The Royal Heir's Throne is the 23rd chapter of the Kingdom manga, written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara.
Summary
The Ei Sei Faction and Yo Tan Wa's Chouga Mountain Tribe have allied. Mounted atop horses they descend the mountain rumbling the hillside during their descent. Ei Sei and Ka Ryo Ten share a horse, Ka Ryo Ten notes how amazing his gambit had turned out to be. Ei Sei is stoic in his descent noting that this is just the beginning. From behind comes a loud shouting as Shin and his mount gallop past with Heki on his heels trying to shout instruction. Shi's inability proves quite comical, breaking the army's tension for battle.
In the Qin capital Kanyou, few people still loyal to Ei Sei remain as Sei Kyou has his personal servant Ran Kai execute them one after the other. Sei Kyou and his retainers look on as the men curse him for a traitor before Rankai dispatches another with his savage strength. Sei Kyou insists he's not a traitor and that he is merely returning things to how they were before 5 years ago, when the people believed Sei Kyou was the heir to the throne. They showered him with their praises and followed every whim Sei Kyou had. Soon after his entourage left him upon hearing details of a new heir, Ei Sei. Sei Kyou had no idea who Ei Sei was, he was angered and confused by the thought that he had a brother and knew nothing about it. Questioning a palace servant Sei Kyou learnt that Ei Sei and his mother, who was a palace dancer beforehand had been in hiding and that she had now officially been made queen and that Ei Sei had jumped the line of succession. Sei Kyou was enraged by this news, he openly questioned Ei Sei's nobility. As he did so he noticed a number of people walking atop the palace walls, Ei Sei walked past him glancing below. Sei kyou interpreted this as Ei Sei looking down upon him which was something he as a pure blood noble could not stand for.
Soon after Sei Kyou would attempt to visit his own mother who had fallen terribly ill. Sei Kyou overheard two palace girls gossiping about how the queen had had her throne stolen by a beautiful dancing girl. Sei Kyou had heard enough, with a sword in hand Sei Kyou cut down the palace girls and started to plan his revenge.
Characters
- Royal Palace
- Ei Sei Faction
- Ei Sei
- Shin
- Ka Ryo Ten
- Heki
- Shou Bun Kun (mentioned)
- Unidentified Shou Bun Kun's loyalists
- Sei Kyou Faction
- Sou Jou (mentioned)
- Unnamed palace girls
- Ei Sei Faction
- Royal Harem
- Sei Kyou's mother (mentioned)
- Ei Sei's mother (mentioned)
- Mountain Tribes
- Yo Tan Wa
- Ba Jio
- Tajifu
- Toji and Fuji
- Ramauji
- Unnamed others
Chapter Notes
- Shin can't ride horses.
- There are still people left in Qin loyal to Ei Sei and Shou Bun Kun, but they are being executed.
- Flashback about Sei Kyou is shown.
- Sei Kyou didn't know he had a brother.
- The princess has her throne stolen by a dancing girl.
- Apparently the dancing girl is more beautiful the princess like in day and night.
- Sei Kyou seemingly killed at least 2 people.
Trivia
- Royal Harem, who will play a significant role in later chapters, is mentioned for the first time.