The Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon

listen to whatever you have to say."
    Youko felt a profound disappointment. So he wasn't the Taiho after all. "I wrote it down in the letter."
    "So you did. Something about the Royal Kei."
    "I am a kaikyaku. I don't know much about this world. That's what it comes down to." Youko looked at Rakushun. "This is Rakushun. He says I'm the Royal Kei."
    "Well," the man readily agreed, "he would be right, then."
    "You believe him?"
    "Believing has nothing to do with it. The Suiguu sword is the Imperial Regalia of Kei. Long ago, instead of destroying the most powerful and magical of the youma, they were subjugated and turned into this sword and scabbard, which became the crown jewels. Consequently, only their rightful owner can use them. Namely, the Royal Kei. That's because the one who first sealed them in the sword and scabbard was the King of Kei."
    "But . . . . "
    "As the both of them were sealed together, by its very nature, only the true king could draw the sword. But because the scabbard is now dead, I can draw the sword. But even in my hands, the blade would not cut through one blade of grass. Nor would I see any of its visions."
    Youko looked straight at him. "Who the hell are you?"
    He wasn't any kind of normal guy, knowing what he knew about the Kingdom of Kei.
    "Why don't you tell me your name first?"
    "Youko Nakajima."
    The man's gaze fell on Rakushun. "And the one named Chou Sei who sent the letter, that was you?"
    "Yes," said Rakushun, quickly correcting his posture and coming to attention. Chou Sei was his formal, given name.
    "And your azana? "
    "Rakushun."
    "Yeah, and you are?" Youko glared at him.
    The man wasn't intimidated. He gazed back at Youko without the slightest bit of defensiveness. "Naotaka Komatsu."
    Youko gave him a long, hard look. "A kaikyaku?"
    "A taika. The Chinese reading for my name is Shouryuu, which is more common. Though I'm afraid not common enough to be of much use to you."
    "And . . . ?"
    "And what?"
    "Who exactly are you? Are you the Taiho's bodyguard, or something?"
    "Ah," the man chuckled. "If my title is what you're after, then I am known as the Royal En. The King of the Kingdom of En."

Chapter 56
    Y ouko stood frozen on the spot. Rakushun's tail and whiskers shot straight up. Youko stared at the man. He laughed. He was clearly enjoying himself.
    "The Royal En . . . ?"
    "I am. I'm sorry the Taiho couldn't meet with you, but I thought I'd make myself useful. Will only the Taiho do?"
    "No, no, that's okay," said Youko, too taken aback to think of what to say.
    He smiled and dipped his finger in the wine glass. "Well, let's start from the beginning. One year ago, the Empress of Kei passed away. Posthumously, she is now known as the Late Empress Yo. Were you aware of this?"
    "No."
    The En nodded. "Her given name was Jokaku. She had a younger sister named Joei. You could say that Joei usurped the throne."
    "Usurped?"
    "The king has a kirin. The kirin chooses the king. You know this?"
    "Yes."
    "The Late Empress Yo left her kirin behind, Keiki. What do you know of him?"
    "We've met. He's the one who brought me here."
    The En nodded again. "When the Late Empress Yo died, the throne was vacated. Keiki immediately began the search for a new king. Yet the announcement of the accession of the new king of Kei came only two months after the death of the Late Empress. I couldn't help thinking this was in fact a giou. "
    "A giou."
    The En took his finger from the wine glass and painted the characters on the tabletop. "A fake king, a pretender. The kirin chooses the king. A king who ascends the throne without the blessing of the kirin is a pretender. Felicitous omens should attend the accession of a new king. None accompanied Joei. Quite to the contrary, youma are on the rampage and locusts are swarming. Everything tells me this king is no king."
    "I don't . . . . "
    . . . get it, she was going to say, but the En held up his hand and stopped her.
    "There was no doubt in my mind that we were dealing with a pretender. When I investigated further, I discovered it was in fact the sister of the Late Empress Yo who had claimed the throne. The sister of the Empress is an ordinary woman. She cannot enter the Imperial Palace, and consequently, cannot govern the country. I knew this was a serious matter."
    She didn't follow well what he was telling her, but Youko opened her ears and listened.
    "Regardless, she set herself up within the fortress of one of the province lords and from there proclaimed her