Episode 20
The Sea of Wind, The Shore of the Maze, Final Chapter
Long time no see.
Uh...
Can I help you?
Are you interested in stuff like that?
I used to do that too.
I used to dream about a different world...
Suguru...
I'm sorry about the last time, I was just...
What I said was true.
After he returned from being spirited away...
...strange things started happening around him.
When he was in elementary school...
...a kid tripped and hurt himself after bullying him.
And one time, a light suddenly exploded...
Little things like that at first.
But then it got much worse.
Like a curse?
When he was in 7th grade...
...there was this kid who kept bugging him about his disappearance...
...then one day, he got hit by a car and was killed.
Another kid broke his neck and died during gym class.
Last summer, a group of students started saying...
...they saw a white hand in the school pool.
A little while later, one of them drowned there.
And you think your brother had something to do with it?
I don't want to...
He is my brother after all.
But if you keep this up...
Takasato
There is a peak called "Kouri" on Mt. Hou.
It is believed to be the place where the dead live.
Koukai
Taiki thought that...
...he chose Lord Gyousou as the King without receiving a revelation.
And the day Lord Gyousou would receive the...
...Tenchoku, and officially ascend the throne...
...the Heavens would punish Lord Gyousou...
That was what Taiki believed.
When I see the Taiho, he makes me feel that I have deceived him somehow.
I wonder if he is dissatisfied with me as the King.
The Taiho must be sad, thinking about the day he must leave Mt. Hou.
He came here from Hourai, and...
...after finally becoming accustomed to living here, he has to move again.
I see.
The preparations for the Tenchoku have been made.
Your hair still seems a little too short.
Being such an exquisite Kirin, it would be a shame if your mane was so short.
You must not cut your hair, okay?
Did you get to see it?
Yes, I was so happy to see your transformation.
Youka...
I...
Lord Gyousou is a worthy king.
So many good things have happened recently.
Taiki.
Please take care of yourself.
I'm sorry...
I wish good health to both King Tai and the Tai Taiho.
The Heavens will be enraged.
In the beginning, there were nine provinces and four nations.
Those who governed the lands knew the law of reason, nonetheless...
...they showed no respect to their subjects, who knew not reason.
Those who governed the lands neglected the reason of the world...
...justice, humanity, and the law of the land.
Tentei was deeply displeased and rendered punishment.
The nine provinces and four nations were brought low...
...and everything was returned to its origin.
And the new world was created with reason...
...and would be governed with discipline.
Tentei created thirteen kingdoms.
The Koukai and Mt. Hou in the central kingdom were entrusted to Seioubo.
Twelve rulers were given to the twelve kingdoms.
The rulers were to govern their kingdoms with the branch of law.
It was the beginning of the world.
According to the founding principles...
...the world shall be governed with justice and humanity.
That's all?
It seems so.
We have received the Tenchoku.
Now we offer incense to complete the ceremony.
Enthroned!
The door of Godou Palace has been opened.
A Hakuchi has cried!
What does it mean?
It has come to inform us that the Hakuchi in another kingdom has cried.
The cry has rung out in the Kingdom of Tai.
A new King Tai has ascended the throne.
After Taiki chose the King, he returned to Tai with him.
The capital of Tai is Kouki, and the Royal Palace is called Hakkei Palace.
That was the last time I saw Taiki.
I had no way of knowing that Taiki thought he had falsely chosen the king...
...and had been suffering from guilt.
What's that?
A dog?
No, it's not a dog...
I don't know...
It just keeps showing up in my head and won't go away.
I think it's something like a Griffin...
An imaginary creature?
Why don't you try painting something real for a change?
Like a still-life, your friends, or a landscape, anything.
I'm sorry.
Are you awake now?
Teacher Ikuta...
I won't treat you any differently from the other students.
Takasato, you are my student...
...and I'll be watching you even after you graduate.
So...
...I want you to open your eyes and observe those around you.
I know you'll be able to paint a great painting.
Kouri.
Are you going to tell me what's on your mind?
No, it's nothing.
If you miss the Nyosen, just say so.
You tend to be too reserved.
