Bong's voice broke the quiet after a long moment of scratching brush on paper.
"Then… may I meet Her Majesty? Queen Genie?"
Jade's gaze lingered on him, steady and unreadable. He weighed the question in silence, the candlelight glinting off the faint gold embroidery at his sleeve. Finally, after a pause that seemed to stretch, he gave a small nod.
"Very well. If that is necessary, we'll arrange it. I'll report to Her Majesty first, and when the time is right, I'll inform you. But understand—it cannot be within the palace. You cannot be seen there. This mission must remain in the shadows."
Bong bowed his head in agreement, his expression firm.
"I understand. I'll wait for the word… and the meeting with Her Majesty."
Jade rose to his feet, his movements precise, his composure unshaken.
"Then there's no need for me to linger here. I'll return once Her Majesty's schedule is clear."
Bong also stood, his robes whispering against the wooden floor. Jade turned, preparing to leave, when Bong's voice came again—quieter this time, yet cutting through the room like the sharp edge of a blade.
"Sir."
Jade stopped, turning his head back over his shoulder.
"Yes?"
Bong's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone measured, but every syllable carried weight.
"May I ask why Her Majesty entrusted you with this order?"
Jade hesitated, his brow furrowing slightly, as though the question itself carried a weight he hadn't expected.
Bong leaned forward, his eyes sharp.
"Out of all those close to Her Majesty—even the court ladies who never leave her side, even the eunuchs who serve her day and night—why did she choose you to search for the elder brother the entire kingdom believes is dead?"
The silence stretched. Candlelight flickered across Jade's composed face. At last, his lips curved, just barely, into a faint smile.
"She trusts me," Jade said simply, his voice low, unshaken.
Bong studied him for a moment, then his own lips lifted slowly.
"I see… You are the trusted one." His tone carried a hint of curiosity, almost amusement. "It was an honor to meet you, Minister."
Jade gave a curt nod and rose. Without another word, he strode out. His footsteps echoed through the wide chamber, past the rows of books and out into the rain-dampened yard. Bong followed a few paces behind, his robes brushing against the stone floor.
They reached the narrow room Jade had first entered. Beyond its door, the street stretched into darkness, rain glistening under the lantern glow. Jade paused only long enough to speak.
"Thank you for today. I'll return soon."
Then, with his black umbrella unfolding above him, he disappeared into the curtain of rain, his figure swallowed by the restless night.
Bong lingered at the threshold, watching until Jade was gone. His lips curled faintly as he murmured to himself, almost like a secret thought escaping into the storm.
"Is he only the Queen's trusted minister…?" He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "Or Her Majesty's love?"
The rain poured on, as if to wash his words into the night.
Back in the palace courtyard, the rain had stilled at last. Midnight lay draped across the kingdom, the stones of the ground glistening with silver puddles, the air cool with April's breath. Under the pale sweep of moonlight, Jade walked slowly, his black boots echoing softly against the wet stone.
'I hope he finds some trace soon… Her Majesty's elder brother must be out there somewhere.' His thoughts pressed in with each step.
The trees, their blossoms heavy with rain, drooped in silence. The palace stood hushed, its tall rooftops shadowed against the sky, as if the entire kingdom itself was asleep.
'By now, Her Majesty must be resting,' Jade mused. His lips curved faintly. 'Tomorrow, I'll deliver Bong's beginning to her. If it can even be called a beginning… still— A quiet laugh escaped him. Still, I want to see her.'
And then—
"Jade?"
The voice drifted like silk across the empty courtyard. Low. Serene. Familiar.
His heart clenched, then thundered against his ribs. He turned sharply toward the right, toward the shadowed walkway between two buildings.
No one.
The corner lay empty, bathed in nothing but moonlight and the faint drip of water from tiled eaves.
'Her voice…?' He froze, every breath caught, then let out a faint, incredulous laugh. 'Am I… hallucinating her now?'
And then, soft as the wind, closer—
"Jade."
The voice came again, soft yet certain, and this time Jade lifted his gaze.
There, upon the second-floor terrace of the prayer hall, framed beneath lantern light and the pale glow of the moon, stood Queen Genie. Her robe shimmered faintly in the night air, her figure outlined against the carved railings. With one graceful hand, she lifted her arm and waved.
"Hello," she said with a smile that seemed to dissolve the midnight silence.
Jade's heart jolted—then pounded with fierce insistence. Behind her, court ladies lingered discreetly and two royal guards stood at attention, but none of them could dim the light in her face.
