Jade remained calm, his hand resting loosely on the hilt of his sword, yet his eyes sharpened, attentive.
"Yes, please tell me."
"I hope," Do-han said, his gaze unwavering, "you can be someone Her Majesty can lean on."
For an instant, Jade's eyes wavered. A brief silence passed, broken only by the whisper of wind through the training ground. Then, slowly, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Did Her Majesty… say something about me?"
Do-han shook his head, a quiet chuckle escaping him. "No. This is simply my request."
He studied Jade—the way he stood, steady and dignified, his calm presence like a wall of stone in a storm.
Inwardly, Do-han thought, 'This man… he is worthy. Worthy of being entrusted with Her Majesty herself.'
"Be her support, Jade," Do-han said, his voice carrying the rare vulnerability of a master who had watched over Queen Genie since she was a child, "for I can think of no one else I would entrust with this."
Jade felt something stir in his chest—gratitude, quiet and deep. Master Do-han, one of the Queen's oldest and most loyal guardians alongside Chief Han and Lady Park, now placed this trust upon him. It was more than a request—it was recognition.
He bowed slightly, eyes firm.
"Do not worry, Master. I will."
A subtle smile touched Do-han's weathered face, the look of a father entrusting his daughter to a man he could trust with his life.
"You are someone very special to Her Majesty—different from the other officials."
The words landed softly yet carried the weight of a strike to the chest. The hand holding Jade's sword trembled, just slightly, the blade lowering by an inch as if responding to the tremor within him.
'Different…?'
His brow furrowed, and his voice, though calm, held a quiet edge of uncertainty.
"What do you mean by 'different'…?"
Do-han merely smiled, his expression warm and knowing, like an old tree weathered by countless storms. "That is something you will come to understand in time."
With that, he turned away, the lines of his white hair catching the soft morning light as the wind swept through the training ground.
"This old man will take his leave now," he said, his voice gentle yet distant, already halfway gone. "I won't steal any more of your precious training time."
His steps, light yet deliberate, carried him across the dew-soaked grassland. Each stride seemed unhurried, yet there was a grace to it, like a swordsman who had never truly forgotten his art.
Jade stood motionless, watching the retreating figure until it disappeared beyond the edge of the training field. The silence left behind was almost heavier than the conversation itself.
Later that afternoon, sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows of the Queen's Office, casting warm golden patterns across the polished floor. A faint breeze stirred the embroidered curtains, carrying with it the soft scent of ink and parchment.
Official of Foreign Affairs, Moonsen, stood before Queen Genie's desk, his posture crisp yet humble, and handed over a freshly bound document.
"Your Majesty, this is the roster of the cultural delegation for the Ash Kingdom this year."
Queen Genie took the list, her slender fingers gliding over the parchment before she began scanning each name and affiliation. Her expression was calm but focused, every line of her face a reflection of quiet authority. The rhythmic scratch of her eyes across the page filled the room with an almost ceremonial stillness.
Moonsen stood patiently, his intelligent eyes gleaming as he waited for her response. The faint sheen of sweat at his temple betrayed both the importance of the task and his desire to meet her expectations.
After a long moment, Queen Genie looked up, her lips softening into a satisfied smile.
"Excellent. This list fills the gaps we had last year. Well done, Moonsen."
A hint of relief and pride washed over his face as he returned her smile, bowing slightly.
"From now on, we can review the presentations and exhibitions for the Ash Kingdom together. Everything will be fully prepared before the deadline, Your Majesty."
"Thank you," Genie said, her voice warm with genuine appreciation. "I'm grateful to have you overseeing this matter."
For a brief moment, her eyes softened, reflecting gratitude beyond mere formality—a Queen who valued dedication as much as loyalty.
"You may go now," she added gently.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Moonsen bowed deeply before retreating, his footsteps fading like ripples in still water.
When silence returned, Queen Genie sat alone in her grand office. She leaned back slightly, holding the roster with both hands, her eyes scanning once more over each name, weighing the individuals not just as positions but as pieces in a delicate diplomatic puzzle. The moonlight from the window fell upon her as though framing her in quiet contemplation, the burdens of rulership settling once more upon her slender shoulders.
