Ep 9. Feelings That Connect and Reach

Shirayuki and Obi have finally reached Clarines, but they have yet to find Zen and the others. Meanwhile, Zen and his group are getting ready for their own trip to a neighboring kingdom, but Zen is still unable to shake off his worries about Shirayuki. Though he was glad to hear that she is safe with Obi, he still can't help but be concerned for her safety.

As Shirayuki and Obi continue their search for Zen, they stumble upon a bustling marketplace where they meet a young girl named Kihal Toghrul. The girl is the daughter of the chief of a village in the northern part of the kingdom, and she asks Shirayuki and Obi to come and help her people. Her village is suffering from a mysterious illness, and their usual medical herbs are not working.

Shirayuki, being the skilled herbalist that she is, is intrigued by the situation and decides to help. However, Kihal's father is adamant that they won't let someone from the outside help them and tries to banish them from the village. Shirayuki and Obi refuse to leave, and Zen and the others suddenly appear to help them out.

Thanks to Zen's intervention, they are allowed to stay and help Kihal's people. Together, Shirayuki and Zen work to find a cure for the village's illness. As they work, Shirayuki is reminded of her own past as a commoner and the struggles she had to overcome to get where she is today. She realizes that, like the villagers, she too had to rely on the help of others to get where she is now.

Meanwhile, Obi is also doing his part to help the village. He spends his time repairing the broken down machinery that the villagers rely on for their jobs. As he works, he reflects on his own past and the mistakes he's made. He starts to see that, like Shirayuki, he too has relied on the help of others to get to where he is now.

As the cure for the illness is finally found, everyone comes together to celebrate. Kihal's father even apologizes for his previous behavior and thanks Shirayuki, Zen, and the others for their help. The villagers are grateful for the group's assistance, and Shirayuki realizes that their bonds of friendship and trust were what allowed them to find a solution to the village's problems.

In the end, Shirayuki and Zen's worries about each other are put to rest. They both see that they are strong and capable individuals but they are also reminded that they can rely on the help of friends and loved ones to get them through tough times. The episode ends with the group enjoying a peaceful moment before they continue on their journeys.