Kim Jin sighed deeply as if the earth had opened beneath him.
"What should we do… The Ash Kingdom was already celebrating, believing you would become the queen's husband. If you became the Queen's consort, it would only be a matter of time before the Ash Kingdom controlled Hana… Anyway, I need to report this to the Ash Kingdom quickly. This is not the time. I must take the next ship to Ash Kingdom right away. I will discuss this with the Ash Kingdom court and return with a sharp plan."
Without another word, Kim Jin hurried out of the study.
Left alone in Kim Jin's study, Jade looked at the bookshelf.
It was filled with books about the language, culture, and systems of the As Kingdom.
Kim Jin, whom Jade had considered family since childhood, seemed more focused on reporting the situation to As Kingdom than comforting Jade.
'What was it that I believed in and followed all this time…'
But what hurt Jade's heart most at this moment was Queen Genie's cold attitude toward him.
Not long ago, Jade had finally come to understand the depths of his feelings for Queen Genie.
He had made a resolute decision—to forsake the orders from the Ash Kingdom and the ambitions of Kim Jin, all for her sake.
He had grown to love the Hana Kingdom she so gracefully led, and could no longer bear to follow a mission that would threaten its very existence.
Without hesitation, Jade had thrown himself into reinforcing the border defenses during these critical days leading up to the State Councilor appointment.
But what greeted him upon his return was nothing but conspiracy, misunderstanding, and the chilling coldness in the queen's eyes.
In that moment, Jade felt utterly isolated, as if he stood alone in a vast, empty world. He painfully realized that there was no one to turn to, no one to stand by his side.
With a heavy heart, he closed his eyes gently and clasped his hands together.
In the stillness of that quiet room, Jade sought divine help with all his soul. And even in his despair, his thoughts turned to Queen Genie—praying silently, over and over, for her happiness and her safety from harm.
"Ma'am!"
Onny burst hurriedly into the main chamber, breathless.
"What's all the commotion?"
Lee Jan, seated before her mirror and carefully applying makeup, snapped sharply without turning around.
"Her Majesty has come looking for you…!" Onny's voice trembled with urgency.
Startled, Lee Jan's hand faltered, and the powder puff slipped from her grasp onto the floor.
"Her Majesty? The Queen…?" she whispered, wide-eyed.
At that moment, Chief Han's solemn voice echoed from outside the door.
"Her Majesty is awaiting."
Lee Jan's gaze fixed on the entrance, trembling as a wave of unease washed over her.
Then, as if gathering every ounce of composure, she straightened her back, wiped the worry from her face, and stood with a grave determination.
The heavy main chamber door creaked open, revealing the queen's poised silhouette beyond.
Queen Genie stood in the quiet palace yard, the crisp air wrapping around them like a veil. Their eyes met—cool, steady, and unyielding.
Lee Jan bowed her head gracefully in greeting before stepping forward into the open space.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. What brings you here?" Her voice was smooth, carefully measured.
Queen Genie regarded Lee Jan with a composed calmness, the weight of her purpose clear in her steady gaze.
"Are you well?"
Lee Jan's lips curved into a leisurely smile, lifting her chin with a subtle air of confidence.
"It is an honor that Your Majesty cares for me so much."
She returned the question with a polite tilt of her head.
"And are you well, Your Majesty?"
Genie clenched her fists just beneath her sleeves, restraining the surge of anger that threatened to rise. She forced herself to remain poised, her eyes fixed on Lee Jan without wavering.
"What do you mean?" she asked quietly, every word deliberate.
Lee Jan's smile deepened, serene and unsettling.
"Minister Jade was excluded from the royal consort candidate list. I also regret that, Your Majesty."
Prepared for this moment, Queen Genie met her calmness with equal resolve, her smile steady and unfaltering.
"I have come precisely to discuss that matter. Shall we begin?"
"Your Majesty, it is truly humbling that you have come all the way to such a humble place," Lee Jan said with a relaxed smile, her voice smooth and measured.
The atmosphere was thick with tension as Queen Genie and Lee Jan sat facing each other in Ju Tak's study. Chief Han, Lady Park, and Lee Jan's attendant Onny stood quietly at their sides, watching every move.
