Young-Sik met up with Kwan. "Your Highness, are you all right?" He asked with concern for the prince
"I am fine, my friend, no need to worry about me," he said, assuring Kwan. "What is he doing here?" he asked, referring to the Guiong official who tagged along
"He wanted to come to see the conflict, I let him," Kwan explained as he glanced at the foreign envoy observing the conflict
"Can you handle things here? I need to find Jin-Ri and the others," he asked, the worry in his voice palpable. "I can direct our forces, Your Highness," Kwan assured the prince. Young-Sik nodded and patted Kwan on the shoulders before heading in the direction that the two women had taken earlier.
Jin-Ri and Mun-He, hiding and weaving through the chaos, reached the royal kitchen in time to see Ji-Hye and her court maidens being chased by several Aranese soldiers. "*Give us the brat! *" One of them shouted
Knowing how to speak the Aranese language, she shouted back, "*Never!*" Ji-Hye runs away carrying the crying Young-Ju in her arms. The Queen's court maidens tried to halt the enemy's advance, but they were mercilessly cut down.
Jin-Ri, upon seeing Ji-Hye's predicament, revealed herself from a corner of the kitchen complex. "Over here quickly!" she shouted at the entrance of the royal kitchen, catching the attention of Ji-Hye and her remaining court maidens. The Queen and her servants ran towards Jin-Ri's direction, followed by the bodyguard and the Aranese soldiers.
Jin-Ri quickly scampered away when she saw the men approaching her. The insurgents turned to the entrance where Jin-Ri disappeared, only to be met with fierce blows from the ladies holding metal pans, pieces of wood, and anything they could get their hands on to defend themselves.
Ji-Hye huddled at the back with Young-Ju, while Jin-Ri and the brave ladies who outnumbered the insurgents hammered away with their improvised weapons, not letting up until all of them were unconscious. The ladies all cheered in their apparent victory, jumping and hugging each other.
Their joy was abruptly shattered when an Aranese soldier who was hidden behind the kitchen building maneuvered behind Ji-Hye. As the ladies dropped their guard, he dashed toward Ji-Hye, snatching Young-Ju from her side.
Though caught off guard, Ji-Hye sprang into action, shouting, "Not my princess! Give her back!" as she clawed and struck at the soldier. The ensuing chaos unfolded in a flash, leaving everyone paralyzed. The soldier landed a blow on Ji-Hye, knocking her to the ground.
Young-Ju, in a moment of bravery, bit the soldier's hand, forcing him to release her. "*You little pest*," he growled, raising his sword to strike the child. In a desperate move, Ji-Hye leaped in front of Young-Ju, taking the lethal blow meant for her.
"Your Majesty!" Everyone shouted. They started to scream as the Aranese man raised his sword to attack them. But he fell to the ground dead even before he could make a single step. Young-Sik arrived just in time to save the rest.
Young-Sik quickly attended to the wounded queen. "Your Majesty!" he exclaimed, trying to rouse her. He felt something warm trickling onto his hands, and when he looked at it, he realized it was the crimson blood of Ji-Hye.
Young-Ju crawled toward Ji-Hye, her eyes swollen and red from crying. "Mama Ji-Hye, please open your eyes," she begged, her voice trembling with the weight of her sorrow.
Hearing the child's sweet voice, Ji-Hye slowly opened her eyes, a gentle smile gracing her lips despite the heaviness in her heart. "You called me Mama," she said softly, her spirit momentarily lifted by the child's affection.
Young-Ju nodded, her sincerity shining through her tears. "Because you're just like my Mama. You're so good and kind to me," she explained, her words filled with warmth, piercing the coldness of despair.
Ji-Hye reached out, her fingers brushing against the child's cheek, tears cascading down her face as she realized the inevitable. "Please, take her away," she implored, her voice barely a whisper. "I can't let her see this... not at such a young age."
"Mun-He, take the child and cover her eyes," Young-Sik instructed with such urgency in his voice. Mun-He quickly scooped up the weeping Young-Ju, carrying her away from the heartbreaking scene, leaving behind a world that was slipping away.
With a tender flying kiss to the child, Ji-Hye turned her gaze to Young-Sik, her heart heavy with regret. "I am so sorry..." she whispered, blood staining her lips. "I regret the role I played in tearing the two of you apart," she confessed, her eyes pleading with both Young-Sik and Jin-Ri. "But I find solace in knowing that...I saved the princess."
The anguished cries of the court maidens echoed through the air, mourning their beloved Queen. Ji-Hye reached out, her fingers brushing through Young-Sik's hair. "Are you grieving for me?" she asked softly. "I did well, didn't I? Is that enough to show my love for you?"
"Of course, I'm grieving, and yes... It's more than enough," Young-Sik replied, his voice a gentle caress.
Ji-Hye's smile was bittersweet as she teased, "Liar!"
