Kingdom (キングダム)

Those who have gone before us:

Ou Ki,

Lord Hyou,

Sei Kyou...

...and those nameless men and women--

Their form, their positions may differ,

but all of them

died making that light within them

shine its very brightest.

Then that light of theirs

is handed down to the next person,

who makes that same light...

...shine more intensely yet.

That is how people are connected...

...how we move forward in a better direction.

Humans fall into darkness

when they lose sight of their own light within.

Unable to find that light, they struggle, suffer...

...and a tragedy is born.

What most amplifies that tragedy,

what most plunges people into darkness is war.

Therefore, I shall remove it from this world!

By armed force?

Yes--by armed force!

I am king of a warring state!

My destiny is inextricably tied to war!

And so I shall end it in my generation!

Though I may be criticized as a tyrant, I shall use might--

to unite the entire Middle Kingdom

with impartiality and equal standing!

And once I do, I am certain

the reign that follows mine...

...will know a world where we need not kill one another!

Ryo Fui.

As a society, the world we should hope for must be either--

That's enough.

The world of which Your Highness speaks

and the world of which I speak arise from two places,

two premises that differ too greatly.

Further discussion will not bring us any closer to a conclusion.

Still, at any rate...

You certainly have grown, haven't you, Your Highness.

I now understand

that both of the governing paths we envision

are quite out of the ordinary indeed.

It all depends upon who is victorious.

Come tomorrow, which path

will the nation of Chin begin to tread?

I expect Kanyou will give us our answer soon enough.

Kibou ni afureta omae no me ni ukabu no wa

Dare no gensou?

Nani mo kamo ushinaisou ni natte meguriaunda

Saikai no chikai o

Dandan to atsuku naru

Kokoro moyasu

Houkou ni kaeteke

Hyouhyou to aruku no sa

Saki no mienu yume o tsukamu made

Toki ni wa namida o nagasu yoru mo aru

Chikatta ano hi o

Tomo ni waratta koto

Mune ni kizamikonde

Aa! Iki mo dekinai kono sekai de

Anata ni atta yoru

Kiekaketa kokoro no tomoshibi kagayaita

Donna mirai datte ukeireru

Ikiru riyuu nanda

Moyase ima kono koe ga hibiku kagiri

Hatenaki asu e

Running For Your Lives

Every last one of these buildings positively stinks of women.

The Inner Palace is just too much!

Court ladies have softer flesh than ordinary women.

And the king's been keeping them all for himself!

Roki, sir!

Han O Ki is off to take the head of the crown prince.

We must do the same with the king's consort!

I know, I know.

But what's the rush?

It's not like these royals have anywhere to run.

The shouting outside is getting closer.

Quickly, Bi Kyuu--the door!

Why...

Why has that black stone moved?

I checked that the door was locked this morning

and set that stone in front of it-- just to be certain.

And now that black stone has moved!

Somebody's in there!

Bi Kyuu?!

This place is no good!

What?

How did they find it?

Not even the Queen Dowager knows of that underground entrance...

Unless--was someone watching me these past few days?

"No good"--but, Bi Kyuu...

Where else can we go?

Well, well.

If it isn't Kou and Rei. I'm glad you're all right.

Let's get you into the underground passage, and quickly.

Bi Kyuu!

Stand back! Who are you?

I am Bi Kyuu, court minister by imperial command!

I am A Min, in service to the Court.

Come, Minister-- to the underground passage.

I shall show you the way.

Never mind! We four will escape to the outside.

Kou!

Bi Kyuu!

Hurry! Now's your chance!

Quickly, now!

Come on, Kou!

You!

It's so swollen!

You, I think the bone might be...

It's fine. Let's go.

Some of the eunuchs have turned traitor.

Maybe some of the court ladies, too.

We've got to get away from here, fast. It's not safe.

You...

Rei...

It's all right.

When it comes to luck and guts, Kou and I have the other court ladies beat.

You just do your best to keep on running.

Lean on my shoulder, You!

I'm good.

Besides, Kou... look around.

It's where we first met: Koutai Garden.

Rei... this is where Kou and I

became friends, working shifts in the garden.

Even though we got scolded every day for doing nothing but chatting.

Damn you! Didn't you seal off the underground passage?!

N-No. A thousand apologies.

Bi Kyuu caught on just before I managed to.

You let them get away?

W-Worry not!

This is our garden. We'll find them right away.

Let Roki know.

Sir!

It's the court ladies' garden, too, you know.

Roki does not tolerate failure.

Death will be too good for you.

Prepare yourselves.

No! Please--wait! It won't take long!

I know where Kou and the others went!

And how's that?

They'd been assigned to work here ages ago.

For as well as they know the area, I can predict where they'll have gone.

Make sure that girl who's found happiness beyond her station

meets a brutal death!

To the right, You?

Yes--take a right. Then two blocks down.

This alley is...

...the shortest route...

...to Santei Street!

You!

All right...

Now, if we can get into the Kashou Canal that runs through the Inner Palace,

we can take a boat way to the north.

Our first priority here is just to get away from our enemies.

That's what my father taught--

Back into that alley!

You!

Run to the canal, Kou!

I'll stall them!

What--

What are you saying?! No way!

We all go togeth --

Kou!

Didn't you say you'd keep Rei safe, no matter what?

Now make good on your responsibilities as a consort--as a mother!

Go, Kou.

Okay.

You, oh, You...

You!

If I jump on the lead horse and get it to fall over,

the rest will get caught up in the mess and fall over, too.

If only it were that easy...

I'll try the first one, anyway.

Will it hurt? I bet it'll hurt.

But that doesn't matter anymore.

You know, Kou...

You were a dear friend, but I saw you as a little sister, too.

My only little sister fell sick and died when I was five.

Maybe I was seeing some of her in you.

Keep running to the very end, Kou!

O heavens... please, keep those two alive!

Yooooou!

Oop!

Man... you're one fired-up court lady.

Stand down, gutsy gal.

It's gonna be all right.

But... ...the horsemen!

The horse--

Hou Ei! Ka Fu! Kou Riki!

Wait!

My arm! My arm!

R-Roki, sir!

You bastard!

And the cavalry, too?!

It's all right.