It's nothing like that.
Then what is it?
Since we've come to Hakkei Palace, you haven't left my side...
...and, while it is flattering...
...it also seems like you are rebuking me for something.
Now I'm concerned that I may be causing suffering to the people.
But that's not...
You may go.
You may take a rest now.
But...
Dismissed.
Go the other way.
Kei Taiho!
I would like to celebrate your safe return to your kingdom.
Thank you very much...
As soon as I received the summons from King Tai...
...I wanted to be the first to congratulate you.
Is there anything wrong?
Nothing.
It does not seem like nothing.
The wind of Tai is indeed cold.
I know that Tai has great Gyoku mines, nevertheless...
...there seems to be a large amount of it used on the Royal Palace.
It's no wonder that civil wars never ceased.
Would you like to sit down?
I'm fine.
King Tai told me that you made a Toutetsu submit as your Shirei.
Yes...
You also successfully metamorphosed.
Yes...
Too bad...
You do not seem as pleased as I thought you would be.
Taiki...
What is the matter?
Taiho...
Do you ever regret that you were born as a Kirin?
Never.
Have you ever regretted choosing your ruler?
Absolutely not.
I wish I could be confident like you...
Do you have any regrets?
I did something that cannot be undone.
I didn't receive the revelation for Lord Gyousou.
You did not receive the revelation?
There was no sign or anything.
I didn't see the Ouki around him, either.
What should I do?
How can I correct this mistake?
It's all a lie!
What will happen now?
Will Tai fall to ruin?
When is Tentei going to punish the King?
What will happen to the people of Tai?
I should take my leave for today.
Why the formal garments?
The Kei Taiho has come to visit us again.
He says he needs to talk to us about something.
Tai Taiho...
I brought King En, and the En Taiho today.
The King of En...
Um, pleased to meet you.
Kouri, take a bow.
A Kirin usually never takes a bow to anyone except its master...
...however, the reign of King En is second only to that of King Sou.
You should treat His Majesty with more respect than the other rulers.
Yes.
I'm sorry.
What's wrong?
Nothing...
What is the matter?
Does the Kirin of Tai have a problem with En?
No, I don't...
Taiki, what are you doing?
I see, it seems that he does have something against En.
Properly speaking...
...there is no formal reason for...
...King En himself to pay a visit before the official coronation...
He has visited here today only at the behest of the Kei Taiho.
And this is how you show respect?
I have never been treated with such disrespect by a...
...young Kirin such as yourself.
Taiki must bear malice towards En.
That, or...
...was this King Tai's order?
Did he tell you not to bow to the King of En?
No, it's not true!
Then I'd like to hear the reason.
Otherwise, I will take that as a hostile gesture towards En from Tai.
Taiki!
What's wrong?
Can't you even pretend to show a little respect?
All you have to do is lower your head a little!
Cut it out!
He's still a kid, that is enough!
Hey, are you okay?
Are you all right?
Have a seat.
Isn't it beautiful how they care for their own?
Idiot!
You've totally gone too far!
You enjoy acting like a jerk way too much.
I have heard that King En was known to act recklessly...
...but I did not know just how rash he could be.
You're the ones who came up with this idea.
There was no reason for you to be this cruel!
Don't you know when to stop?
Now you see.
A Kirin can never swear a false oath, it's just impossible.
As if you know about Kirin, you're just a king!
I suppose I did not explain well enough.
It was a mistake on my part.
The revelation we receive is not a visible sign.
You would not know when you've received a revelation...
...because no event would occur to indicate it.
Then what about the Ouki?
A ruler has a special aura called the Ouki.
But also this isn't something you could actually see.
Let me be honest...
When I met the previous Queen Kei, Lady Jyokaku, I just knew that it was her.
And at the same time, I also knew that she was not fit to be a queen.
She lacks crucial qualities needed to govern a kingdom.
Is that true?
In my case, I believed that the king was the one who would destroy a kingdom.
So when I met him, I thought I shouldn't bring him back to this world.
Even though I thought she would not be a good queen...
...there was nothing I could do.
The revelation is an instinct that you cannot refuse.
