"Her Highness is here," the prison guard announced, his voice echoing faintly down the cold stone corridors.
At the sound of the announcement, Ju Tak, who had been leaning helplessly against the rough stone wall with his eyes closed, straightened abruptly, his body tense.
The guard's words had stirred something deep within him—anxiety, guilt, or perhaps an unspoken hope. Beside him, his father, Ju Man, who occupied the neighboring cell, also straightened, his old, stoic demeanor returning at the sight of the princess and Jade.
Genie stood at the entrance of the prison, her gaze sweeping over the two men.
The contrast between their current state and their former dignified selves was stark. The once-proud figures of the Minister and his son were now mere shadows of their former selves, dressed in tattered black prison clothes. Their hair, once neat and groomed, hung in messy strands around their faces. Dirt and grime clung to their pale skin, and their eyes, dull with fatigue and despair, met hers with an unreadable expression.
Ju Tak lowered his head slightly, his shoulders slumped, his gaze heavy with the weight of his actions and the consequences that had followed.
"What brings you here, Your Highness…" he asked, his voice quiet, carrying the resignation of a man who had long since accepted the fate that awaited him.
From the cell next to him, Ju Man also bowed his head, his once-imposing figure now diminished in the face of his captivity.
"Your Highness," he murmured, his eyes flickering to her with a mix of guilt and respect.
Genie took a step forward, her gaze softening as she regarded the two men before her.
"It seems you've suffered much in prison," she said, her voice quiet but firm.
There was no accusation in her tone, only a somber recognition of the hardships they had endured.
Ju Tak, who had once been so full of pride and ambition, offered a weak, almost melancholic smile. It didn't reach his eyes.
"We committed treason," he replied with a resigned sigh, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. "This is the natural consequence."
"You both served in the Ministry of Land and contributed greatly to the Hana Kingdom. I would like to give you one more chance."
Her words were unexpected—an offer of mercy that neither Ju Tak nor his father had anticipated. Both men froze in shock, their eyes widening. They had long since resigned themselves to the belief that this would be their final meeting, one leading inevitably to execution.
"W-what… What do you mean…?" Ju Tak stammered, his voice trembling as he sought to comprehend the weight of what she had just said.
Genie's gaze was steady, unwavering.
"I am giving you a choice," she continued, her voice strong yet tempered with compassion. "Promise your loyalty to me, the soon-to-be queen, and repay your sins by working diligently at the Ministry of Land. Or… you may choose to pay for your crimes with execution." She paused, allowing the gravity of her words to sink in. "Others who once followed you were given a chance. You deserve one too."
Ju Man and Ju Tak stood frozen, their minds struggling to process the enormity of what was being offered to them. The weight of their guilt seemed to press down even harder in that moment. They had expected only punishment, not redemption.
In silence, they slowly lowered themselves to their knees, their bodies shaking with both fear and gratitude. Their heads bowed to the cold, hard stone floor, overwhelmed by the mercy they had just been shown.
Ju Man, tears welling in his eyes, lifted his voice, his tone thick with emotion. "Your Highness… This mercy is beyond anything we deserve… How can we ever repay this grace?" His voice broke slightly, the burden of his past sins too heavy to bear alone.
Beside him, Ju Tak echoed his father's sentiments, his voice equally laden with emotion. "Your Highness… I promise, I will repay your kindness with loyalty..."
His words were full of sincerity, the weight of his previous arrogance now replaced with a quiet, humble resolve.
Genie listened intently, her heart heavy but resolute. She knew what she was offering was a delicate balance of justice and mercy—one that would not be easily forgotten by those she had spared. But her decision was made.
"I shall see you at the enthronement ceremony."
With that, she turned and exited the prison, her footsteps echoing down the cold stone hallways. Jade, ever loyal, followed closely behind her, his eyes scanning the surroundings with quiet vigilance.
As they stepped outside, the bright summer sun bathed them in its warm glow. The sky above was a perfect expanse of blue, its brilliance almost overwhelming.
Genie took a deep breath, her eyes lifted to the sky.
