The entire cell seemed to explode into chaos the moment they saw Duyen. Even Duyen herself was shocked—because Mina, and even Dao, were actually here. She froze, completely stunned, unable to process what was happening.
"What… what is going on…? You two—"
"Duyen!"
Mina rushed forward, clinging to the iron bars and screaming Duyen's name in pure joy. Hearing that name, Dao jolted upright as well. Sure enough, the Duyen standing in front of them was real—one hundred percent real.
Duyen snapped out of it and ran toward them, her face pale with panic and confusion.
"Mina! Dao! Why are you two here!? Wait—let me get you out of there!"
She fumbled, trying to grab the key ring she remembered seeing hanging on the first floor of the tower. But Mina couldn't hold herself back anymore. She reached through the bars, seized Duyen's hand, and pressed it to her own cheek. Tears streamed endlessly down her face.
"I'm not dreaming, am I…? Duyen… you're really here…"
Duyen froze for a second. She never imagined Mina's feelings for her ran this deep. She still didn't fully understand where they were, but from Luna's tone earlier, it was clear Mina's group had gone through hell just to get here.
Mina looked thinner—gaunt, exhausted. Like she hadn't eaten properly in days.
Duyen's chest tightened.
Behind Mina, Dao simply shook her head slightly, silently signaling Duyen.
"What happened? Why did you come here?" Duyen asked.
Mina was still clinging to her hand, rubbing it against her cheek as if afraid it would disappear. Duyen let her. Dao, barely managing to stay on her feet, spoke weakly.
"I don't even know where to begin… But besides us, Yu and Nayeon came too. We got separated when we tried to cross the forest… But we came here to save you. At least, that's what I know."
"Save me?" Duyen frowned. "Save me from what?"
Dao looked just as confused.
"Didn't Shana kidnap you?"
Duyen shook her head gently. "I didn't—"
"She did!"
Mina shouted suddenly, glaring at Duyen through tear-filled eyes. She wiped her tears roughly and continued, her voice trembling with forced control.
"I saw it with my own eyes… Shana kidnapped you. Took you away from me."
"Mina, Shana didn't kidnap me. This whole thing—"
Duyen wanted to explain, but she knew Mina would only fight back with the version of the truth she chose to believe. Dao stood there, lost, looking between them.
"Then what did happen? Who kidnapped Duyen?"
"Well…" Duyen hesitated.
If she said it outright, the one who had once intended to kidnap her… was Mina herself. But only Mina, Duyen, and Shana knew that. And now was not the time. She didn't want Dao to think badly of Mina.
Duyen turned away and reached for the keys.
"I'll open the lock first…"
But Mina grabbed her hand again. Her pupils trembled, on the verge of breaking down once more.
"Duyen… please… don't marry Shana. I'm begging you…"
"…Let me open the lock."
Mina tightened her grip, refusing to let go. Duyen's attempt to ignore her desperate plea made Mina's heart feel like it was being crushed.
"Don't, Duyen! Promise me! Please!"
"Mina…"
"Please don't marry Shana…"
That was a question Duyen couldn't answer easily. And she knew Mina would never accept a "no."
Seeing Mina like this made Duyen's chest ache unbearably. She couldn't even name the feeling anymore.
Mina… I'm sorry…
Before she could respond, hurried footsteps echoed up the staircase. The sound alone made them all flinch.
Two girls appeared—both wearing scandalously short yukata and fox masks. One was tall, one short. The taller one had long white hair—strangely familiar.
Just as they thought they'd been discovered, one of them shouted—
"Duyen!"
"Nayeon…?"
Nayeon immediately ripped off her fox mask, revealing a pretty, dust-smudged face. Her smile was radiant, eyes shining with tears as she called out again—
"Duyen!"
She ran straight into her childhood friend. Duyen released Mina's hand and hugged Nayeon tightly, even lifting her off the ground and spinning her around.
Nayeon sobbed into the fur lining of Duyen's jacket.
"You idiot… Why do you always make me worry like this? You stupid Rubik's cube! Idiot!"
"I'm sorry, Nayeon…" Duyen cried like a child.
She pulled back, wiping her tears as she scanned Nayeon from head to toe.
"Are you hurt!? Are you okay!? Why did you suddenly disappear!?"
