The Twelve Kingdoms: Dreaming of Paradise

like me in that world."
    He clenched his fist tightly. "Except that there are far more people like me in this world."
    "Yes, but—"
    "My big brother is a great leader. So is Shuka. And Eishuku. Everybody who came up through the ranks in Kouto. Shimmering diamonds. But the great mass of the people are like me. From their perspective, I'm small change, a stone in the road."
    "Taiho, Shuka and Eishuku are definitely—"
    Junkou firmly shook his head. "Real people have faults and imperfections. They're not all perfect like my big brother. His ideal world sounds to me like this man-made garden. But building a kingdom is not like making real mountains and real valleys. Reality is not made of these small rocks. In the end, humans can't move actual mountains, or rivers, or forests just to improve the scenery."
    "Yes, that would be a bit extreme."
    "The Sai my brother speaks of sounds like a beautiful dream. I always thought of it as an ideal. The ideal Sai is not a place that can be constructed. An image held in the mind as we take each step closer to the goal—that's what an ideal should be. In that case, it doesn't matter how high the bar. That's what we call it an ideal, after all."
    "Agreed."
    "But my big brother is behaving like the ideal is the reality. If you ask me, though, such a kingdom would become a prison."
    "Taiho—"
    "Don't you see? The picture of the perfect kingdom my brother paints is a place where the common man—the ordinary fool—couldn't live. All the ministers will know right from wrong, will keep their passions in check, and work for the good of all mankind. The people will all obey the law, virtuously and humbly, and work diligently from sunup to sundown. Those who do not are not part of the equation. Where will they go? Exile them? Execute them? In order to keep wickedness and sloth at bay will they be watched and disciplined every minute of the day?"
    "Well—I—um—"
    "If that is the sort of kingdom my brother desires, then I could call myself no better than one of the jailers. It wouldn't be the kind of kingdom that should ever exist. At times like this, I can't help thinking that my idea of a utopia would be one that could tolerate no small amount of laziness and conniving and stupidity and inefficiency."
    "That may be true, but—"
    "As we speak, my brother is making every effort to turn the ideal fixed in his mind into the real. He is striving for perfection—a reality that can never exist—with no room for doubts. I believe he is mistaken. But these are not words he is willing to hear."
    Seiki looked up at him. Junkou's face was suffused with pain.

    "After that, he had nothing further to stay," Seiki concluded. "The whole thing left a bitter taste in my mouth, and so I took my leave. That was the end of it."

Chapter 9
    E ishuku sat there in a heavy silence. Seiki shifted uncomfortably. At last Shuka broke in. "What the Taiho said certainly does sound like criticism of His Highness. But even supposing that he bore ill will towards the King, what would be gained by murdering the Taishi?"
    "You make a good point."
    "Rather—" Shuka started to say, but kept the terrifying thought to herself.
    Upon returning from the Sankou, Junkou had set out for Choumei Palace. Shuka could imagine him wanting to share his thoughts with Daisho (who was both his father and the Taishi) or confer with him. Suppose that they were of one mind about the matter, and then Shishou showed up or was asked to stop by, and they brought these criticisms to light and an argument ensued? The enraged Shishou killed Daishou and Junkou escaped and fearing for his life, fled the Imperial Palace.
    "I don't think it was Junkou-sama. After all the Taishi was practically beheaded."
    Eishuku nodded, his expression showing equal doubts. "Would he be physically capable of such a thing? Since our time together at Kouto, I never observed him to wield a weapon with any kind of competence. You didn't either, did you?"
    Fighting alongside the people, Junkou seemed more frightened of picking up a sword than he was of their enemies. Not a few called him a coward behind his back.
    "No, I never did."
    "He couldn't swing a sword to save his life, didn't have the heart for it. I can't believe he could wound anybody seriously, let alone take off their head." Eishuku pondered the matter for a minute. "It'd definitely have to be somebody who knew how to use a sword."
    "Then it's not Junkou, Eishuku. It'd be impossible."
    "Probably," Eishuku