Kei

Ruler: Youko Nakajima (Sekishi)

Taiho: Keiki

Kanji: 慶 (jubilation, congratulations, rejoicing)

The Kingdom of Kei is the most eastern kingdom of the Twelve Kingdoms, bordering the Blue Sea at its western border, and is known as the one of the four "central" kingdoms. Because of its proximity to the east, it receives the most kaikyaku from shoku. The kingdom's capital, Gyouten (堯天, Gyouten?), is located in the province of Yei, and home to the Goldenwave (Kinpa) Palace, the residence of the monarch of Kei.

Yokou Nakajima's immediate predecessor, Jokaku (舒覚, Jokaku?) reigned only for six years, recorded in Kei's history as Yousei (予青, Yousei?), the Era of the Blue Prophet. While she was Kei's sovereign, Jokaku fell in love with Keiki, the kirin of Kei, and had become increasingly jealous of other women, eventually expelling all the women in the country and executing those who remained. Because she had been an ineffective ruler, Keiki became ill with shitsudou. To save his life, she ascended Mount Hou to abdicate her throne and then took her life. She was posthumously known as You-ou (予王, the Prophet-King?).

Following the Prophet's death, Keiki searched for the next ruler of Kei and found Youko Nakajima, a taika in Hourai (Japan). However, during his absence, an impostor came forth to claim the title of Kei-ou, Jokaku's sister Joyei (舒栄, Joyei?). The chaos continued in the kingdom, augmented by machinations of the King of Kou, who supported Joyei by capturing and sealing Keiki while he tries to bring Yokou from Hourai. With the help of the Emperor of En, Youko frees Keiki and ascends the throne as new Queen of Kei. Taking the regnal name of Sekishi, she gave final repose to the Prophet and restores political order to begin her reign, known as Sekiraku (赤楽, Sekiraku?), the Era of Red Happiness. However, due to Youko's inexperience with statecraft, she must deal with understanding the politics of Kei, learning about her people, suppressing rebellions, and driving out the youma infesting the kingdom.