Seeing Duyen's frantic concern, Nayeon laughed weakly through her tears.
"Relax. I've got great karma. Not dead yet. As for why I disappeared… you can thank someone for that."
She shot a sideways glance at Mina behind the bars.
Mina, watching their reunion, felt an intense wave of jealousy but only scoffed and turned away.
Nayeon snorted.
"Anyway—Duyen, I heard Shana kidnapped you?"
Duyen sighed helplessly.
"I don't even know how to explain anymore, but she didn't kidnap me. Let's talk later. I need to get Mina and Dao out first."
She grabbed the key ring—dozens of keys, big and small—and tried them one by one. None fit.
"What? Why isn't it working?"
"Move. Let me try."
Nayeon pushed Duyen aside, pulled two hairpins from her hair, and started picking the lock. The mechanism looked old and simple—but no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't open.
One hairpin snapped.
"My hairpin broke…"
Everyone grew tense.
Then Yu stepped forward, removed her mask, and handed them a strange-looking key—more like a spiked lollipop than a key.
"Try this."
Nayeon blinked. "What is that?"
"I took it from those two women when they passed out. No idea if it'll help."
Duyen stared at Yu's face, startled.
"The girl from the restroom?"
Yu bowed slightly, expression as emotionless as ever.
"My name is Yu. Nice to meet you, Duyen."
Nayeon took the key and slid it into the lock. It fit perfectly.
With a sharp click, a red stain spread from the key into the lock, pulsing like rotting flesh. Nayeon yelped and dropped it.
"What the hell!?"
But the lock was already open. The cell door creaked apart. Dao stepped out, completely drained. Mina immediately threw herself into Duyen's arms.
Duyen couldn't push her away. Mina clung to her, whispering obsessively—
"Duyen… don't leave me… don't go… please…"
Everyone—including Duyen—felt deeply unsettled by Mina's worsening mental state.
Even someone as kind as Duyen couldn't ignore it anymore.
This can't go on… right?
Just as Duyen was about to speak, thunderous footsteps suddenly stormed up the tower—so heavy the floor itself began to tremble.
"What's happening!?"
Chaos erupted. Panic spread through the group. Maybe this time, they'd truly been caught red-handed—and indeed, they had.
In an instant, countless women wearing fox masks surrounded them, sharp spears gleaming as they closed in. Standing at the center were Hasuko, Haru, and Shana. Shana stood still, her gaze fixed on Duyen, a fleeting trace of heartbreak flashing across her eyes.
The moment she saw Shana, Duyen tried desperately to pull away from Mina—but Mina clung to her, refusing to let go.
Seeing this, Hasuko and Haru couldn't hide their fury on behalf of their mistress. Hasuko shouted sharply,
"Duyen! Why did you secretly come up here and unlock the seals for these prisoners?! And you two human women—how bold of you to think you could sneak in here without us noticing!"
Haru growled low, her blue eyes shimmering dangerously. The sight alone sent chills down everyone's spine—especially with those razor-sharp spears hemming them in.
Duyen struggled free from Mina's grip and stepped forward.
"Shana… Sis Haru, Hasuko… please, calm down and listen to me. Could you… could you please let them go?"
"Absolutely not!"
Hasuko barked, not hesitating for a second despite Duyen being the one speaking.
"They are savage humans who dared trespass upon our territory. The fact that we haven't killed them on the spot is already mercy enough—and you still dare ask us to release them?!"
The unyielding anger in their voices made Duyen's friends realize something grim: they had no chance of escaping.
But Duyen knew—deep down—that these women weren't truly evil. At least, not from the way they had patiently and gently cared for her over the past few days.
So she took a gamble. She stepped forward without fear, pleading sincerely.
"I know what I did is unforgivable. But they are my friends—people who mean the world to me. I beg you… please let them go. I'll stay here and accept punishment in their place."
Her words sent shockwaves through everyone. Nayeon and Mina shouted at the same time,
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Nayeon grabbed Duyen's hand, her voice urgent.
"You idiot! Do you even realize what you just said?! Take it back—right now!"
Mina clutched Duyen's other arm tightly.
"No! You're going to stay here with Shana?! I won't let that happen. Never!"
Yet strangely, Duyen's declaration softened the fury in Hasuko's and Haru's eyes. They exchanged a glance, and Haru spoke, her tone calmer than before.