By the time the palace warriors gathered for their synchronized drills, the clang of swords and the rhythm of boots striking earth echoed across the training grounds. The air smelled of steel, sweat, and dust—a battlefield rehearsed in miniature.
Jade strode onto the grounds, his dark cloak sweeping against the dirt as heads subtly turned his way. He moved like a blade sheathed in silence, expression unreadable, eyes cool as winter rain.
Danjin, half out of breath from hurrying over, bowed quickly.
"You're here, sir. As I mentioned this afternoon, we're holding the preliminary rounds to select warriors for Her Majesty's covert excursion."
"Proceed." Jade's voice cut clean through the clamor, detached and deliberate.
Yet, Danjin lingered, glancing around before leaning closer, voice dropping to a whisper.
"Sir… there's been talk." His eyes darted nervously to the men lining up across the field. "People are questioning why Her Majesty is choosing someone other than you for this mission."
Jade's gaze sharpened, a flicker of steel glinting beneath calm waters.
"What do you mean?"
"They're saying…" Danjin hesitated, his Adam's apple bobbing, "…rumors that perhaps… you've lost Her Majesty's trust."
The words landed heavier than the man could have imagined. Jade's brow furrowed before he could stop himself, the single twitch of emotion betraying the wall he kept so carefully built. It struck deep, in a place he had forced himself not to look.
Still, his voice remained steady, unshaken.
"Pay no mind to idle gossip."
Danjin chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"You're right, sir. Guess I was just overthinking it."
"Exactly. Forget it."
Jade walked past him, every step measured, deliberate—but the thoughts inside him were anything but.
'Ever since that night… His jaw tightened. Ever since she stood against those assassins for me, her eyes changed when they fell on me. No longer the same trust… no longer the same certainty.'
And why wouldn't they? He had refused to answer her questions that night, shutting down her demands for truth with silence. Because how could he tell her?
How could he say that the man she shot dead to save him—was Gonse, a fellow officer from the Ash Kingdom?
How could he say the one who escaped might still be hunting him, carrying vengeance like a shadow clinging to his every step?
He exhaled through his nose, slow and restrained, forcing his face into impassivity as warriors sparred around him.
For now, silence was all he could offer his queen.
At that very hour, the courtyard of the Foreign Affairs Bureau stirred with activity, alive with the hum of voices and the shuffling of travel-worn boots. Members of the cultural delegation, still carrying the dust of long roads, stood gathered under the watchful supervision of Director Moonsen. He moved among them with a practiced warmth, clasping hands, offering smiles, thanking each delegate for their long journey to the palace.
The yard was bright with laughter and the polite murmur of conversation—until a ripple of silence spread like wind across water.
Queen Genie's entourage had stepped into view.
The radiant queen walked at the center, her silver-trimmed cloak catching the late sun, her steps unhurried yet commanding. The golden crest of Hana gleamed at her shoulder, a living emblem of her crown.
Gasps broke the quiet, startled and reverent.
"Y-Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
The delegation bowed as one, their voices trembling.
Genie's smile was warm yet composed, the kind that softened hearts while leaving no doubt of her authority.
Director Moosen, caught off guard by the unannounced royal visit, quickly stepped forward, his eyes lighting with surprise and delight.
"Your Majesty, you didn't need to trouble yourself to come all this way…"
She answered only with that same gracious smile, saying nothing until her eyes swept over the fifty delegates assembled before her.
"I know it was no easy decision," she said, her voice carrying clearly across the courtyard, calm and resolute, "given our tense relations with the Ash Kingdom. I want to express my deepest gratitude for your courage and dedication."
A flurry of flustered motions followed as the delegates waved their hands, shaking their heads.
"No, Your Majesty… please, such words are too much."
"We are honored beyond measure."
But Genie's gaze had already shifted—to the very back of the group, where a young girl of sixteen stood stiff and uncertain.
Their eyes met for the briefest moment before the girl, startled, ducked her head, cheeks coloring with shock.
Genie's smile faltered, only for an instant. She had noticed the girl's jacket—thin and fraying at the cuffs, worn from more years than it should have endured.
'Her clothes… so threadbare…'