The group of Kochou attack and Youko kills them. Rakushun gets trampled by the villagers and knocked out during the action. The guards come running out and Youko thinks about killing Rakushun before she leaves so he won't turn her in.. But she runs away instead because she is afraid the guards will give her a hard time for being a kaikyaku. Back in the woods Auzaru appears and asks her why she didn't kill Rakushun.. She replies saying he was her friend. He puts a mask of Rakushun on and says he will turn her in. He tells her that she cares about nothing and she only cares about herself. She finally stands up to him and tells him that she will do whatever she wants and he doesn't control her. She is fed up with him and approaches him with her sword. She tells him she is glad she didn't kill Rakushun. He calls her a fool and she slashes him with the sword as he falls lifelessly into a bush.. She has finally freed herself from Azura. She goes back into town to find Rakushun but no one see

The episode opens with a little boy out in the cold snow looking in the window.. His mother and grandmother are arguing over how he is spoiled and misbehaves. He trips and all the sudden it is one year later.. He is in a different part of town.. The location is his grandmothers funeral. Flash forward to present day Japan.. The same boy, now older is named Kaname Takasato. He is in art class having strange flashbacks of the inncindent. We see Sugimoto, having already met Takasato, she goes up and talks to him. She keeps asking him why he was spirited away to The Twelve Kingdoms.. Takasato doesn't want to talk about it. Back in Kei, we see Youko and Keiki flying to Mount Hou to see an old friend of Keiki's. When they arrive Keiki introduces Youko to Youka. Youka tells Youko about the special raboku tree here that gives life to kirin. Taiki, the missing kirin of Tai is brought up and Keiki tells about how his nyokai, Sanshi was born.

Youko is imformed of the depception in her ranks. She returns to the palace. Later Keiki comes to ask Youko what happened, Youko, still getting the feeling that Keiki dissaproves of her, lashes out at him again and sends him away. Her sword glows and shows her images from her child hood of always trying to be liked. Back to Shoukei, Gobo is giving her dinner. Shoukei is now in jail and tells Gobo how her parents were killed infront of her. Gobo tells her now she knows how it feels. The next morning the villages are about ready to execute Shoukei when all the sudden troops arrive saying the lord of Kei requests her.

Youko defeats all the guards chasing her, and they run away. Shoukou sends Asano with his men to visit the house Youko's been staying at. Shoukei gets hidden at a house in town by her new friend who saved her. In exchange for staying she does all his dishes for him. He discusses with her about how Shoukou runs this area and often goes to ""hunt"" people. Enraged, she wonders why Queen Kei allows such a man to run this area. Elsewhere, Koshou is explaining the ways of their group to Suzu. Suzu seems determined to make Queen Kei pay... Youko goes to the groups inn and talks to Suzu. Suzu explains why she hates Queen Kei. Youko, still using the alias, is upset that her people think this way of her and leaves. Shoukou's men storm Enho's house. Asano sees the boy, Kei Kei, and feaks out. Thinking it's Seishou, he shoots the boy. Confused about what he just did, the men kill her mother and leave with Enho as their hostage. Just then Youko and Keiki return there. Keiki smells blood so Youko che

Youko finally reveals to her army her true identity, and the war is ended.

Youko returns to her throne and with the proof that she has acquired, she has the corrupt officials arrested. Seikyo's scheme is exposed. And Youko gives her first official order.