"Taking care of this country is my duty, Minister—not a matter of convenience. I cannot rest while corruption spreads beneath my feet. I must see this with my own eyes. I will not allow a single citizen of the Hana Kingdom to suffer injustice at the hands of those entrusted with power."
A heavy silence fell upon the room, not from fear, but reverence.
Her words struck the hearts of every official present. They could see she meant every word—not as a monarch performing duty, but as a leader who bore the burden of her people's welfare deep in her soul.
Finally, Minister Han Son, seated at the far end of the table, rose and bowed with solemn grace.
"Your Majesty," he said calmly, "as you wish. However, your safety is of the utmost importance. We will take every measure to ensure it."
Queen Genie gave a firm nod, her expression resolute.
"Then prepare the royal guard and have them ready by dawn. We leave at first light."
The next morning, the palace corridors buzzed with quiet urgency. Early sunlight spilled across the polished floors, but it did little to warm the weight of the matters at hand.
Jade, summoned at dawn, strode briskly through the royal court, the folds of his uniform trailing behind him. His expression was calm, yet alert—he had sensed from the tone of the summons that this was no ordinary meeting.
Outside the Queen's office, Chief Han awaited him with a grave expression.
"Minister Jade," Han said in a hushed tone, "Her Majesty is expecting you."
Jade gave a curt nod.
"Yes. Please announce it to me."
Chief Han stepped inside and bowed low before the Queen, who sat at her desk, fingers steepled in thought.
"Your Majesty, Minister Jade has arrived."
Queen Genie looked up from the reports scattered before her. Her gaze, though composed, bore the weight of a sleepless night.
"Yes," she said, her voice calm but resolute. "Send him in."
Moments later, Jade entered the room. He bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, you summoned me?"
"I have an urgent matter to discuss," she said, gesturing toward the chair on her left. "Please, sit."
Jade obeyed, his posture respectful and still.
Queen Genie exhaled slowly, then met his gaze with quiet intensity. "This morning, I received a deeply troubling report from the minister of the Education. According to his findings, several local academies have begun extorting money from commoners' families—demanding payment as a condition for their children's admission."
Jade's brow furrowed slightly, though his voice remained composed. "Your Majesty, aren't these academies already funded by the state?"
"That's exactly why I am furious," she said, her tone laced with restrained emotion. "These institutions receive ample support from the royal treasury. There is no justification—none—for placing such burdens on families who can scarcely afford a loaf of bread, let alone bribes."
She paused, her hand tightening around a parchment on the table.
"What angers me even more," she continued, "is that this has been going on for some time. And yet… I remained unaware. Since my coronation, I've devoted much to military reform and economic stability—but I fear I've failed to give proper attention to education for the common people."
There was a long silence before she spoke again, this time with unshakable resolve.
"That ends now. I have decided to inspect the academies myself."
At her declaration, Jade's eyes widened slightly.
"In person?" he asked, uncertain if he had heard her correctly.
"Yes," she replied, her tone firm. "But not as Queen. If word spreads that I'm coming, they'll clean up their act before I arrive. I won't be able to see the truth. I intend to travel in secret—beginning with Hain Village, where this injustice first began."
Jade was silent for a breath, then bowed his head low.
"Understood, Your Majesty. I will prepare at once."
She studied him carefully, her voice softening just slightly.
"I trust you, Jade. I need someone by my side who will not question the risks, who will protect me—and the people I serve. This will not be an easy journey."
He lifted his gaze, and though his expression remained composed, there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes—loyalty, and something almost unreadable beneath it.
"I will not let harm come to you," he said quietly. "You have my word."
It was well past midnight when Queen Genie slipped out of the palace under the cover of darkness, the hush of winter enveloping the city like a silken veil. Dressed in a modest jacket and skirt of plain gray linen, her royal presence was cloaked beneath the garments of a commoner. The moon above cast a pale glow over the deserted palace gates, now silent and still.
Behind her walked Jade, equally disguised in unadorned black warrior's garb. His usual insignia had been left behind—no silver thread, no badge of rank, nothing that would betray his identity. In the eyes of the world tonight, he was just another traveler.
As their quiet steps echoed faintly against the stone-paved streets of the capital, Queen Genie glanced sideways at him.
"We need to blend in," she said in a low voice. "That's why I asked you not to bring a horse. But… I worry I may be making you walk too much, especially when you're still recovering."
Jade shook his head without hesitation, his breath visible in the cold air.
"It's fine, Your Majesty."
There was something deeper in his tone—something that carried not just duty, but admiration. The very fact that the Queen herself had chosen to walk, through the freezing night, in secret, for the sake of the people… It moved him more than he could say.
They walked in silence for a time, the city around them quiet, asleep beneath the weight of winter. Then, gently, snow began to fall.
Soft, silent flakes drifted from the night sky, catching the light of the moon like scattered pearls.
Queen Genie stretched out her hand and let a snowflake land on her palm, her eyes lighting up as she looked skyward.
"Snow is falling, Jade!"
He turned to her and smiled—softly, genuinely.
"Yes. It's snowing."
There was a childlike wonder in her face that made something warm stir in Jade's chest. But the Queen, noticing the concern still lingering in his eyes, turned toward him with quiet resolve.
"Now that it's snowing," she said gently, "the journey might become even more difficult. You're free to turn back, Jade. I can continue with another escort."
Jade looked at her, and his eyes, though calm, held something unshakable.
"I actually enjoy being outside in the snow, Your Majesty."
And though he stopped himself from saying it aloud, the words echoed clearly in his heart.
'In truth… I enjoy being with you, Your Majesty, more than anything in this world.'
He swallowed those words, burying them beneath duty—where they had always remained.
Queen Genie nodded as if she understood, her eyes glancing up again at the falling snow.
"This is the first time I've left the palace on a snowy day," she murmured.
Jade blinked in surprise.
"Truly, Your Majesty?"
"I've sneaked out before," she admitted with a slight smile, "but I've rarely had the chance to wander under snowfall like this. From now on, whenever it snows… I'll remember this night."
Jade didn't reply, but the sentiment settled deep in his heart, like snow settling quietly on earth. The night, though cold, now felt strangely warm.
They walked on in companionable silence, snow gathering softly at their feet, until the landscape changed—the sound of gentle waves brushing against wooden piers signaled they had reached the harbor.
Before them stretched the vast, moonlit sea—serene and glistening like molten glass. The stars above mirrored the water's surface, and the breeze that rolled in from the ocean was crisp, clean, and full of memories.
Queen Genie stood still, gazing out over the water.
"I remember the day I returned to Hana Kingdom," she said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "After journeying through Arabia, then Ash Kingdom… When I finally arrived here, I remember thinking it was a miracle."
Jade watched her quietly, the moonlight catching in her eyes. And in that moment, a single thought rang clearly in his heart.
'Meeting Your Majesty… was the greatest miracle of my life.'
A faint, wistful smile appeared on his lips—barely visible in the dark, but filled with quiet emotion.
As they stood side by side at the edge of the harbor, snow swirling gently around them, a small ship appeared from the distance, cutting across the calm waters and heading toward the dock.
Queen Genie's eyes lit up.
"The ship has arrived!" She turned quickly, her commoner's cloak fluttering behind her as she pointed. "Quickly, Jade—let's go!"
And just like that, she was off—moving with purpose, her steps light and swift despite the snow.
Jade followed her, the corner of his mouth still lifted in a quiet smile, his thoughts echoing as he walked.
'Every moment with Your Majesty… is a joy.'