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Chapter 119 - I Will Go Myself

She imagined villages stripped bare, travelers ambushed on lonely roads, and her people living each day in fear. The ache behind her eyes sharpened with every passing thought.

As ruler, it was her duty to keep them safe, yet tonight she felt that duty like an iron weight pressing against her chest.

'I cannot allow our people to be harmed because of inaction… no matter the cost.'

She pulled the blanket tightly around her shoulders and forced her eyes shut, willing her mind to fall silent. But the unrest within her heart was far louder than the silence of the night, and sleep, when it finally came, was thin and fleeting.

A heavy, solemn tension hung thick within the vaulted ceilings of the Grand Council Hall. The air was dense with unspoken fears and the weight of responsibility as the council debated the fate of the annual cultural envoy to the Ash Kingdom—a matter that carried the fragile hopes of peace amid a tense political landscape.

Queen Genie sat on her throne, the exhaustion of a sleepless night etched deeply into the faint shadows beneath her eyes. She raised a delicate hand and rubbed at the corner of one eye with a tired fingertip, a subtle but telling gesture of her weariness. Yet her posture remained regal, unwavering, as every gaze in the chamber fell silently upon her, waiting for her voice to break the charged stillness.

Among the gathered ministers, Jade stood quietly, his sharp, observant eyes tracing the lines of fatigue on the Queen's face. His heart clenched with concern. 

'Is something weighing heavily on Her Majesty's soul?'

Across the hall, Moonsen mirrored the sentiment, his usually composed demeanor now tinged with worry as he watched the Queen struggle beneath the burden of her crown.

At last, Queen Genie's voice cut through the hush, calm yet resolute, carrying the undeniable weight of a ruler's difficult decision. 

"It seems even among the ministers, opinions remain divided. Here is my stance. We will send the annual cultural envoy to the Ash Kingdom this year as well."

A murmur of shocked whispers swept through the hall. Until very recently, the Queen had stood firm against sending the envoy, believing it unwise given the Ash Kingdom's recent aggression. Her sudden change of heart left the royal officials visibly unsettled, struggling to reconcile this new direction.

Queen Genie's gaze swept across the chamber, meeting the eyes of each counselor with steady resolve.

"My opinion has shifted. Originally, I thought that, given the Ash Kingdom's hostile posture after their surprise attack, it was too dangerous to send an envoy this year. But placing the safety and well-being of our people above all else, I now believe sending the envoy is the right and necessary course."

The Minister of Foreign Affairs stepped forward.

"Your Majesty's judgment is sound. If relations with the Ash Kingdom continue to deteriorate, it is our people who will be the first to suffer instability and fear."

Then, with cautious hesitation, Moonsen spoke up, "But, Your Majesty… Given the precarious state of our relations, is there truly anyone within Hana willing to make such a journey as part of this envoy?"

Heads nodded solemnly around the chamber, the unspoken truth heavy in the air. Few would willingly travel into uncertain danger.

The royal officials exchanged solemn nods, their expressions grave but resolute. The weight of the ongoing tensions with the Ash Kingdom pressed heavily in the air, thickening the atmosphere in the Grand Council Hall.

Queen Genie's voice cut through the murmurs, calm yet carrying undeniable authority. "I am aware of the risks involved. That is precisely why this time, I do not intend to send only the cultural envoy and their attendants."

A ripple of surprise spread through the gathered officials. Eyes flicked from one to another, eyebrows knitting in confusion and curiosity. If not just the envoy and their retinue, then who else?

The Queen's gaze swept the room steadily, unwavering. 

"I will go myself."

The chamber fell into stunned silence. Mouths parted slightly in disbelief. Jade's heart skipped a beat—he had never imagined such a bold declaration. The very notion of their sovereign personally journeying to the Ash Kingdom had been unthinkable, an impossibility that had never even been whispered.

Even Moonsen, ever composed and measured, couldn't mask the flicker of shock in his eyes as he spoke, voice barely above a whisper. "Your Majesty… you mean you will personally go?"

Genie nodded, her posture regal and unshaken. 

"Yes, I will go myself."

She scanned the room once more, catching the ministers' astonished stares. 

