Houshin Engi
by Fujisaki Ryuu, adapted from the novel by Ano Tsutomu
published by JUMP Comics; Shueisha, Inc. 
------------------------------------------------ 

77.  The Princes' Choice, Part 1
------------------------------------------------ 


[143]
I am the heir of the Imperial seat of the Yin Dynasty, Inkou.  
And the next in line is my younger brother Inkou.  About this 
matter...

How did we come to meet Taikoubou, and then...
How did we end up in the Senninkai for training?

77.  The Princes' Choice . Part 1

[144]

77.  The Princes' Choice . Part 1

[145]
My mother, Kyouhi, was the first empress of Yin.
But Dakki used her Temptation Spell to convince Chuuou to 
force Mother to give her position to Dakki.

After that, Mother fell into Dakki's trap and committed 
suicide.

Dakki's first targets were myself and my brother, the second 
prince...
In order to secure her position, that vixen was going to have 
us killed.

During our flight from Chouka, we were almost killed by 
Dakki's assassins.
The person who saved us at that time was Taikoubou.

[146]
We were really grateful to Taikoubou.

But...
"He" appeared then...

"He" told us...

"How can Yin's princes follow under
Yin's enemy Taikoubou?"

[147]
We were still young then, we didn't understand this problem.
So we were brought to Kongrong Mountains, to train to be 
doushi.

Yin's Imperial family would always have some doushi among the 
generations.
Maybe we really had some abilities to be able to undergo 
training.

But as I grew up, I kept thinking about the words that 
Shinkouhyou said...

Is it really okay to do this?
Will there be a problem?

[148]
I never asked my masters Sekiseishi and Kouseishi about this 
dilemma...
Their reason for training us was simply to "defeat Dakki"!

Kouseishi: Right, the two of you are pretty good!!
Sekiseishi: In this way, you'll soon be able to learn how to 
use paopei!!

otouto-Inkou: That's great!

ani-Inkou: Yes...
Master...

ani-Inkou: You shouldn't have pity on us, foolish Masters!  I 
might just betray you at any time...

Because I am the rightful crown prince of Yin!!

[149]
Presently...
When we left the mountain, Shinkouhyou appeared before us 
again!!

Taikoubou: Shinkouhyou!!  
What are you up to again!!

Shinkouhyou: Come, princes of Yin, Inkou and Inkou.  
Make your choice!

[150]
Shinkouhyou: Will you remain by Taikoubou's side and help him 
destroy Yin?
Or will you take responsibility as Imperial Princes and help 
your father Chuuou.

otouto-Inkou: Are you kidding!?  
We've lost our ranks already!!

otouto-Inkou: We're going to go with Taikoubou, defeat Dakki 
together , to save Father!!
Right?  Brother!!

otouto-Inkou: .........?
Brother.......?

[151]
ani-Inkou: Shinkouhyou...

ani-Inkou: Take me back to Yin!

Taikoubou: !!
KiHatsu: What's going on...

otouto-Inkou: !!?

[152]
otouto-Inkou: Brother, what are you doing!?
Are you going to betray the Kongrong people?!

ani-Inkou: Inkou... 
Perhaps you are still too young to understand...

ani-Inkou: I am the next emperor!!  
I have a duty to this country!!

ani-Inkou: Shinkouhyou!  You didn't have to say anything, I 
was already going to return to Yin!
Even though I can't make it up to Taikoubou, but this is my 
fate!

[153]
KiHatsu: Hm?
ani-Inkou: You are Buou, right?

ani-Inkou: I won't hand Yin over to you!! 
I will protect this country!!

KiHatsu: Wai...wait... I didn't do this to become the king...

[154]
otouto-Inkou: Brother!!

ani-Inkou: Looks like we are now enemies!!

Shinkouhyou: Ahh... 
----so you see, Taikoubou!

Otouto-Inkou: Aaaaaa........

[155]
otouto-Inkou: Eh?  
Ah?  
Why did Brother do this!?

Sipuxiang: Goshujin...what is going on!?
Inkou's gone with him!!

Shinkouhyou: I promise you...

Taikoubou: What Shinkouhyou said in the past... 
The princes will become our enemies sooner or later!

otouto-Inkou: No such thing!!  
Brother must be under Shinkouhyou's control!!

otouto-Inkou: I will go and bring him back!!

[156]
Shinkouhyou: ---don't you think your decision was too rash?  
It's not too late to go back, you know?

ani-Inkou: Don't misunderstand, Shinkouhyou!  
Even if you hadn't appeared, I would have left my brother with 
Taikoubou.

ani-Inkou: I know that I am going to die, 
but I MUST protect my brother!

Shinkouhyou: ............

Shinkouhyou: We've arrived at Hansuikan.  
We're in Yin territory now, Prince...

[157]
KiHatsu: What now, Taikoubou... 
That prince...

Sipuxiang: Do we have to fight him?  Goshujin...

Taikoubou: ..........
This is a seed that I planted after all...

Taikoubou: Leave it to me!!

[158]
Hansuikan is located on the border between Yin and Zhou.
That means from this point onwards, we are in Yin country.

ani-Inkou: Here will be fine, Shinkouhyou.
Shinkouhyou: Will it?

Shinkouhyou: Then I will return to Chouka.  
I am a little worried about the "silence" from Kingou 
Islands...

ani-Inkou: Silence?

[159]
Shinkouhyou: This has nothing to do with you...
Good luck to you!

ani-Inkou: ..........
Damn youkai!

--- but...

Everything feels wrong the moment I stepped into Yin country.
From the sky, Zhou looks so prosperous...

[160]
Man: Why are you dressed so well~~
Man: Please let us have something~~

ani-Inkou: I'm so sorry... 
As the emperor's son, I will apologise to you on his behalf.

ani-Inkou: I am the Imperial Prince Inkou!!  
First son of your emperor, Chuuou!!

Man: Prince....?
Prince of Yin!?

[161]
Taikoubou: No matter what, Inkou will never return...  
And so...

Taikoubou: I have to clean up everything caused by the seed 
that I planted myself...



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Translation (c) 2000 Koushi <http://houshin.net/> - all rights
reserved. No part or whole of this document may be broken up
or published on a web-page without the express permission of
the author. It may be freely distributed for _personal_ use
ONLY on the condition that it is distributed in its entirety
and no changes of ANY KIND are made, leaving all original
author and copyright information intact.

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