Queen Genie responded calmly, her tone edged with quiet irony. "Humble? I was quite surprised when I arrived. Seeing that the house of a Hana Kingdom official who so often speaks of honesty and integrity is so splendid, I imagine the common people would be equally shocked."
Lee Jan's eyes flickered away momentarily, a brief shadow of embarrassment crossing her features, though her smile remained firmly in place.
Genie continued leisurely, as if savoring the moment. "I was worried about how difficult it must have been for Ju Tak to endure such humiliation, but you look far better than I expected. That brings me some relief."
Lee Jan caught the irony laced beneath the queen's words and forced herself to maintain a composed, almost serene smile.
"Though enduring that insult was unbearably painful, I summoned my courage. For even if my own disgrace were to be revealed, an unqualified person must never represent the Hana Kingdom as envoy. It is truly fortunate that Your Majesty made such a wise decision."
Queen Genie held Lee Jan's gaze without flinching, her eyes steady on the shameless confidence shining through Lee Jan's expression. She had anticipated this response fully—and was prepared.
In Genie's mind, a memory from over eleven years ago surfaced — the day she had gone searching for Jade and unexpectedly found him with Lee Jan.
'At that time, Lee Jan kissed Jade in the quiet military garden…'
Genie, then only twelve years old and still a princess, had been stunned by the sight.
That moment marked a turning point — the instant she abandoned her plan to ask Jade to accompany her to Arabia as her bodyguard.
For the next eleven years, whenever Jade crossed her thoughts, Genie pictured him married to that woman, living a settled life, and she silently prayed for his well-being from afar.
Now, as Lee Jan opened her mouth with a sneer, those old wounds stirred anew. "What more is there to say to Your Majesty? I have already told the Inspector General everything. Minister Jade knew my husband was away and tried to assault me. Just as my attendant returned, he fled. He dropped a robe embroidered with his name while climbing over the wall. Is there anything else you wish to know?"
Genie's gaze remained steady and calm.
"I would like to ask about the servant you mentioned."
Lee Jan turned her head sharply toward Onny.
Onny, visibly trembling, lowered her eyes and bowed deeply before the queen.
"Y-Your Majesty… I-I am the servant."
Lee Jan shot an irritated glance at her attendant, as if blaming her for some weakness.
Genie caught that fleeting, harsh look Lee Jan threw at Onny and, in contrast, regarded the nervous young woman with warmth and compassion.
"Would you please tell me what happened then, directly?"
Onny's breath hitched. Her mind spun, thoughts tumbling over one another in panic. But the queen's voice was gentle, her eyes steady — not accusing, but quietly waiting. That warmth gave Onny something she hadn't felt since the incident began. Courage.
"I—I had just stepped outside briefly," Onny began, her voice small and shaky, "and when I returned, Minister Jade was… about to assault our mistress… but he heard someone approaching…" She swallowed hard. "So he fled… without even putting on all his clothes…"
Genie didn't so much as blink at the dramatics. Her voice remained composed, as if she were peeling away fabric, not emotion.
"Do you remember exactly which day that was?"
Onny stiffened. Her eyes darted — toward the ceiling, then toward Lee Jan.
Lee Jan's sharp gaze sliced through her like a blade.
"I-It was probably…" Onny's lips fumbled as she felt the weight of her mistress's warning stare. "…The evening of the second week of September… That's right…"
Chief Han and Lady Park, standing at the queen's side, exchanged subtle glances. Even without speaking, both of them caught the hesitation in Onny's answer — the way it stumbled out, unanchored and unnatural.
Before silence could settle again, Lee Jan stepped in with practiced ease.
"It was around the day after my husband left for the provinces," she said smoothly, her voice firm, as if correcting a student. "Minister Jade must have come knowing my husband was away."
Chief Han and Lady Park watched Onny carefully from the Queen's side.
Even to their eyes, Onny's answer seemed unnatural.
Queen Genie slowly asked the nervous Onny. "Please tell me where you went before returning home then."