In the eleventh episode of "The First Night With The Duke," the narrative resumes with Yi-beon under assault, propelling the audience into a thrilling sword duel. Meanwhile, Sun-chaek discovers the ancient tiger trinket amidst her possessions as she parks her conveyance. Upon grasping it, the trinket triggers a pounding headache, an identical affliction besetting her doppelgänger in the contemporary realm. Overcome by the pain, Sun-chaek loses consciousness, only to awaken the following morning with inquiries about the talisman for Yi-wool.
Sun-chaek reveals that she encountered an identical trinket in her modern world, sparking Yi-wool's explanation that they sourced it from a shaman, intended to infuse excitement into Sun-chaek's otherwise mundane existence. Intrigued and still reeling from her headache, Sun-chaek seeks the shaman once more, only to be assailed by another bout of excruciating pain. This time, she demands clarity on the trinket's mystical prowess.
The shaman confides that the talisman was meant to catalyze a transformation in Sun-chaek's life, but when she attempts to divine Yi-beon's fate, the response is eerily vague and unclear. With a foreboding sense of caution, the shaman issues a stark warning: to beware the final chapter, for all within this world cease to exist upon the tale's conclusion.
Amidst this turmoil, Sun-chaek resolves to prioritize Yi-beon's return. However, Prince Lee-gyu harbors alternate designs for the king and Yi-beon, cunningly earning the king's trust and insidiously poisoning him with scented incense.
Elsewhere in the city, Hwa-seon overhears gossip from Eun-ae's retainers, prompting a confrontation. Yet, Eun-ae remains unfazed, her confidence bolstered by her alliance with Prince Lee-gyu, who seems invincible in his machinations.
The following day, Sun-chaek officially steps into the abode of Yi-beon. In the bustling market, her path crosses with Lee-gyu, and with diplomatic prowess, she puts him firmly in his place. As the night descends, Lee-gyu and the Heuksa clan indulge in a庆祝仪式, mistakenly believing in Yi-beon's demise. Upon her return, Sun-chaek encounters Yi-beon's staff, their tears streaming down like a river in sorrow. A messenger arrives, bearing the harrowing news of Yi-beon's ambush and subsequent death at the hands of the enemy, adding that his body might have been paraded in the rival city as a trophy. Yet, Sun-chaek, unyielding in her faith, demands to witness the body herself, refusing to accept the grim reality.
Inside, her fingers brush against a letter penned by Yi-beon before his departure to war—a testament of his undying love and gratitude towards her. The scene transitions to a vivid flashback of Yi-beon valiantly chasing his adversaries, only to be ambushed and captured after an epic struggle. The letter reduces Sun-chaek to tears, her heart wrenched with emotion.
In a poignant flashback, we uncover that Yi-beon, foreseeing his possible fate, had entrusted Su-gyeom with the sacred duty of protecting Sun-chaek. Meanwhile, Lee-gyu, attempting to justify his actions and the pain that led him to collude with the Heuksa plan, finds himself pushed further away by Sun-chaek's unwavering resolve.
The tidings of Yi-beon's death soon echo through the royal court, stirring worry within the king's heart about the Heuksa clan's ascending power. Lee-gyu, seizing the opportunity, volunteers to aid and suggests that the king cede the throne to him due to his failing health. The king, in agreement, relinquishes his crown.
Lee-gyu, on his way to visit Sun-chaek, intercepts her on her journey to the palace, where she harbors hopes of convincing the king to dispatch reinforcements. He propositions her, offering his assistance in exchange for her hand in marriage. Sun-chaek, steadfast in her principles, rejects his offer with fiery defiance, vowing that death itself would be preferable to betraying her love and loyalty.
Returning to the confines of Su-gyeom's abode, he confronts his father head-on, imploring him with all his might to tread a different, less treacherous path. Steadfast in his resolve, Su-gyeom declines the invitation to ally with the Heuksa clan.
The subsequent dawn brought forth an astonishment that rippled through the royal court: the king's unexpected decision to relinquish his throne to Prince Lee-gyu. Dissent bubbled among some ministers, Ho-yeol among them. To quell this opposition, Lee-gyu took drastic measures, slaying one minister in plain sight, leaving no doubt of his ruthless determination.
Meanwhile, Su-gyeom and Sun-chaek ventured beyond the city limits, their hearts set on locating Yi-beon. However, fate had other plans. Guards, citing her as a traitor's offspring, apprehended Sun-chaek along with her kin. This cruel twist was Lee-gyu's vengeful act against Sun-chaek's rejection. As the blade was poised for execution, time itself froze, and in a blink, Sun-chaek was hurled back to the modern era, the digital realm collapsing in tandem, leaving readers worldwide in suspense.
In the contemporary world, Sun-chaek found herself in an extraordinary dialogue with her Joseon-era counterpart. It transpired that both had yearned for a life transformation while clutching the enigmatic trinket. The incredible body swap had granted them this wish, albeit temporarily. Mercifully, Yi-beon too was spared, his fate intertwined with the frozen temporal flow.
With mere moments ticking away before the servers were to resume their function, Sun-chaek and Mo-eum faced a daunting task: reshaping their narrative. Just as despair threatened to encroach, a divine presence materialized, offering a glimmer of hope and a solution to their plight.
As it transpires, the deity stands as the architect behind both realms, the original author of their fates. However, Sun-chaek harbored ambitions, believing she could pen a narrative far superior. Now, they confront the pivotal decision of whether to revert to the deity's original design. Graciously, the deity offers them a rare opportunity to tweak the tale's conclusion, constrained to mere three sentences. After much deliberation, Sun-chaek discovers the perfect words to alter their destiny.
Returning to the story's fray, Sun-chaek resumes her role where their journey left off. In a twist of fate, a bee stings the executioner, derailing their predetermined path. Drawing upon a childhood memory, Sun-chaek recalls words of wisdom Lee-gyu once imparted to her, using this to momentarily sway Lee-gyu's unwavering loyalty to the Heuksa clan. She cautions him against transforming into the very thing he detests, her words resonating deeply within him.
Concurrently, Su-gyeom rallies his fellow scholars, urging them to protest the impending abdication. The Queen Mother, too, finds herself plagued by fears of impending violence. As night descends, Lee-gyu leads Sun-chaek to the palace, proposing marriage. She declines, prompting him to attempt to escort her, by force, to his chambers.
Fortunately, Sun-chaek manages to slip away, darting towards the tranquil pond. Lee-gyu and his men give chase, eventually cornering her. Defiant to the last, Sun-chaek refuses to succumb without a battle. Enraged, Lee-gyu raises his sword to strike her down.
Just as the blade descends, an arrow pierces through the gates, drawing everyone's attention. Their astonishment deepens as Yi-beon emerges into view.
In the closing chapter, we witness Sun-chaek and Mo-eum's steadfast refusal to revert to their original lives, their choices having forever altered the course of their intertwined destinies.