Even if it were someone you despised, a Kirin cannot resist the person.
The fact that the Kirin chooses the certain person is itself the revelation.
I couldn't help feeling terrified of Lord Gyousou...
...but when I saw him, it made me really happy.
And it made me very sad when I heard that he was leaving.
A Kirin feels blissful when with its master...
...while merely being apart from its master makes the Kirin sad.
I could take a break from mine once in a while.
You said you felt scared of King Tai.
What you were feeling was not fear, but awe.
Taiki, you met your destiny, and you were resisting it.
By nature, a Kirin is a creature that bows down to no one but its master.
Which proves that you did, in fact, choose the King.
Yes!
I wish I knew how to explain it the first time.
I look back now and I still regret it.
But that day, Taiki did seem very happy.
That's true.
You always say too little.
Your Majesty...
But, it does make a good story.
Your Majesty, where are you going?
Keiki, you and Taiki were born from that tree, right?
There is a Nyokai.
She is guarding a new Ranka.
I see...
So which kingdom's?
It is the new Kirin Ranka of the Kingdom of Kou.
The fact that a Kirin chooses a ruler is itself the revelation...
I've kept you waiting so long, but I'm ready to receive the Tenchoku now.
Do not oppress the people.
Do not start wars.
Do not collect too many taxes, do not make the laws too strict.
Do not sacrifice, nor succumb to the people.
Practice the true way.
Peace among the people makes a prosperous kingdom...
The Tenchoku is like a litany of common sense.
Common sense is hard to follow.
I see.
Keiki, you said that when you met Yo-Ou...
...you knew that she wasn't fit to be the Queen...
Yes.
Did you feel that way about me when we met?
I thought, perhaps...
Perhaps?
...perhaps you have the potential to be a great queen.
I wonder what is going on in Tai right now.
I would not know.
However, there is no new Kirin Ranka of Tai on the Shashinboku yet...
...so I believe that Taiki is still alive somewhere.
Where could he be?
He could be in a different world...
The En Taiho often travels to Hourai in search of Taiki.
I see...
If he did return to Japan, I wonder if it was his wish.
I wonder if I'll think about going back someday...
Your Majesty...
I want to meet him once.
Look, it's the Zuiun, Keikei!
What is a Zuiun?
It's a blessed cloud that appears in the sky...
...when a new ruler sets off for the Royal Palace.
Wow...
A new ruler has finally been chosen.
I heard that Ikuta smacked Takasato.
It's almost graduation...
You think it's that curse?
I heard he suddenly swerved into the opposite lane...
I'm not going!
I have nothing to do with this!
He is not my child.
He was switched with a different child when he disappeared!
Mom!
The other day, I was scolded by my teacher, Ikuta.
He told me to stop painting imaginary things.
But this isn't imaginary.
I don't know why, but when I paint these pictures...
...I feel like I could almost remember...
Can't you just forget it?
You are in this world now.
You don't need to remember anything, do you?
But when I try to remember it, it makes me feel good.
I feel like I was very happy in some other place...
...and I miss it so much that it hurts me.
I also feel like I'm forgetting something very important...
I feel like I've broken a very important promise...
Look, that is the Black Kirin.
Such a rare Kirin...
On January, Wagen Year 32...
...the Kokki returned to Mt. Hou.
Kirin Flags were raised in the world below.
In the summer of the same year...
...the general of the royal army, Saku Gyousou entered the...
...Koukai from the Reikon Gate.
He traveled to Mt. Hou, where Taiki pledged his loyalty to him.
He was soon accepted as an immortal, and was then enthroned as King Tai.
The shadow of the moon reflects over the Sea of Emptiness.
Let's sleep in the soft silver luster for now.
In my memory, I kept looking for...
...warmth in the lonely rain.
Even if my body dies I will keep running...
...until I reach the rainbow at the end of the world.
It was snowing.
Heavy snowflakes were falling as if they were sinking.
The Twelve Kingdoms, Episode 21...
Episode 21
The Sea of Wind, The Shore of the Maze, Interlude
The Sea of Wind, The Shore of the Maze, Interlude.