Late at night, Jade sat alone in the royal library, leaning against the wall and reading a book. He gently closed his eyes.
Even as he tried to concentrate on the book, Princess Genie kept surfacing in his thoughts.
It had already been ten days since returning to the palace, and it was now August.
In those ten days, Princess Genie had not come to see him even once.
As the Captain of the Royal Guards, Jade had run into Genie a few times when she came to see King Gen, but even those encounters were brief.
Suddenly, the time they had spent together felt like a dream.
Though they had faced near-death situations more than once, he still longed for those moments.
Her words lingered in his mind.
"Please become my bodyguard again."
But Princess Genie had never sought him out again, as if she had forgotten those words.
Even King Gen, despite his daughter's return to the palace after eleven years, had not issued an order for Jade to serve her once more.
'Has Her Highness completely forgotten about me…?'
Jade suppressed the wave of disappointment welling up inside him.
With a deep sigh, he placed the book back on the shelf.
As he stepped out of the library, he walked slowly, looking up at the stars decorating the black night sky.
Then, a cheerful voice called out.
"Jade!"
This voice is…!
Jade lowered his gaze and looked ahead.
Under the soft crescent moonlight, Princess Genie was walking toward him, holding a long object wrapped in silk.
"Your Highness…"
Genie laughed brightly and stopped in front of him.
"What brings you here alone at such a late hour?" Jade asked, trying to hide his trembling heart.
With a slightly awkward expression, Genie handed him the silk-wrapped item.
"Here. Take this."
Jade received it.
"What is it?"
"It's nothing much. A gift."
She averted her gaze shyly.
"May I open it, Your Highness?"
Genie nodded with a small smile.
Jade unwrapped the fine silk from the long object.
"This is…"
It was a sleek longsword, with a jade-inlaid hilt.
His name was engraved on the handle.
At a glance, it was clearly not an ordinary sword.
The grip, the shape—it was all incredibly unique and refined.
Genie spoke with an awkward smile. "You've protected me all this time. I wanted to give back to you in some way."
"…"
"I went to the most renowned swordsmith in Hana Kingdom myself to get this made. It took quite a while to finish."
She smiled, a bit embarrassed.
'I thought she had forgotten about me after returning to the palace…'
Jade chuckled quietly, remembering how disappointed he was earlier.
She had moved him so deeply that his previous disappointment now seemed foolish.
'She's been waiting for this sword to be completed before coming to see me.'
Jade looked at her, hiding his growing smile.
"Thank you… Your Highness."
He held the sword as if it were precious.
He remembered what King Gen had once said.
"Tell me what you want. As King of this land, I want to give you the best reward I can."
Right now, Jade felt as though he had already received the greatest reward.
The sword Genie had personally commissioned and brought to him held her heartfelt sincerity—far more valuable than anything the King could give.
Jade was embarrassed for having been disappointed that she hadn't come to see him.
'She… was thinking about me all along.'
To go as far as visiting the swordsmith herself… she had truly considered him.
A brief silence fell between them.
It was Genie who broke it.
"I went to your quarters but you weren't there, so I thought you might be in the library. I'm glad I found you here. I'll take my leave now. Have a peaceful night."
"You too, Your Highness. Have a peaceful night," Jade replied, hiding his reluctance to part.
Genie turned and slowly walked away.
Jade silently watched her retreating figure under the moonlight.
He wanted to call out to her, to say something more.
But no words would come.
He didn't even know what he wanted to say.
As he stood there, gazing endlessly at her figure, Genie suddenly stopped.
She turned back to face him.
In the middle of the silent palace, under the moonlight, the two of them stood—just the two of them.
"And Jade."
His heart began to race.
"The perilous journey back to Hana Kingdom became a beautiful memory, I think… because you were with me."
With a gentle smile, Genie turned and walked away quickly.
Jade watched her retreating form, clutching his racing heart.
'Me too, Your Highness.'
He couldn't say it out loud—but he spoke it in his heart.
In that moment, Jade wished he could erase reality.
The reality that she was the Princess of Hana Kingdom… and he was a spy sent to threaten the very nation she loved.
Like in that cave on a deserted island, where it felt like only the two of them existed…
He just wanted to stay by her side.
The next morning, under the bright August sunshine, the vast courtyard of the Ministry of Personnel was filled with over fifty new officials entering the palace.
They were the successful candidates who had passed Hana Kingdom's rigorous civil service exam after fierce competition.
Each was seated in a designated spot according to their rank.
The Minister of the Personnel stood on the platform and unrolled a scroll.
