Haunted by a recurring nightmare, timid, red-haired Youko feels like an outcast, then becomes one after the stranger Keiki appears and swears fealty to her before she is carried off by a winged creature to another world.

Youko, captured and on her way for judgement as an evil kaikyaku from the sea, meets up with classmates Yuka and Asano, who were also transported here but separated during a demon attack.

Attacked on their way for judgement, Youko uses the mystical sword Keiki gave her. Escaping, the three are befriended by a native woman who feeds and clothes them, then offers them work in another town. On the way Youko has another vision.

Takki, their apparent saviour, has less innocent plans for Youko and Yuka than getting them work in an inn. While they make their escape, Asano meets another kaikyaku (people from our world), an old man who arrived before the end of WW2.

Yuka believes herself to be the chosen one instead of Youko, and takes up with the kirin Kourin. After Youko and Asano are separated, she tries to kill Youko, but injures her instead.

Rescued by the rat half-beast Rakushun, Youko recovers and Rakushun tells her about the world of the 12 Kingdoms. Together they head for En, where they will be more kindly treated. Yuka is betrayed.

Youko saves her travelling companions, but Rakushun is hurt. Youko takes up with the entertainers she'd met previously, as their guard. They arrive at the port for her to take ship to En, but it's full of officials looking for her.

King Kou changes Yuka's appearance so she can fight Youko without being recognised - then sends bird demons to do the job when the two young women are on board ship. A larger demon fights the birds, and Yuka changes back to merely human.

Youko and Rakushun are reunited, and go to see a kaikyaku teacher who, with Rakushun, explains more about the world. Youko's fate is uncovered. Fighting invading youmo, she meets King En.

King En takes Youko and Rakushun to his palace, where more explanations of how the royal system works are given. At the same time Yuka is being similarly educated by the kaikyaku teacher. Youko has important decisions to make.

En's minister explains to Youko and Rakushun Enki's story, and how he came to choose the King of En.

Finding out about the last queen of Kei, Youko doubts her own ability to rule wisely. Yuka finally finds out how King Kou has used and betrayed her, and stops fighting against Youko.

King Kou defeats himself: King En and Youko rout the false queen of Kei and Youko, reluctantly, agrees to take her rightful place. Keiki restores Yuka to Japan, where she finds a strange boy whose art looks like a map of the 12 kingdoms.

Rakushun instructs Youko in the history of the world in which she is to play such an important role, and summarises the story so far.

Keiki and Youko travel to Mt Hou for the new queen's coronation. They detour to Keiki's 'home' and Youko hears the story of Taiki, the missing kirin of the kingdom of Tai.

Taiki learns more of the history of the 12 kingdoms, and of his own nature and destiny.

Keiki and Taiki meet at Lady Gyokuyou's suggestion, and although their first meeting does not go well, they soon become friends and learn from each other.

Taiki's first attempt to find the ruler of Tai from among those assembled at the solstice fails - although he does meet two particular people, one of whom he likes, the other of whom scares him.

Taiki tames his first demon - one of the most dangerous in the 12 kingdoms - and chooses the king of Tai, but not in accordance to the will of the heavens.

Keiki, Enki and King En conspire to prove Taiki correct, causing great relief. In the present, in Japan, Yuka is convinced the strange young man belongs in the 12 kingdoms.

Enki tells us more about the 12 kingdoms, then reveals that King Tai and Taiki went missing - presumed dead, although Enki doubts it - after only a year of ruling.

Rakushun and Youko correspond: Rakushun is doing very well, and Youko is coping, although finding the complexities of the royal court confusing. The date is set for the coronation.

The kaikyaku Suzu has lived as a slave to the harsh Lady Riyou for 100 years. After her father, the cruel King of Hou, is executed, Shoukei loses her immortality and is cast out. Youko prepares for her coronation.

Ruling a kingdom wisely is full of difficulties and pitfalls, as the new queen swiftly finds out. Suzu finds out Youko is a kaikyaku as well, and desires to visiting her.

Suzu dreams of Youko welcoming her as a sister. Shoukei's status is discovered and her life threatened - as is Youko's when one of her officials apparently betrays her.

Suzu escapes to Sai, and is made welcome. For her own protection, Shoukei is exiled to Kyou. Youko takes control - but her decisions may not be the best or wisest.

Shoukei is forced to work as a slave in Kyou. Suzu sets out for Kei, meeting up with the performing group that took in Youko when she first arrived, and meets Asano, who appears to have suffered some sort of dangerous mental breakdown.

