Shürei and company return from Ran province back to the Imperial City. Ryüki tells Shürei that he can't wait forever for her, because as the emperor, he has a duty to get married. He suggests a contest to her: if he can win her over within a certain length of time, then he wins and she will marry him. If he can't, then she wins; he will never ask her again and he will instead marry Jyüsan-hime, who has succeeded Shusui as head of the court ladies. Shürei agrees and asks him how long the contest will last; the series ends with Ryüki whispering the deadline "Until the Sakura Blooms" into Shürei's ear.