"We can… consider that proposal."
"NO! I FORBID IT! ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Mina rushed forward, standing in front of Duyen with her arms spread wide, like someone losing her mind—desperately trying to protect her love at any cost.
Haru barely spared her a glance as she continued coldly,
"After all, Miss Duyen has already willingly entered a binding pledge with Lady Shigonami. Her decision to remain here is only natural. We can overlook her friends—consider it a wedding gift."
She paused.
"As long as they leave immediately… and never return. Ever."
The words hit like a thunderclap. Never return.
Did that mean… this would be the last time they'd ever see Duyen?
And Mina—there was no way she would accept that.
"No… no… that's impossible! No!"
She looked more unhinged by the second. Haru pressed on, her voice turning colder.
"Miss Duyen, is there something you're still clinging to? If so, then perhaps you shouldn't have agreed to marry Lady Shigonami in the first place. Making promises you can't keep… that's unbecoming."
"No! Duyen! Don't do this!"
Mina spun around, gripping Duyen's shoulders as tears streamed down her face.
"Tell them! Say no! Reject them—now!"
When Duyen remained silent, Mina completely broke. Her heart shattered.
"Say something! Please!"
Seeing Mina like this, Duyen couldn't endure it any longer. She couldn't keep dragging out Mina's suffering. She had to give an answer.
But the one who spoke wasn't Duyen.
Shana gently placed her hand on Haru's shoulder. Her reddish-brown lashes lowered, sorrow filling her eyes—she couldn't bear to watch this any longer.
"That's enough, Haru. Let them all go…"
Haru and Hasuko stared at their mistress in shock.
"Let them go?! My lady—you can't!"
But Shana's gaze remained fixed on Duyen and Mina. Tears, like falling pearls, streamed down her face as she forced out the words she never wanted to say.
"All this time… I've always known… that deep down, Duyen still carries Mina in her heart…" Her voice broke.
"Shana…"
"Duyen, I'm sorry… That's why I never wanted you to rush into marrying me… I didn't want you to regret anything… Just thinking about it hurts so much… It feels like a thousand arrows piercing my heart…"
The raw pain and trembling sorrow in Shana's voice left everyone frozen. Even some of the fox-masked women began to cry for their mistress.
Haru frowned, fury and grief burning in her eyes—she was clearly unwilling to accept this.
As for Duyen, seeing Shana cry like this shattered her. She couldn't speak.
No.
Her heart was already decided.
She couldn't let either of these women suffer because of her any longer.
Duyen stepped forward.
"Shana… I don't regret it. Please don't cry. I truly want to marry you."
"Don't say that, Duyen…" Shana shook her head desperately, sobbing. "Don't pity me!"
"No!"
Duyen shouted, her eyes blazing with unwavering resolve and sincerity from the depths of her soul.
"Shana, I love you. And I want to marry you. I don't regret it."
Her words stunned everyone. But her certainty was undeniable.
Shana smiled through her tears, whispering faintly, "I love you…"
But there was one person who absolutely couldn't accept this ending. Mina stood frozen, as if struck by lightning, her lips trembling.
"No… that's impossible… This has to be a dream… it has to be…"
Duyen turned to face her, forcing herself to say what Mina never wanted to hear.
"Mina… I'm sorry. But we can't be together."
"Can't… be together?"
Mina repeated it, then laughed bitterly, almost hysterically.
"Hahaha… you're joking, right? What the hell is happening? Stop messing with me, Duyen."
"Mina…"
Duyen took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry."
"No… no…"
Mina murmured as she staggered backward. The fox-masked women lowered their spears, not attacking her.
Only Mina's laughter echoed—laughing and crying at the same time, completely unhinged.
"No… no… NO!"
Duyen and the others were helpless, unable to restrain Mina as she clutched her head and screamed.
And then—something utterly unexpected happened.
Suddenly, Yu appeared from behind and wrapped her hand around Nayeon's throat.
"Ah—Yu?! What are you—?!"
Everyone's attention snapped toward Nayeon, who was writhing in Yu's grip.
"Well, well… what a tear-jerking little scene," Yu said softly.
"But you really shouldn't let your guard down like that."
Her voice grew cruel. And her dull gray eyes slowly burned into a deep, fiery orange-red.