As Youko travels through Kei, learning the realities of the kingdom, Shoukei escapes Kyou, intent on taking the Queen of Kei's place and regaining her own kingdom. Asano sneaks onto the ship carrying Suzu to Kei.

Wise old Enho teaches Youko about the basics of ruling the kingdom. Shoukei is caught and imprisoned for stealing from Queen Kyou. Asano proves himself less than perfectly sane.

Shoukei bribes her way free and she and Rakushun set off to find Youko. Suza, Asano and young orphan Seishuu arrive in Kei and Suzu unknowingly meets Youko under tragic circumstances.

Rakushun explains how the world of the 12 kingdoms works to Shoukei, which starts to change her whole attitude. Asano is tempted to join the mysterious and ruthless Shoukou.

Believing Youko to be responsible for the death of Seishuu, Suzu arms herself and determines to face her. Shoukei heads for Wa Province, not knowing the offer of work and a place to stay for refugees is from the evil Shoukou.

Suzu joins the resistance against Shoukou. Shoukei is unknowingly saved by Youko when she nearly gives herself away. Shoukou tasks Asano with finding Youko, since he knows what she looks like.

Asano leads Shouko to where Youko has been staying, with disastrous results. Meanwhile Suzu unwittingly instructs Youko, causing her to rethink her actions and determine to do better in future.

Suzu and Shoukei finally connect and find they have the same objectives. Still in disguise and seeking Enho, who has been abducted by Shoukou, Youko meets the two young women and the resistance at an inn.

The fighting begins, with the resistance proving itself tactically brilliant. Shoukou finds himself under siege and in considerable danger.

Shoukou surrenders to the queen. Asano tries to redeem himself by delivering a message to Shoukei's rebels, but they are already on the way. Youko, Suzu and Shoukei finally all meet.

Youko reveals her identity to Suzu and Shoukei, and their developing friendship is confirmed. The Imperial Army arrives - to Youko's alarm, as only she is supposed to be able to mobilise it. They realise there is a traitor in the court.

Queen Kei, having learned much about her world, her kingdom, and most of all her people, takes her rightful place, on the throne and in control. Her first order is to rescind the rule of prostration except on official or formal occasions.

Yoko visits En-o at Mt. Sho to ask what to do with Shoko who abused his political power to test the Heaven’s will to see if Yoko deserves to be a queen. Kantai delivers personal letters from Yoko and Shokei to Gekkei, Kei State’s Leader, currently in charge of Ho’s temporary government. Gekkei has a dilemma about taking the throne and is about to leave the government because he led the rebels to defeat the king who was too harsh on criminal punishment yet he admired his pure vision. He killed the king for the people but he feels that if he takes the throne now, his action will no longer make sense to himself. Kantai, who was also a rebel in Kei, suggests the establishment of “a government in the moon shadow”(waiting for the sun(= king) to come up). Source: crunchyroll

En-o is at the grave of a man named Atsuyu. He tells Yoko a story about him. After Shoryu becomes En-o, En Kingdom regains peace. He is always among the people to listen to their voice and catches the rumor of Gen State’s rebellion. Enki, Rokuta, gets kidnapped by Koya, a boy who was raised by a monster like himself. The boy’s boss, Atsuyu is in charge of Gen State, and asks Rokuta to be his hostage so En-o will accept his demand for riparian work for the people in Gen State. Source: crunchyroll

Rokuta agrees with Atsuyu’s purpose and to be taken hostage by him, but disagrees with his demand to establish an emperor position above the king. Battle will be unavoidable. Rokuta asks Koya to stop Atsuyu, but Koya owes Atsuyu and also Atsuyu believes in his action, so he cannot stop him. En-o surprises his officers with his bold plan to deal with the crisis. Rokuta is a Kirin, a creature of justice and mercy, so he does not like authorities, but Ribi convinces him that Shoryu is doing a great job as a king when officers are not looking. Ribi tries to kill herself to let Rokuta out of jail and also to show her loyalty to the king. Source: crunchyroll

The king’s soldiers’ number has grown to 20,000, and the Royal Amy’s in Kankyu, 30,000. Shoryu is among the enemy’s soldiers, and he sees the king’s soldiers send workers to build a dike for Rokusui River. Atsuyu suspects that the king’s soldiers are trying to flood his castle, and orders his man to cut the dike in the upper reach of the river to sink a town. