the kirin of Tai and helping him come to terms as a kirin. Kouya Young Kouya Adult Kouya is a young boy who was abandoned by his impoverished mother when he was young, Kouya was raised by a youma he called Ōkii-no (big one), who called Kouya Chiisai-no (little one). He met Rokuta when they are young and revealed his wish to travel to Hourai, believing that it is a peaceful land and hoping to find his mother. Rokuta named his new friend Kouya, meaning midnight as they had met at midnight. Not wishing to forget his new name, particularly since he had forgotten the name his mother had given him, Kouya asked that Ōkii-no call him Kouya and began to call Ōkii-no Rokuta in order to remember his new friend. Kouya eventually encountered Atsuyu, the governor of En's Gen Province, and was greeted with apparent kindness. In exchange for Kouya's loyalty, Atsuyu provided Kouya with a place to live and a formal education. As a result, Kouya becomes involved with Atsuyu's attempt to overthrow Shoryu, the King of En, twenty years into the king's reign. During this time, Kouya develops into a sadistic person with no regard to human life – regularly letting his demon bird devour prisoners, soldiers, as well as female servants who have offended him. When Atsuyu is defeated, Kouya leaves En without punishment, and becomes known as , a heavenly sage tasked with guarding and protecting the people who travel the Yellow Sea. Since then, he has waited for Shoryu fulfill his promise to create a place where Kouya and Ōkii-no can live in peace. Kingdom of Kou inhabitants The following characters reside in the Kingdom of Kou: King of Kou The former , known also as , has ruled his country for fifty years and has tried his best to improve the state of Kou. However, he comes to feel that he will never be able to bring Kou the prosperity seen by the neighbouring kingdoms of Sou and En, whose rulers have ruled for six hundred and five hundred years respectively. When , the ruler of Kei, dies after a reign of six years, the King of Kou comes to fear Youko's ascension to the throne of Kei, believing that as a taika like the King of En, she will be able to bring the ruined country the same prosperity as En and