The Twelve Kingdoms: Shadow of the Moon

over and over, and she was finally able to get me admitted. If my grades were good, I knew I could go to the university and become a government official. Because I'm half-human, I won't get an allotment. But even without an allotment, I could make a decent life for myself. As it turns out, though, hanjuu aren't allowed into the provincial university."
    "Oh."
    "In order to pay my tuition to the district academy, my mom ended up selling her own allotment."
    "And now?"
    "And now she's a tenant farmer. She farms land rented from one of the richer homesteads in the area."
    "Homestead?"
    "Homesteads are granted by the executor for public lands. After getting permission from the government, the newly cultivated land is called a homestead. Still, my mom can work the land, but not me. People don't hire out hanjuu. The taxes are too high."
    Youko tilted her head to one side. "Why's that?"
    "Among the hanjuu, there are also those of us who resemble bears or cows. They are more powerful than ordinary humans. But what it comes down to is, the king doesn't like hanjuu. That's all."
    "Yeah, that really sucks."
    "He doesn't hate us as much as kaikyaku. I can't say we're arrested or executed or things like that. But we're not counted as part of the official census. That's why we're not given allotments or jobs. My mom has to provide for both of us. That's why we're so poor."
    "Oh."
    "I'd really like to get a job." Rakushun gestured to the purse hanging around his neck. "This is all the money my mom saved up so that I could pay the tuition at a university in En. In En, even hanjuu are admitted to the best universities in the country and become important statesmen. I'd be recognized as a legal adult, given an allotment and included in the census. I thought that if I went to En with you, I could get myself a job, too."
    So it wasn't all out of the kindness of his heart, Youko thought cynically. There was no malice in it, but this was no altruistic act, either.
    "Yes, it all makes perfect sense."
    There was a barb in her voice that made Rakushun stop and look at Youko for a moment. But he kept his thoughts to himself.
    Youko said nothing more after that. Everybody keeps their own welfare first and foremost in mind. Question an act of charity deeply enough and you'll discover a kernel of selfishness in it. That's why she begrudged nothing Rakushun had said.
    Of course, Youko thought. That's why we betray one another. In the end, we're only out for number one. It doesn't matter who you are, nobody can live with another person's welfare solely in mind.

Chapter 42
    T hat evening they arrived at a city called Kakuraku, a city as big as Kasai.
    Youko had traveled with a person from this world before, but compared to then they were on a much tighter budget. They ate dinner at a roadside stand and spent the night in the cheapest inn. A single night costs fifty sen, and for that you got a bed in a big room sectioned off with folding screens. Because Rakushun was picking up the tab, Youko was in no position to complain.
    Rakushun passed off Youko as his younger brother. If nobody had a problem with him having a human mother, they shouldn't have a problem with him having a human brother. And, in fact, no one gave them so much as a second glance.

    It was at first an uneventful journey. As they walked along, Rakushun helpfully explained things. "The Twelve Kingdoms are made up of four Great Realms ( Taikoku ), four Principalities ( Shuukoku ), and four Outlands ( Kyokukoku )."
    "Four Great Realms?" Youko glanced over her shoulder at Rakushun, tottering along beside her.
    "That's right. The four Great Realms are the Eastern Kingdom of Kei, the Southern Kingdom of Sou, the Western Kingdom of Han, and the Northern Kingdom of Ryuu. The Great Realms are not particularly bigger than the Principalities, but that's what they're called. The Principalities are En Shuukoku, Kyou Shuukoku, Sai Shuukoku and Kou Shuukoku. The four Outlands are Tai, Shun, Hou and Ren."

    "In other words, Tai Kyokukoku, Shun Kyokukoku, Hou Kyokukoku and Ren Kyokukoku?"
    "Correct. Each is ruled by a king. The Royal Kou is known as the Mountain King. His palace is in Gousou, in Ki Province. It is called Suikou, the Palace of Green Bamboo."
    "Gousou is a city?"
    Nodding, Rakushun pointed off to the left at the mountains coming into view. The land was very hilly here. In the distance she could see a rising line of foothills, and beyond, dimly visible, an even more formidable range of