"Why are you all so shocked? Twenty years ago, the late king himself traveled personally to the Ash Kingdom during his reign."

Minister Lee Bae-won stepped forward, his brow deeply furrowed with concern. 

"Your Majesty, that was a different time. The current state of affairs with the Ash Kingdom makes such a journey far too perilous. How can you risk yourself so directly?"

The other ministers murmured their agreement.

Queen Genie's voice remained dignified, tinged with an unyielding strength. "Then are you saying we should send our people into a land where even their monarch cannot tread?"

Lee Bae-won hesitated, words caught in his throat. 

"T-that is not what I meant…"

The officials bowed their heads, chastened by the Queen's piercing retort. Jade watched quietly, absorbing the resolute fire burning in her eyes.

"I am the monarch of this nation," she declared, "and I must set an example for my people. If I cannot go, how can I in good conscience send others?"

A heavy silence fell. The ministers, humbled by her resolve, remained speechless, lowering their gazes.

Just as the tension began to settle, Moonsen's voice broke the stillness, careful but firm. "However, Your Majesty, traveling to the Ash Kingdom personally exposes you to dangers beyond measure. The people cherish your life; risking it so openly might cause greater harm than any envoy could withstand."

The royal officials echoed his concern in a chorus of worried voices. 

"That is true, Your Majesty."

Without missing a beat, Queen Genie met their apprehension head-on.

"Then the Ash Kingdom simply must not know I am there."

A collective gasp filled the room. Jade's eyes widened—could it be? Was the Queen speaking of traveling in disguise?

Lee Bae-won's voice trembled as he asked, "Are you saying… you will go incognito?"

A calm nod was her only reply. 

"Yes. I intend to travel incognito."

Moonsen immediately stepped forward, worry etched deep into his face. "Your Majesty, you must not. The last time you traveled in such a manner, your life was imperiled. We cannot allow a repeat of that danger."

The ministers quickly voiced their agreement, rising in an anxious chorus.

"Yes, Your Majesty, it is far too dangerous." "You mustn't do that."

Weary of the relentless opposition, Queen Genie sighed deeply. The weight of leadership settled heavily on her shoulders. 

'Convincing them will not be easy…'

Her voice softened but remained firm. "I understand your concerns. I will consider this further. For now, let us adjourn."

With a graceful, fatigued movement, she rose from her throne, attendants trailing behind her as she exited through the side door, leaving the council hall filled with murmurs and uncertainty.

As the door closed, the royal officials' voices swelled again, heavy with doubt and fear.

"The Queen personally going incognito to the Ash Kingdom? Unthinkable," Lee Bae-won muttered.

Moonsen nodded gravely. "No matter how we look at it, the risks are too great."

At last, Han Son, who had been silent until now, spoke with measured calm. "Her Majesty must have her reasons for such a declaration. We cannot simply impose our fears upon her judgment."

Jade remained silent, watching his peers with a growing unease. 

'What thoughts are weighing on Her Majesty's heart? What burdens compel her toward this dangerous path?' 

He longed to understand the depths behind her resolve—for beneath the regal composure lay a mystery he wished to unravel.

Late into the night, beneath a sky scattered with cold, distant stars, Genie stood alone in the vast expanse of the royal training grounds, a place usually alive with clashing steel and the rhythmic thud of footfalls—now hushed and still. The flickering torches lining the perimeter cast long shadows, their orange glow dancing across the dew-kissed grass. In her hands rested a bow, taut and steady, an extension of her will.

Across from her, Master Do-han watched quietly, his experienced eyes noting the subtle weariness etched deep beneath the queen's composed exterior.

"Your Majesty, you seem especially weary tonight," he said gently, his voice breaking the silence like a soft breeze.

Genie offered a faint, bittersweet smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"It has been a trying day."

The old master stepped closer, concerned with sharpening his features. 

"May I ask what troubles you, Your Majesty?"

She inhaled slowly, memories of the day surfacing like shadows in the fading light. A hollow laugh escaped her lips, carrying the weight of unspoken burdens. 

"The royal officials… they still do not trust me enough. Perhaps they are right to doubt. I did show weakness on my last incognito journey."

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