In the early morning air of summer, Genie and Jade came out in front of the gate.
Sallan, who had come to greet them, handed Genie a bag filled with medicine.
"Please take this with you on your way back to Hana."
"Thank you so much. I won't forget your kindness."
Genie slightly bowed her head in thanks.
"Don't mention it. You're traveling with my long-time friend, Jade, so it's only natural to help you."
Sallan glanced at Jade, who was standing next to Genie.
"Be careful, Jade. I hope we can see each other again someday."
"Thank you, Sallan."
Genie and Jade left the gate, seeing Sallan off.
"How are you feeling, Your Highness?"
"I'm fine. How about you, Jade? Is your leg okay?"
"I'm fine."
Genie lowered her gaze to Jade's right leg.
Noticing her gaze, Jade walked as if nothing was wrong.
"When you get back to the palace, you should see a physician right away," Genie said.
"You should see a physician first, Your Highness," Jade replied playfully, trying to downplay her concern.
"By the way, I hope those men from the harbor and the officials who came out of the government office show up this morning. We need to catch them in the act of selling the kidnapped women."
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I went to the government office last night and confirmed the plan again. They should be waiting at the harbor, along with the men from yesterday."
Jade briefly glanced at Genie.
She seemed determined, as if making a solemn vow.
'The Princess has a strong sense of justice, even in a land that's not her own.'
After a while, as promised, the tall man and the short man, along with five officials dressed in plain clothes, stood by the leftmost exit of the harbor.
The tall and short men immediately bowed deeply when they saw Genie and Jade.
Genie, who wanted to hide her identity as a princess, quickly whispered to the two men. "Please don't bow so much. The officials might become suspicious."
One of the officials from the government office asked, "Are you sure that the human traffickers will arrive here in an hour?"
"Yes, it's true!" replied the tall man with confidence.
"Then, let's scatter now."
Following the official's instructions, the group dispersed.
Genie and Jade, pretending to be regular passersby, walked through a nearby shopping street, keeping an eye on their surroundings.
After a while, five women in black clothes were dragged by large men toward the dock.
Genie and Jade exchanged glances with the officials, who were also watching the scene from nearby.
Genie whispered, "How can no one stop them when they're openly selling the women they kidnapped?"
"... Your Highness, Ash is a dangerous place. The authorities only came out to capture the scene because the citizen of Ash filed a report yesterday, but otherwise, they would not have cared as usual."
"I don't understand. How can a country be so indifferent to its people?"
Genie was fuming when the large men began loading the five women onto a ship.
The officials exchanged glances and immediately ran to the ship.
"Your Highness, please wait here safely," Jade pleaded Genie one last time before heading toward the ship.
Genie stood from a distance, watching the officials, Jade, and the two men rush onto the ship.
Meanwhile, a fierce battle was already unfolding on board.
"Stop right now!" The officials shouted.
The large men, who had kidnapped the women, immediately pulled out the clubs they had hidden in bundles.
Jade swiftly disarmed the attacking men with his bare hands, effortlessly knocking them to the ground.
The officials were stunned by how quickly Jade took down the men, and they rushed to assist him.
Meanwhile, the tall and short men hurriedly helped the women escape the ship.
When the women stepped off the ship, Genie, who had been watching from afar, smiled in relief.
Soon after, the large kidnappers were brought out by the officials.
The people passing by the harbor stopped in their tracks to watch the scene.
Finally, Jade stepped off the ship.
When his eyes met Genie's, he gave a small smile.
'Jade...'
Moments later, the kidnappers were escorted to the government office, leaving only Genie, Jade, and the two men from the previous day.
The two men bowed deeply and made farewell in unison.
"Safe travels!"
"Safe travels to you as well!"
Genie responded, "When we return to Hana, I will send someone to deliver food to the address in Ash. From now on, live an honest life."
The men bowed again, deeply moved.
"We'll remember that."
"Thank you."
Jade noticed a ship heading to Hana entering the harbor.
"It's time for you to board the ship."
Genie nodded.
As they boarded the ship, the two men waved their hands at them for the last time.
