carry out the order.

Left alone with Lee Baewon for a moment, Genie's gaze lingered on the nearby window, where the sun had begun to rise, casting long shadows across the study floor.

'Yes… this was the right decision,' she thought to herself. 'A woman like her—steadfast, kind, capable—is precisely what the palace needs. Not only to nourish the body… but perhaps, in time, to restore something deeper.'

But even as she affirmed her choice, a shadow of a more complicated thought passed through her heart—one she quickly tucked away, out of reach.

She nodded to Lee Baewon, her composure flawless.

"Well done. You may go."

And as he bowed and departed, the Queen returned to her documents, though her eyes paused for a long while upon the page—her thoughts already wandering to the woman who would soon step through the palace gates.

"Hyah!"

Genie's voice rang out sharply as her horse surged forward, hooves pounding against the winding mountain path. With a quiver of arrows slung over her back and a bow gripped firmly in her hand, she leaned slightly into the wind, her long riding cloak fluttering behind her like a banner.

It had been far too long since she last rode out like this—free from ceremony, expectation, and the suffocating weight of duty. Today, she had come not as Queen, but as herself, to practice the archery she had once loved.

Behind her, a handful of royal guards and maids followed at a respectful distance, their pace steady but careful not to intrude upon her solitude.

At last, they reached a wide, flat clearing high atop the mountain ridge. Genie pulled the reins, and her horse came to a halt with a gentle snort. The wind whispered through the pines as the sun warmed the earth beneath them.

She dismounted in one smooth motion, her boots crunching softly on the grass. As she stepped forward, the landscape opened before her—a breathtaking view of the capital, spread out like a living tapestry beneath the vast summer sky.

The rooftops of the city gleamed in the sunlight. Temple spires rose like brushstrokes on a canvas, the palace nestled at the city's heart like a jeweled crown. Genie stood still, taking it all in.

A slow, deep breath filled her lungs.

For months, she had moved only between her private study and the austere halls of the Grand Assembly. Her world had narrowed to ink-stained scrolls, endless petitions, and the constant shuffle of officials. Though she had taken up the mantle of Queen with fierce determination, the walls of the palace had begun to press in around her.

The memory of her time in Arabia—where she had roamed deserts on horseback and danced beneath open skies—clung to her like perfume that wouldn't fade. And now, more than ever, she found herself longing for something that couldn't be found behind palace gates.

Especially with her recent secret outings, the feeling of confinement had only deepened.

'Yes… it was the right decision to come out here,' she thought, lifting her face toward the wind.

She let the bow fall to her side and exhaled slowly. 

"I must've really felt suffocated," she murmured aloud. "My chest feels clear now."

"So does mine."

The calm, low voice behind her struck her ears like a gentle arrow.

Startled, Genie turned sharply.

There, mounted on a dark stallion, was Jade.

His long hair moved with the breeze, catching the sunlight like strands of shadowed silk. 

His deep, gentle eyes and the soft smile curving at the corners of his symmetrical lips warmed Genie's heart like sunlight melting frost.

"How long have you been here?" she asked, startled by his sudden presence.

With a calm and serene smile, Jade replied, "I went to the Queen's Hall to see Your Majesty, but they said you had gone to the mountains… so I came to find you."

He gave the reins a gentle tug, his horse stepping forward with grace. Now standing beside her, he looked out over the capital sprawled below them.

From their high vantage point on the mountain, the city lay quiet under the crisp morning air, dusted in silver by the lingering snow. It was a moment carved from stillness, unspoiled and tranquil.

Genie's voice broke the silence.

"This year… I hope no harm comes to the people."

Jade turned his head slightly, his gaze attentive. 

"Is there anything else Your Majesty wishes for?"

"Hmm…" She paused, her eyes drifting toward the distant, snow-covered peaks. Her voice dropped to a soft murmur. "I hope this year passes without… worries."

Her face, usually composed, now carried a quiet seriousness that caught Jade's attention.

"Have many worries weighed on you, Your Majesty?" he asked gently.

Genie gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"If it would ease your heart… you may share them with me," he offered, his tone as light as falling snow.

She turned to look at him, as if measuring the sincerity in his expression. He was gazing peacefully at the capital, his features calm and steady. When he felt her eyes linger, Jade scratched the back of his head, a touch embarrassed.

"That is… of course, only if Your Majesty wishes to. I would never presume."

Genie drew in a breath. The air was cold, but she felt something warm flickering inside her—a quiet courage.

"Then… may I share just one?"

He turned fully to face her, and for a brief moment, time seemed to slow. Her cheeks were flushed from the chill, and her wide, luminous eyes shimmered with something fragile and true. His heart gave an involuntary tremble.

"Please speak, Your Majesty," he said, his voice low and sincere.

Genie glanced over her shoulder, her breath curling in the cold air. Far behind them, the figures of her attendants and guards moved slowly up the winding trail, still distant enough not to overhear. She returned her gaze to the horizon, but her shoulders had tensed—just slightly. Whatever she was about to say, it wasn't easy.

Her voice dropped to a near-whisper, more like a confession than a statement. "It's about my older brother."

Jade's brow furrowed. 

'Her Majesty's brother…?'

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