The next morning, Jinny ca to the royal palace alone. She brought no one with her. She wanted to choose her room herself. Pablo had told her she could take any room she wanted and arrange it as she pleased.
She wandered through the wide corridors. She passed the throne room, the hall of mirrors, the old library. There were many rooms, and the choice was difficult.
Then she found it.
A room in the western wing, its large window overlooking the sea. Sunlight entered gently, touching the white marble floors. The room was spacious, but not enormous. It was warm. It made her feel safe.
And most importantly, it was close to Pablo's room.
"This one." she whispered to herself.
She began arranging her simple belongings. She hung her clothes in the antique wooden wardrobe. She placed her papers and eavesdropping devices on a small desk by the window. She arranged her toiletries on a small table with a silver-frad mirror.
Then she sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at the sea from the window.
And she thought about Kuma.
She loved him. She knew that. And he knew it too. He loved her. But he kept his distance. He hesitated. He was afraid.
It wasn't fear of love. It was fear of the future.
The Buccaneer race.
Kuma's race. A legendary race, powerful. The World Governnt has enslaved them for centuries. Buccaneer n, won, and children are hunted, captured, sold as slaves. Their lives are hell.
If he married her, if they had a child, that child would carry Buccaneer blood. He would be powerful, imnse, like his father. But he would be a target. A potential slave. Prey.
Kuma doesn't want that. He doesn't want to see his child suffer what he suffered. He doesn't want to see Jinny suffer trying to protect him like his mother did. He doesn't want to bring this tornt to Jinny.
That's why he kept his distance. He loved her, but his great love for her forced him to stay away.
Jinny understood that. She wasn't stupid. She knew why Kuma hesitated. She knew why he refused her when she told him they should marry, even though they had spent years together.
She had always accepted this. She had always lived with this silent pain. She didn't pressure him. Didn't ask him. She just stayed by his side, understanding, waiting without expecting anything.
But sothing had changed.
She couldn't pinpoint when. But it changed. She no longer thought only of Kuma. She began thinking of sothing else. Of soone else.
Pablo.
She hadn't admitted it to herself yet. She hadn't said "I'm attracted to him" or "I'm thinking about him." But she noticed the change.
She thought about the way he spoke. About his confidence. About his cold eyes that would sotis warm when he looked at her. About the way he flirted with her, rudely sotis, and intelligently at others.
She laughed inside at his flirtations, even when she pretended to be angry. She awaited his visits to her room, even when she acted like she didn't care. She wore her bold clothes and knew he would look at her, and that she wanted that.
She didn't know she had started to love him. She thought she was just impressed by his personality. She thought she was just grateful to him for saving the south. She thought she just felt safe beside him.
But she looked forward to seeing him. She felt lonely when he wasn't there. She smiled when he winked at her.
She sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at the sea.
She thought about Kuma. She loved him. She would live with this unfulfilled love, because she understood his fear.
But she also thought about Pablo.
And she didn't know what that ant.
---
While she was lost in her thoughts, she heard a familiar voice from outside the room.
Pablo's voice.
He was speaking with Darin, his voice clear even from behind the closed door.
"No, not here. The gym should be in the eastern wing. The large hall. The one that used to be an old storage room. There's enough space there."
"How big will it be?" asked Darin.
"Very large. I want weights, training machines of all kinds, running machines... and I want mirrors on the walls."
"I will begin arrangents."
"Also, the hot spring. The backyard. The small abandoned building. I will turn it into a bathhouse."
"A hot spring?"
"Yes. There are hot springs under the palace. They were ignored for a long ti."
"It will be done."
Jinny rose from the bed. She opened the door. She stepped into the corridor.
Pablo was standing there, with Darin beside him. In his hand was a long list.
He looked at her. He smiled.
"Jinny. How is your room?"
"Beautiful. It suits ."
"Good."
"I heard you talking about a gym and a hot spring."
"Yes. I'm transforming the palace into what suits ."
"Do you want help?"
Pablo raised an eyebrow. "With what?"
"I have good taste."
Pablo laughed. "Alright. Co with us."
---
Jinny joined the two n. They walked through the palace corridors.
They reached the eastern wing. The large hall was empty, dusty, and full of cobwebs. Its ceiling was high, its floor marble.
"This will be the gym." said Pablo.
Jinny looked around. "It needs better lighting. And these gray walls are dull. You can paint them white, or put light wooden panels. It will beco warr."
Pablo looked at her. "Good idea."
Then they headed to the backyard. The small abandoned building stood there, its walls dirty, its windows broken.
"This will be the hot spring."
Jinny walked around the building. She went inside. She ca out after a mont.
"The floors need restoration. And add large glass windows overlooking the garden. The view will be beautiful."
"I'll add it to the list."
They walked to the grand hall where the old paintings hung. Jinny looked at the paintings. The faces of the forr kings were arrogant, their eyes cold.
"These will go." said Pablo.
"Where?"
"To Baldog. He might appreciate them."
"Good idea. But why don't you bring new paintings? Landscapes, seas, forests."
"That's what I planned."
Jinny smiled. "We think alike."
Pablo looked at her. "Perhaps."
Then he said: "Co. I'll show you the basent."
---
They descended the spiral staircase beneath the palace. The air grew colder. The corridors were narrow, but wide enough.
They reached the huge basent.
"This will beco my personal treasury."
Jinny looked around. The place was dry, secure, far from the eyes of thieves.
"Suitable. But you will need guards. Iron doors. Strong locks."
"I'll add them too."
"And add a ventilation system. Humidity might ruin the paper currency."
Pablo looked at her. "You think of everything."
"That's my job."
Darin smiled from a distance. He was happy to see Pablo and Jinny cooperating.
---
They returned to the upper floor. They stood on a balcony overlooking the port.
The sea was calm, and the sun was setting. The sky was golden.
Pablo looked at Jinny.
"Thank you for your help."
"Don't ntion it."
"Do you want to change anything else in your room?"
Jinny thought for a mont. "Maybe add bookshelves. I love reading."
"I'll send soone to install them."
"Thank you."
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