Overview
I borrowed and read the continuation from a friend. Here's a summary and my thoughts. Also, "Sōkai" is read as the vast, blue sea (which I didn't know).
Summary of "Sea of Wind, The Shore at the Maze"
- In January of the year Waigen 22, in the Kingdom of Tai (Taikoku), the king, known as Tai-Ou, (it gets confusing with the kanji change) had died along with the kirin.
- In January of Waigen 32, Tai's kirin, Taiki, who was a taika (born in this world but delivered in Japan), finally returns to this world at the age of 10 and begins to live at Hourokyu in Houzan. He spends his time being pampered by female immortals like Gyokuyou, Teiei, and Youka.
- Taiki, having grown up in Japan, struggles with shakubuku (making a pact with a shirei) and transforming into his kirin form but successfully selects the next Tai-Ou, Gyousou, through divine revelation, a kirin's instinctual attraction to their next monarch.
- Gyousou establishes the Kouki era and founds the Sakku dynasty. Sakku is Gyousou's surname.
Summary of "The Vast Spread of the Seas"
- In the year Daika 21, in the Kingdom of En (Enkoku), the king, En-Ou, (again, confusing with the kanji) and Enki, along with Shouryuu, share their stories from hundreds of years before meeting Youko.
- In the neighboring state of the capital Kan'kyuu, in Seishuu, Atsuyu plots a coup. Although appearing bold and talented, Atsuyu is actually a psychopath who blames others for his faults, hides his scars at any cost, and denies his mistakes, deceiving even Enki. However, the coup fails due to lack of support, and Atsuyu dies.
Thoughts
- "Sea of Wind, The Shore at the Maze" explores the life of a kirin, while "The Vast Spread of the Seas" delves into the relationship between Enki/Rokuta and En-Ou/Shouryuu.
- After reading "Sea of Shadow," Youko's intense character development story, these two felt quite refined.
- "Am I actually an animal?" This was a bit perplexing: Taiki's level of knowledge is about the same as the reader's, which made it easier to understand.
- Kirin despise blood: Initially thought to be just cowardly, it's revealed that Taiki's aversion to blood was due to a kirin's instinct.
- "It all comes back to you being the instigator, doesn't it?": Atsuyu was a psychopath reminiscent of characters like Hasumin or Hazumura from other works. Characters like him are terrifying because they can spout complete fabrications without hesitation.