"We welcome all of you who are entering as civil officials of Hana Kingdom starting today."
The new officials bowed deeply in unison.
The minister continued, "From now on, each of you will be assigned to a different department and must devote yourselves to the happiness of our people and the progress of our nation. Now, we shall award the top scorer of this year's civil service exam."
He lowered the scroll slightly and smiled at the gathered officials.
His eyes settled on Moonsen, seated in the front center row.
A twenty-six-year-old man with sharp features and intelligent eyes.
"This year's top scorer, who enters the officialdom as the champion, is Moonsen. Give him a round of applause."
Applause erupted.
With a modest smile, Moonsen rose and bowed deeply to the minister.
"Thank you."
"Please come forward."
He stepped up confidently to the front of the platform.
"Every year, Hana Kingdom's top civil service scorer recites the pledge for new officials. Please read it aloud."
"Yes, it's an honor."
He respectfully received the pledge scroll with both hands and turned to face the group.
With bright, intelligent eyes and a clear voice, he began to read.
"From today, we who have become officials of Hana Kingdom pledge to be the ears and mouths of the people, to always stand at the forefront for their happiness. We also declare our commitment to the development of our nation, and to always serve with humility and love."
Under the blazing August sun, Moonsen's confident presence and clear gaze impressed everyone present.
Meanwhile, in the training grounds, Jade, overseeing the guards' morning exercises, spoke. "That concludes this morning's training. Proceed to breakfast."
"Yes, Captain!" the guards shouted in unison.
While the others headed to the right toward the barracks cafeteria, Jade stepped off the platform and turned left.
His subordinate, Dan-jin, called after him.
"Captain, aren't you coming to eat?"
Jade turned and looked back at Dan-jin.
"I have somewhere to be. You go on ahead."
Dan-jin bowed.
"Yes, Captain. I'll go then."
He turned and ran toward the cafeteria.
Jade turned and walked toward the King's chamber.
The path to the King's chamber in the palace was bursting with vibrant summer life, as if celebrating Jade's decision.
Even in the summer heat, the clear blue sky and lush greenery seemed to welcome him.
It was the same summer palace view he saw every day, yet today it felt different—better.
Because today, he was finally going to speak the words he had long pondered.
He was going to answer King Gen's question about telling him what he wanted.
"Your Majesty, the Captain of the Royal Guards has arrived," said the eunuch standing at the King's bedroom.
From inside, the King's slightly hoarse voice responded.
"Let him in."
The eunuch nodded at Jade.
Jade bowed slightly and opened the door.
"Your Majesty, this is Jade, Captain of the Royal Guards."
He bowed toward King Gen, who was seated by the table.
The King greeted him with a warm smile.
"Good morning. What brings you here so early?"
Jade stepped forward and faced the King.
"I've come to give you my answer to what you asked before."
King Gen nodded kindly.
"Ah yes, I asked you to tell me what reward you wished for. Go ahead, speak freely."
"…I wish to become Her Highness's bodyguard once again."
The King's eyes widened slightly.
It was an unexpected answer.
"Truly? You wish to return as Princess Genie's bodyguard?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"But you are already the Captain of all royal guards. Why would you want to go back to being her bodyguard?"
Genie's voice echoed in Jade's ears.
"Please be my bodyguard again."
Jade smiled softly.
"The time I spent returning from Arabia to the palace with Her Highness was precious to me. I wish to stay by her side and protect her from now on as well."
King Gen, moved by his sincerity, was momentarily speechless.
Jade continued. "Your Majesty, please allow me the opportunity to protect Her Highness once more."
"…If that's the reward you truly want, as your King, I have nothing more to say. I can only thank you for your sincere heart toward my daughter. Thank you."
"It is my honor, Your Majesty."
"I'll have the eunuch notify the Ministry of Personnel immediately regarding this matter. You will soon be transferred to become the Captain of the Royal Guards at the Princess's chamber, overseeing the Princess's royal guards."
King Gen once again looked at Jade with a deeply moved smile.
"Jade, thank you. Truly. For caring so sincerely for my daughter, Princess Genie."
Jade bowed his head silently.
A moment later, after leaving the King's chamber, Jade took a deep breath as he stood under the warm summer sunlight.
'It's not for any other reason. Helping Princess Genie ascend as the ruler of Hana is the most effective way for me to fulfill my duties as a spy from the Ash Kingdom. That's all there is to it.'
Jade kept repeating to himself that his decision to stay by Princess Genie's side was purely for the sake of his mission as a spy from Ash.
Though deep in his heart, he already knew—his feelings had begun to turn toward her.