In the evening of the cave, only the crackling sound of the firewood could be heard.
Jade broke the silence first.
"How was life in Arabia?"
Thinking about her life in Arabia, Genie smiled.
"After I arrived in Arabia, I spent the first eight years attending the academy. There were many friends from different countries like me at the academy, so it was quite fun. After finishing my studies, I started writing and teaching children in Arabia."
"Did you teach the children of Arabia, Your Highness?"
"I taught Arabian children as well as children from Hana who lived there. There was no one else to teach our language. Without knowing our language, one can't become a citizen of the Hana Kingdom. So, I taught both Arabic and our language to the children," Genie answered with eyes that sparkled as she thought about the children.
'The Princess really has deep affection for the Hana Kingdom…'
"Do you think I'll be able to meet those children again someday?" Genie's face became sad as she said about the children she had grown attached to.
Jade looked at her gently.
'Princess Genie is such a warm-hearted person.'
His chest ached with a sharp pain.
To deceive such a bright and warm Princess…
To take Hana Kingdom away from her, it was painful.
Jade, who had promised not to form any attachments to anyone in Hana was, before he knew it, growing attached to Princess Genie.
'Maybe… Since the first time I met the twelve-year-old Princess eleven years ago, I've already grown attached to her,' Jade thought.
This time, it was Genie who asked. "Jade, how have you been for the past eleven years?"
"I have been guarding His Majesty the King," Jade answered briefly.
Genie nodded calmly at his brief response.
"I see."
"..."
Jade lowered his head slightly without saying anything.
An awkward silence fell over their conversation that had previously been filled with warmth.
But there was a reason for Jade's short answer.
He felt pressured not to get too close to her.
Saying too much to her, or hearing too much from her…
Jade wanted to keep his distance.
Genie glanced over at him and saw that he was looking down at the crackling fire.
In fact, what she was really curious about was something else.
The woman who kissed Jade at the military flower garden eleven years ago.
She was curious whether he had married that woman, as she had expected.
But seeing Jade's somewhat cold attitude, Genie decided not to ask any further.
In fact, she no longer felt like asking about his married life.
She didn't think hearing about it would be pleasing.
On the other hand, she also felt that Jade didn't like talking about his personal life.
'After all, to Jade, I'm just the Princess he has to protect. It must be uncomfortable for him to tell me all these things…' Genie thought.
As the night grew darker, the awkward silence between the two was thankfully broken by San-gi's return.
"The night has already gotten so dark!"
San-gi entered the cave with a bright smile.
Genie was relieved by San-gi's return, as she had been uncomfortable with the awkward silence.
"I thought you had gone out to the island by yourself since you took so long."
San-gi laughed at her playful comment.
"Haha, if I could, that would be nice."
San-gi laughed and sat against the opposite wall of Jade and Genie.
The three of them felt the warmth of the crackling fire.
"Shall we go to sleep now?" Genie asked.
"What? I wanted to chat more! I'm still wide awake," San-gi said with a laugh.
Jade ignored San-gi's words and replied, "You should sleep."
San-gi teasingly replied, "Looking closely, I see you really listen to Genie's words. It's like you're some kind of superior and subordinate."
Jade was taken aback.
'Did he realize that we're not just friends?'
San-gi spoke again. "Haha, I was joking. Why are you so flustered?"
Genie chuckled and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes.
"I'm going to sleep now. You two can talk if you want."
Jade also closed his eyes.
He didn't particularly want to have a one-on-one conversation with San-gi.
Moreover, he was uneasy about what embarrassing things San-gi might say in front of Genie.
"I'll also go to sleep now," Jade said.
San-gi looked at them both, lying against the opposite wall with their eyes closed, and smiled warmly.
"There's no helping it. I'll sleep too, then."
The second night in the cave, with the crackling fire echoing through, deepened.
Ten minutes later, Jade opened his eyes slowly.
He could see San-gi, who had already fallen asleep on the ground.
Jade carefully turned his head and looked beside him.
Genie was deeply asleep, leaning against the wall.