"How beautiful the sky is today. Truly, the Creator is amazing."
Jade, walking beside her, cast a fleeting glance at the princess. He smiled faintly, his heart swelling with quiet admiration.
'If only she could always be like this…' he thought to himself, a quiet longing echoing in his chest.
At that moment, Genie and Jade came to a stop.
The woman approaching the prison gate froze, startled by their sudden presence.
It was Lee Jan—the very woman with whom Jade had once been entangled in a marriage arrangement, now buried in the past for over eleven years.
She lowered her head toward Princess Genie.
"Your Highness, I greet you."
Genie could obviously tell that she had come to visit her imprisoned husband and her father-in-law.
"Have you come to see your husband, Ju Tak?" Genie asked.
"Yes," Lee Jan replied, her voice quiet. "On his behalf, I offer you my sincerest apology, Your Highness."
She bowed again, lower this time, her posture full of restraint and remorse.
"You've come at the right time," Genie said. "By now, the two of them should be preparing to leave the prison. Please… take good care of them."
Lee Jan's eyes flicked up in surprise.
'What…?' she thought, stunned.
Without another word, Genie continued walking, leaving Jan standing in place, her thoughts swirling.
As Jade moved to follow Princess Genie and passed by Jan, she lifted her gaze to him.
He kept walking, pretending not to notice her eyes searching his face.
'Jade…'
Jan slowly turned, watching his retreating figure as he walked away with the Princess—his back to her, just as he had turned from their shared past.
That evening, as Genie sifted through a stack of official documents in her office, a soft knock sounded at the door.
Lady Han stepped in and gave a respectful bow. "Your Highness, Official Moonsen has come to see you."
Genie looked up, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Moonsen," she greeted warmly.
He stepped in with composed grace, his hands neatly folded in front of him.
Bowing deeply, he spoke in a voice as clear as it was gentle. "I hope I'm not intruding on Your Highness's evening."
"Not at all," Genie replied, rising from her desk. "Come—have a seat over here."
She moved to the larger round table near the center of the room, the one reserved for meetings with her closest advisors. Taking her usual seat at the center, she gestured for him to sit beside her. Moonsen settled on the chair to her right.
With his usual calm poise, he offered a quiet smile.
"Your Highness, I just wanted to say how much I've learned these past few days, accompanying you through the succession trials. Being by your side has been... eye-opening."
Genie let out a soft chuckle, unsure how to respond to such earnest praise.
Moonsen went on, a hint of humility in his tone. "At times, I felt I didn't contribute enough to your success. In truth, I feel a little ashamed."
He smiled as he said it, though it barely reached his eyes. It was a small, self-conscious gesture—one that sought to lighten the weight of his confession, but failed to hide the earnestness beneath.
Genie shook her head gently, her expression softening. The firelight from the nearby hearth danced along her features, catching the quiet shimmer in her eyes.
"Don't say that," she said, her voice like a balm. "Just having you beside me was more than enough. I appreciate your presence, Moonsen. Truly."
Their eyes met.
His gaze—bright, steady, and quietly intense—held hers. And for a moment, the room seemed to still. Though only three years her senior, Moonsen had always carried himself with a calm gravity that belied his age. There was a wisdom in him, honed not by years, but by quiet endurance and reflection. It lived in his silences, in the way he observed more than he spoke.
"I promise you, Your Highness," he said at last, his voice now firm, edged with something deeper, "I'll continue to learn and grow. I'll become stronger, more capable—so I can serve you better, and stand as someone you can truly rely on as you lead this kingdom."
"Thank you, Moonsen," she replied, her words quiet but sure. "I'm grateful to have you by my side."
A silence followed—an easy, companionable one. They shared a gentle smile, and in that moment, something passed between them. It needed no name, no shape. But it settled in the space between their hearts, like the first unfurling of spring after a long frost.
Moonsen felt a stirring in his chest. Not duty. Not pride.
Something softer. Something he dared not define—not yet.
But one truth stood unshaken in the stillness.
He wanted to stay.
By her side. By Genie's side.