Feeling that her final moments were approaching, she turned to Jin-Ri, her breath shallow and labored. "Pro... promise me you'll look after our prince!" she implored, her hand trembling as she reached out.
"I will care for him, I promise," Jin-Ri vowed, stretching her hand toward Ji-Hye's, but before their fingers could touch, the Queen's hand fell lifelessly to the ground, her gaze vacant as it settled on Young-Sik.
With a heart full of sorrow, Young-Sik cradled Ji-Hye's lifeless form, while Jin-Ri gently closed the eyes of their fallen monarch. The court maidens' wails filled the air, mourning the loss of their Queen.
Young-Sik carried Ji-Hye and gently laid her in a nearby carriage. He then turned to the court maidens, "Take the Queen to her residence, protect her, tend to her, and dress her with the most beautiful clothes that you could find."
Sobbing, one of the court maidens answered, "Yes, Your Highness." They then pulled the carriage carrying Ji-Hye's body back to the Queen's residence.
Mun-He, cradling Young-Ju in her arms, approached the pair. "So much needless death," she uttered
Young-Sik took Jin-Ri's hand into his. "Are you ready to end this?" he asked her
Jin-Ri tightened her grip on the prince's hand and replied, "I'm ready."
The three then head back towards the courtyard, not knowing that behind some tall bushes, Man-Ju was watching them. He gritted her teeth at the death of his wife. He then ran in the opposite direction.
Min-Jae finally arrived at the prison complex, surprised that there were no guards. He checked each cell one by one. Until he reached the prison guard's office. Inside, he saw Ha-Rin peering through a window, wanting to know what was happening outside. "Ha-Rin," he called out
Ha-Rin turned around to see her husband, "Min-Jae!" she answered back, the two rushed towards each other, and though separated by prison bars, they shared a passionate kiss. "Young-Ju? Where is our daughter?" she frantically asked when she saw that her husband had arrived alone.
"Young-Sik and the others are rescuing her; you don't need to worry about her," he assured his wife. "Now, stand back!" he instructed her.
Ha-Rin stood as far away as possible from the cell doors as Min-Jae aimed at the chains locking the door in place. With a single strike of his sword, he was able to sever the chains. Quickly opening the doors to let out his wife, the two shared another kiss.
"We've got to move," he urged Ha-Rin. "It would be bad if we were cornered here," He explained. Grabbing hold of his wife's hand, he leads her out of the prison complex.
"Min-Jae, what is going on in the palace? Why all the commotion?" She asked as they walked towards the complex entrance.
"Lim Do-Yun and Gi started another rebellion!" He explained as they peered out of the entrance, making sure no insurgents were present, "That is why we must hurry back to the courtroom and meet up with Young-Sik. So, we can put an end to all this chaos!" he declared
The couple stepped out of the complex as soon as they were sure that the coast was clear. The couple ran towards the courtroom. "Quickly now, we have some distance to go," he urged his wife to move a bit faster.
As they reached the bridge over the palace lake, they stumbled upon Lim Do-Yun, with his two bodyguards trying to escape the chaos. They stopped and stared at each other, measuring each other.
"I really should have cut your head when I had the chance!" Lim Do-Yun sneered at Min-Jae
"Not my fault that you can't even kill a man who is on the brink of death!" He gently ushered Ha-Rin behind him as he pulled out his sword.
"I see you have a new wife, not as pretty as the first one, but I guess you will wail just as much when I stab this one in the back as well," Do-Yun expressed with a sinister smile
"You took my first family away from me! You will not be doing the same with my new family," He exclaimed while assuming a defensive stance with his sword on his side.
"I will take whatever I want to take! I will allow you to live long enough, just to see me take away the lives of your new family!" Do-Yun declared, and he then gestured to his two bodyguards to attack
The two bodyguards charged at Min-Jae with their swords at the ready. Min-Jae charged at the bodyguards as well. Min-Jae performed a horizontal strike at the first enemy and an upward slash at the second enemy. The two bodyguards fell from the bridge to the waters below, creating large splashes.
Do-Yun looked at the waters below and saw his men floating and lifeless, their blood staining the palace lake. He then placed his hands together in the form of a prayer as Min-Jae approached him. "Mercy...Have mercy on me!" He cried, "Please remember, I didn't kill you, that is why you are alive today."
Min-Jae took a deep breath. "You are pathetic, Do-Yun, at least your father faced his end with dignity."
He then turned his back on Do-Yun and walked his way back towards Ha-Rin
Do-Yun, ever the opportunistic man, grabbed the sword of one of his bodyguards and charged at Min-Jae, shouting "Don't you dare insult me, you worthless piece of shit!" But even before he could strike, Min-Jae turned around without warning and plunged his sword deep into Do-Yun's chest, the blade exiting through his back.