The royal clinic was a whirlwind of controlled chaos. The sharp scent of antiseptic mingled with the metallic tang of blood, while the quiet murmurs of medics and the soft groans of injured warriors filled the air like a somber chorus. Lanterns cast a warm, flickering glow over hurried hands and furrowed brows as every available surface was crowded with men wounded in battle.
In the midst of it all, Wanan lay face down on a narrow wooden bed, his rugged warrior's frame tense with pain. His back, exposed to the chill air, was marked by a deep, raw gash where the iron axe had struck, now being meticulously stitched by two focused medics. Every stitch was precise and deliberate, but the agony etched across Wanan's face betrayed the severity of his injury.
Jade moved through the crowded room with the steady grace of a seasoned commander. His sharp eyes scanned the rows of battered soldiers—each one a story of courage and sacrifice. When he reached Wanan, who was cradled between the gentle hands of the medics, Jade paused, his heart tightening at the sight.
Through clenched teeth, Wanan's voice barely rose above a whisper. "Minister…"
Jade halted, turning fully toward him, his expression softening. "Are you alright?"
Wanan's weary eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"Thank you so much, Minister…" His gratitude was raw, honest—a rare vulnerability from a man forged in harsh years of hardship.
"Good. Recover quickly," Jade replied, his voice firm but kind. He was about to move on when Wanan's voice, stronger this time, called out again.
"Minister…!"
Jade looked back.
"I will become a warrior like you someday. I will definitely be a warrior who saves lives."
The words hung in the air, heavy with hope and determination. Jade's heart ached with a deep pity for the countless trials Wanan had endured in the Ash Kingdom—a world where compassion was scarce and every day was a battle for survival.
Meeting Wanan's gaze, Jade offered a warm, genuine smile.
"You will. You can do it."
After completing his rounds, Jade approached the clinic chief, his tone carrying the weight of command and concern.
"Please take care of the warriors."
The chief bowed respectfully. "Don't worry, Minister Jade. We will treat them with the utmost care."
Jade nodded, a faint sense of relief settling over him as he turned to leave the crowded, dimly lit clinic.
Before he could step outside, a breathless voice called out urgently. "Minister Jade!"
The Deputy Commander appeared at the clinic's entrance, his face flushed from haste and worry, eyes searching for Jade amidst the crowd.
"Are you alright, Minister?" Danjin's voice was tight with concern as he stepped closer, eyes searching Jade's face for any sign of injury.
Jade gave a steady nod, his expression calm but weary.
"I'm fine." His voice was low but resolute. "Some warriors were injured in the fight with the bandits, but they are being treated inside. There is no need for great concern."
Danjin's throat tightened, and for a moment, he struggled to speak, his gaze dropping as a wave of relief washed over him.
"I'm so relieved you're unharmed... Her Majesty is anxiously waiting for you now."
At those words, a subtle shadow crossed Jade's face—an almost imperceptible flicker of tension beneath his composed exterior. His jaw clenched briefly, a silent testament to the weight of responsibility he bore.
"I understand," Jade said quietly, his voice firm as steel. "I will report to Her Majesty immediately."
In the stillness of the dark night, Queen Genie stood quietly in the royal garden, a delicate lantern casting a warm, flickering glow that danced among the shadows. The chill of the evening seeped into her bones, yet she remained rooted in place, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. Around her, a small circle of attendants held lanterns high, their breath visible in the cold air, their cheeks flushed crimson from the biting wind.
Lady Park's voice broke the silence, laced with gentle concern. "Your Majesty, would you not consider going inside now? The warriors are busy receiving treatment at the clinic anyway."
Chief Han stepped forward, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Your Majesty, it would be best if you went inside now. I fear the cold may take its toll on you."
Genie's eyes swept over the faces illuminated by the lantern light—loyal attendants standing faithfully by her side, their expressions etched with fatigue and concern. A pang of guilt struck her heart. How could she ask them to endure the cold night simply because her own restless spirit would not let her rest?
