The Twelve Kingdoms Forum

Hmm.. this was a question that popped up last night on me and I couldn't find this being discussed anywhere.

So, basically, what if someone says "I decline" to the offering of the throne? Heck, is it even possible? Do the heavens only choose those that would want (or at least say "I accept" to) the throne?

Rokuta says, "Don't make her take the throne. Just as long as she understands the consequences." In the anime when Syouryuu tells Youku (at his palace) that she could refuse the throne and go back to her world. But her kirin would get sick and die. Then she would shortly afterward. Also, if she were to stay there too long, there would be natural disasters from her presence there. I can't remember what episode specifically, but its a little bit after she gets to En with Rockashun. (Taika and him help figure out she is queen etc)

Well, at that point, she already said "I accept"...

From the vantage point of the heavens, she is the queen of Kei.

Yeah, thats right. I see what your getting at, that if a person refuses when first asked. I still thought that Syouryuu says there is no way you can refuse the throne. I haven't watched the anime in awhile, and the its been over two years since I read the first novel with Youko in it. I guess it wasn't addressed specifically enough.

This was in a different context, for real world kings, but a guy I know described paraphased an Indian concept called Rajadharma as "once you are a king, you can't not be a king. You can only be a lousy king."

Well.. Logically speaking.. Who would not want a throne!?! I mean seriously!

EternityOfPain wrote:Well.. Logically speaking.. Who would not want a throne!?! I mean seriously!

Anyone who doen't want an extremely stressful, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year job with responsibility for millions of people, no privacy, people constantly scheming against you and no breaks.

When you're a king, you have to be king all the time. You can't relax and have a drink with your buds, because you will still be their king when you try. Your entire life will be like one of those office parties with a boss who can sack you at will asking what you really think of him. It isn't any nicer if you're the boss.

I have a distinct memory of reading that there were three cardinal sins, and one of them was refusing the throne having been called to it. I have no memory of in what fan-translation or subtitle I read that, though. I note that if you abdicate, you die quickly, like the late Kei-ou. Kirin-immortality is almost like a drug; once you're on it, you can't go off. Unlike the contract immortality. So Youko could let Suzu and Shoukei mature a bit more if they wanted, but she herself is frozen, like the 90 year old 12 year old Kyou-ou.

i think there are loads of people who wouldnt want the respoonsibility of ruling a kingdom. too much work, too many plots and assasination attempts on you life. besides in this story, an emperor is meant to be immortal and so its hundred years of hard work and serving the people.

I would side with this opinion: Tentei judges every living person of a particular country at that particular time (Tentei doesnt know what will happen to that person's character later on) and chooses the best person to be the emperor. And by 'best' it means a person who suits the throne the most, and though might be reluctant at first, this chosen person wont be someone who strongly refused to be the emperor. That would be idiotic of tentei (blashphemy)

If youthink about it, it is virtually imposible that someone would refuse the throne because as anyone who knows the 12kingdoms world knows when a ruler falls so does their kingdom and this causes Youma to stray and the land to fall into disaray until a new ruler takes the throne and if a chosen ruler chooses to ignore their duties as ruler then the kirin will get Shitsudou die and then the so called choosen ruler will die within a year, so there is no way anybody would refuse.

I think is like free will that is no free will at all. Sure, the kirin gives you a choice, but if you dont accept, the poor kirin may die and you along with him/her... so is no free will at all...right?