"But this is not possible today."
"What!!?"
"Yes. We can restart all these procedures only tomorrow. So for now, please return to the palace."
"What! You are going to the palace? Then please drop me there as well."
Prince Susim looks at Princess Ratri for a moment and then says,
"Alright, come."
Prince Susim and Princess Ratri start heading toward the palace.
"Um… if you don't mind, may I ask you something?"
"Ask."
"Why are you so disappointed with your life that you've become your own enemy and want to give up your life?"
"Don't you think you're speaking a bit too much?"
"Not at all. And anyway, I just want to say that no matter what problems life brings, death can never be the solution."
The prince pauses for a moment and then says,
"When you have no knowledge about something, speaking so much is not good for your health."
"Oh really? So ending your life like a coward is very appropriate, isn't it?"
"You want to go to the palace, right? Then walk quietly. Otherwise, find your own way."
"Alright, fine! I won't say anything. Let's go."
Both of them enter the kingdom. Just then—
"Greetings, Prince."
"Yes, greetings."
"My lord, you had promised us that our children would recover very soon. But look… my child lies there like a lifeless body. When will you fulfill your promise?"
Hearing this, Prince Susim feels deep guilt. Without saying anything, he lowers his head and walks ahead, hiding his tears.
"You are the prince!!?"
Prince Susim gives no reply.
"Listen, go a little further from here and turn left. Continue on that path, and you will see the palace. Now go."
Saying this, Prince Susim goes to the temple of Dhrutdev and sits on the steps.
"I don't know if I will ever be able to relieve my people from this suffering. O Dhrutdev, please remove this crisis from my people, even if you have to write all the suffering in my fate instead."
Tears fill his eyes.
Instead of going to the palace, Princess Ratri comes and sits beside him.
"Look, I don't know what pain you are going through, but no matter how great the suffering is, it fades with time. Yes, at that moment, it feels like it's the biggest pain of our life, but later, the same pain often becomes almost laughable."
"You can say that because you are free from responsibilities."
"Anyone can endure great pain without responsibilities. But when failing to fulfill responsibilities on time puts someone dear at risk, then no reassurance works. A person breaks from within. No matter how much someone explains, it all feels insufficient."
After a moment of silence—
"What kind of suffering are you going through?"
"I am the prince of this realm. A few years ago, the demon Nalish attacked our land and put everyone into a deep sleep. The only cure is the energy of the Light Core."
"I don't know how, but half of that energy has come into me. Because of that, the elders have recovered, but the children still haven't regained consciousness."
Just then, the sound of a woman crying is heard.
"What is that sound? Who is crying?"
The prince and princess follow the sound and reach a place where a woman is crying loudly while holding her child.
"What happened? Why is this woman crying like this?"
"Greetings, Prince. It's good that you came."
"My lord, a disaster is happening in our land."
"What disaster?"
"The children who were in deep sleep… they are now dying one by one."
"What!!!?"
"Yes, my lord. Look at this child. The mother spent day and night waiting for him to wake up, but now he has fallen into the sleep of death forever. And he is not the only one…"
Prince Susim's guilt deepens. Tears begin to flow from his eyes.
Princess Ratri is also deeply affected. She goes near the child and touches him.
The moment she touches the child, an immense energy flows from within her, enters the prince, and spreads throughout the entire realm.
Because of this, all the children regain consciousness.
"What just happened!?"
"What was that light?"
"Because of this light, the children are waking up!"
Seeing all this, Prince Susim becomes extremely happy.
But no one understands what exactly happened—not even Princess Ratri herself.
Everyone considers it the blessing of Dhrutdev and goes to the temple to pray. When King Shantanu hears this news, he becomes extremely joyful and announces a grand celebration.
Prince Susim says to Princess Ratri—
"You were right. No suffering lasts forever. With time, it fades away. Just a while ago, I was asking Dhrutdev for the strength to endure this pain, and now the pain has vanished in a moment. Thank you."
Princess Ratri is listening to him when suddenly she starts feeling dizzy… and collapses unconscious.