"Yes, understood," she murmured softly. "Let us go inside now."
Turning slowly, she began toward her bedchamber, the crisp air filling her lungs with each breath.
"Your Majesty."
Her steps faltered as she heard the familiar voice. She turned, and there he stood—Jade. His dark hair ruffled by the wind, eyes steady and calm despite the long night's battle. Relief surged through her so intensely that tears welled unbidden, shimmering beneath the moon's pale light.
Her voice, steady but tender, broke the quiet. "Are you alright?"
Jade's lips curved into a gentle smile, a quiet reassurance that seemed to soothe the turmoil within her.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
For a moment, silence wrapped around them like a fragile veil. Beneath the silver glow of the moon, their eyes met—an unspoken conversation unfolding in the depths of their gaze. In that suspended moment, a thousand emotions flickered between them: gratitude, fear, hope, and an aching tenderness that neither dared to voice aloud.
Genie exhaled a small, weary sigh. "Just when I start to feel settled, danger strikes again. And just as I try to relax my heart, another threat arises… Jade really…"
Her voice broke off, swallowed by the weight of her feelings—too complex, too raw to put into words. Yet in the stillness between them, everything that remained unspoken spoke volumes.
Jade's gaze lingered on her quietly, taking in every subtle shift in her expression, every tremor beneath her composed exterior. In that silent exchange, words seemed unnecessary—he understood her feelings without her having to voice them. The weight of unspoken emotions hung between them like a fragile thread, taut and alive.
For a moment, the tumult inside him demanded release. He had long carried a question, buried deep in the recesses of his heart, one that had hovered just beyond reach, shadowed by circumstance and fear. Now, summoning every ounce of courage, he finally gave voice to it.
"Your Majesty," he began softly, his voice steady despite the storm within, "there is something I would like to ask."
His deep brown eyes shone with a quiet vulnerability that caught even him by surprise.
"Please, speak," Genie replied, her tone gentle but encouraging.
His heart thundered, the seconds stretching thin as he gathered his words.
"I once asked Your Majesty this question before," he confessed, voice barely above a whisper, "What do you think of me...?"
Genie's eyes flickered with the weight of memory. She recalled that day—the moment when Jade's innocence was finally proven, after the cruel deceit of Lee Jan had cast doubt upon him. She remembered how he had posed the question then, an earnest hope shimmering in his gaze. How she had begun to form an answer, only for the sharp news of the Ash Kingdom's surprise attack to sever their conversation abruptly. Since that day, those words had remained unsaid, lingering like a fragile promise in the shadows of her heart.
Steeling herself, Genie met Jade's gaze steadily, her own eyes calm and resolute as she waited for him to speak again.
"I have always liked you, Jade," she said simply, her voice clear and true.
Jade's eyes widened, a breath caught in his throat. The words—so desperately longed for yet almost impossible to believe—sent his heart into a wild, uncharted rhythm. For a moment, the world seemed to still, held captive by the weight of her confession.
Seeing the stunned silence etched across his face, Genie offered a gentle smile, warm and tender as a sunbeam breaking through the clouds.
"Of course I like you. How could I not? Since the first time we met at age twelve, I have liked you without pause."
Jade stood frozen, his mind a swirling void. No words came to meet the moment. His heart overflowed with feelings too vast for speech, his silence speaking volumes in the tender night.
"You have always protected me. Of course I like you." Her words, gentle and sincere, hung in the cool night air, reaching Jade's ears like a soft confession meant to bridge the distance between them.
But in that instant, something inside Jade shifted—an unexpected coldness creeping through his veins like ice.
'Because I protected her… Because I am merely her guard warrior…
The soaring joy that had lifted his heart moments before now plummeted into a hollow abyss.
A fragile, bitter smile curled at the corners of his lips, a mask for the storm raging within.
"For a brief moment, I was such a foolish fool..." he murmured, voice heavy with regret and self-reproach. His tone dropped lower still, almost a whisper. "So that was the reason..."