"Your Majesty," Jade answered, his voice deep and calm, though the corners of his lips betrayed him, curving into a smile he could not hold back.
"If you're not busy, come up here," Genie called softly, a gentle tilt of her head beckoning him closer.
For the briefest second, Jade allowed himself the warmth of the moment, his lips curling into a smile before he pressed it down, masking it beneath his usual composure. He bowed his head.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Turning swiftly, he stepped through the gateway into the prayer hall. The heavy wooden doors shut behind him, and at once he was enveloped in the dim quiet of the stairwell. His boots tapped lightly against the stone as he began to climb.
Each step quickened his pulse.
Each shadowed landing made his breath shallower.
And in the silence between heartbeats, he felt the corners of his lips curve upward again—unseen, unguarded, free.
By the time he reached the second floor, his heart was hammering against his chest.
And there she was—waiting. Genie stood beneath the lantern glow, her smile soft, radiant, carrying with it both serenity and something more fragile, something that reached straight into him.
Their eyes met.
With candlelight flickering against stone walls and the moonlight pouring softly through the lattice windows, Genie seemed almost ethereal. Her large, round eyes shimmered with a quiet depth, her soft lips curved with grace, and her long, natural waves caught the silver glow of night. Even the line of her figure, framed against the golden light of the altar, radiated a quiet majesty.
"I hope I didn't interrupt you from going to your private residence," Genie said, her tone light, laced with a mischievous smile that teased at the formality between them.
Jade felt the corners of his lips tug upward despite himself. He lowered his gaze briefly to the floor, steadying the rush in his chest, then looked back at her.
"No," he said softly. "It's good."
Genie's eyes glimmered with warmth as she gestured with her hand.
"Then follow me in."
Turning, she addressed Chief Han with quiet authority.
"Please wait here just a little."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Chief Han answered, bowing low. The court ladies and guards bent in unison, their presence fading respectfully as the Queen led her minister inside.
Jade followed her steps into the prayer room.
Inside, the world seemed hushed—sanctified. Rows of candles lined the altar, their flames swaying gently, while the moonlight pooled across the floor like silver silk. Genie stood before the great wooden cross, her gaze lifted upward, her figure washed in the glow of light and shadow.
Jade closed the heavy door behind him, careful not to break the reverent silence, and stepped to her side. For a moment, he let his eyes rest on her profile—so serene, so luminous—that his heart stirred with an ache he dared not voice.
"Your Majesty," he asked softly, "you've been praying until this late hour?"
Genie turned her face to him, her smile calm, touched with devotion.
"Yes," she said. "I pray to Lord wherever I am, but tonight I wanted to come here."
Jade smiled faintly and lowered his head, closing his eyes.
"Lord, please lead us to love You above all else, and guide our steps in Your way," he prayed silently. Then, after a pause, his thoughts deepened. "And Lord, please show me what You desire concerning Her Majesty… In Jesus' name, Amen," he prayed in a small voice.
When he opened his eyes, the room seemed quieter than before, as though his prayer had settled into the very air. He turned, and there was Genie—her gaze fixed on the cross, her face softened by the glow of candlelight and the silvery wash of moonlight through the lattice window. Her thoughtful eyes reflected both longing and strength.
"Your Majesty," Jade began gently, breaking the silence, "I was actually on my way back from meeting the private detective—Bong."
At that, Genie shifted her gaze to him, a knowing smile curving on her lips. "To find my elder brother, I suppose."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jade answered with a firm nod. "He is a man of vast connections, respected across the kingdom. Though he had long withdrawn from the profession, he is said to be the finest detective we have. He wishes to meet Your Majesty—to ask questions that may aid the search."
Genie listened intently, her expression thoughtful yet resolute. Then she nodded slowly.
"Very well. Tell him to come to the palace this week. I will make time before or after my meetings. And Jade—keep me informed of every development. Every step matters."
"Of course," Jade said, his voice steady, though his heart carried her burden. He hesitated, then added, "Your Majesty… please do not let this weigh too heavily upon you. I will do everything within my power to find him."
Genie's lips curved into a tender smile.
"Jade," she whispered, her eyes locked with his.
The silence that followed was not empty but full—charged with unspoken truths, their breaths nearly audible in the sacred stillness.
"You are truly a gift from God," Genie said, her voice soft yet certain. "Thank you for being by my side."
Jade felt his heart quicken, each beat resounding like a drum beneath his chest. The candle flames flickered as though stirred by the invisible rush of his emotions.