Genie's head, slightly tilted to the right, looked uncomfortable.
Jade carefully moved closer to her.
'She must be very tired.'
Jade gently leaned her head onto his shoulder, careful not to wake her.
He could hear her even breathing.
Jade turned his head and looked at her sleeping face.
Her flushed cheeks and pink lips glowed beautifully in the firelight.
Jade felt his heartbeat quicken.
'My heart… feels strange. I don't know when, but since meeting Princess Genie… my heart has been strange,' Jade thought.
He gazed at the sleeping princess's face.
He felt a protective urge towards her.
'Earlier, when she was staring at the sunset, she must have been filled with worry…'
Of course.
The Princess had received the news that her father was ill, and she had decided to leave her eleven years in Arabia to return to Hana.
It must have been difficult for her to part with the children she had taught in Arabia, as we could tell from her earlier expression when she thought of them.
Also, she had to part with the palace maids who had become like family to her after the ship sank, and now she had no idea where they were or whether they survived.
If he were to think of the Princess, he should already be planning to leave this island…
Jade couldn't help but think that he didn't want this time to end too quickly.
'When we return to Hana… I'll have to start fulfilling the mission I was sent for… That means, I'll have to deceive Princess Genie more seriously.'
Jade bit his lip hard.
The original purpose of entering the Hana Kingdom, the trust Kim Jae-jin had in him, and the mission assigned to him in the Ash Kingdom…
At this moment, everything felt heavy.
The mission he had been carrying out for the past eleven years…
Had started to feel like a burden ever since he met Princess Genie.
'I wish time would stop. Even for just a moment…'
Listening to Genie's peaceful breathing, Jade closed his eyes again.
----------
On a morning when the sunlight gently illuminated the cave, Genie rushed into the cave, breathless.
"Both of you, wake up!!!" Genie shouted as she looked at Jade and San-gi, who were still not fully awake.
Jade slowly opened his eyes.
Genie's surprised expression, as though she had already woken up, was visible.
"Jade, there's a ship outside!"
Jade hurriedly pulled himself away from the wall.
"Is that true?"
Jade quickly got up from his spot.
"Yes! I just went outside and saw a ship sailing far away! We need to wake San-gi up and get to the beach quickly!"
Jade rushed over to San-gi and shook his shoulder.
"Wake up quickly."
San-gi frowned and opened his eyes.
"Yes, bro...?"
"This is not the time to sleep. Get up quickly."
San-gi rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and got out of bed.
Following Genie, who hurriedly went out toward the beach, Jade left the cave.
San-gi, still half-asleep, followed them.
"Look! You see the ship?"
Genie pointed at the ship sailing in the emerald-colored sea in the distance with her finger.
Upon seeing the ship, San-gi finally came to his senses.
"Wow! It's a ship! I see the ship!!!"
San-gi jumped up and down excitedly.
With a calm voice, Jade said, "We need to quickly start a fire to signal that we're here."
Jade turned his head and looked at Genie.
"Please wait a moment. I'll go bring some firewood."
Jade quickly ran back into the cave.
"I'll go too!"
Genie hurriedly followed Jade into the cave.
"Oh, then I'll go too!"
San-gi, also flustered, followed them into the cave.
A short while later, the three of them came out with a pile of firewood and, under Jade's lead, hurriedly started a fire on the beach.
Thanks to Jade's skill at starting fires, smoke began rising into the air in no time.
"Please, come this way when you see the smoke..." Genie prayed earnestly.
At that moment, the ship turned and started heading toward the beach where the three of them were standing.
Shocked, San-gi began jumping up and down excitedly.
"Wow!!! It's coming this way! It's coming!"
Genie, standing beside him, raised her arms and waved them in the air.
"Here!!! There are people here!!!" Genie shouted.
The ship came closer to the beach and gradually became larger.
Overcome with emotion, San-gi shouted, "We're saved now!!!"
Genie said, "Truly, God has saved us."
She turned her head and looked at Jade, who had not said anything.
"We're saved, Jade!"