"There's still about an hour before the ship departs," said the sailor as they were about to board the ship to Hana.
Genie turned her head to look at Jade.
"They said we have some time. Shall we take a look around the harbor?"
Jade thought of what Chi-yon had told him about stopping by his shop.
Looking down at Genie's worn-out shoes, Jade replied, "Your Highness, may I suggest we stop by a shop for a moment?"
"Sure."
Jade quickly found Chi-yon's shop, which seemed to be the largest in the harbor area.
Genie followed Jade inside.
Chi-yon greeted Jade warmly.
"Oh, Jade! You're here!"
Chi-yon also smiled at Genie, who was standing behind Jade.
"Do you have shoes for women?"
"Of course. Over there."
Jade immediately walked toward the stand where women's shoes were displayed.
Genie finally realized why Jade had come to the shop.
She lowered her head to look at her worn-out shoes.
'He came here to buy me new shoes because mine are falling apart…'
A surge of emotions filled her heart.
After a moment of contemplation, Jade picked up a pair of delicate pink shoes.
"Would you like to try them on?"
Genie tried the shoes on.
Though slightly bigger than her feet, they were still comfortable.
"They're good."
Hearing Genie's response, Jade took out all the remaining coins from his pocket.
"Though this is money I owe you, I'll buy these now. When we return to Hana, I'll send someone to repay the debt."
Chi-yon laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
"It's nothing between us."
Chi-yon playfully grinned at Genie.
"I've never seen Jade buy shoes for a woman."
Embarrassed, Jade said, "Well, we should be going now. Thank you, Chi-yon."
Chi-yon laughed and waved at them.
On the ship bound for Hana, Genie and Jade leaned against the deck and watched the Ash fade into the distance.
Genie glanced down at her new shoes.
"Thank you for the gift, Jade."
Jade gave a bashful smile.
"It's nothing, Your Highness."
"The journey from Arabia to here has been so difficult. I don't think I'll ever forget it."
"Indeed."
"Jade, thank you for protecting me."
Jade smiled gently in response instead of speaking.
Genie silently gazed at the sparkling sea under the autumn sky.
The cool sea breeze tousled her hair.
Jade glanced at her, a small smile forming on his face.
He followed her gaze and looked at the brilliant sea.
'I will never forget this journey too, Your Highness.'
The harbor of Hana Kingdom came into their sight.
Genie couldn't tear her eyes away from the familiar view of Hana city.
After more than eleven long years, she had finally returned to Hana.
But her joy was short-lived as thoughts of Lady Han and Lady's attendant Park, who had been separated from her, flooded her mind.
Genie, not yet knowing that Lady Han and Lady's attendant Park had already arrived in Hana, felt her heart ache as if it were being torn apart by the thought of her beloved companions.
Jade looked at her from a distance, his expression full of concern.
'The Princess must be struggling deeply.'
Jade wanted to comfort her, but didn't know what to say.
He prayed in unison with Genie, hoping that Lady Han and Lady's attendant Park had safely arrived in Hana and that King Gen was in good health.
When Genie and Jade arrived at the palace, it was in an uproar.
Most of the palace servants had expected her to be dead, but she had miraculously returned alive.
Genie immediately headed for the King's chamber to see her father.
She burst through the door and shouted, "Father!!!"
"Genie...!"
"Father!!!"
Genie hugged her father.
He had once been robust, but now he felt frail in her arms.
"Father…"
Genie pulled away slightly and looked back at her father.
"You've become so thin…"
King Gen smiled weakly.
"I heard about the shipwreck. So, how did you survive and come back?"
"If it weren't for Jade, I probably wouldn't have made it back. Jade saved me many times."
"As expected, it was a good decision to send Jade... I knew he would bring you back safely. No, it was through Jade that God brought you back safely to Hana."
Genie recalled Jade, who had been with her just moments ago.
"Yes, that's right. If I were to tell you about the journey from the Arabian harbor to here, it would take more than just a night, Father."
King Gen, seeing his lively daughter, smiled with relief.
"We must give Jade a great reward immediately."
"Yes, Father. He is a benefactor whom I could never repay, even with a reward."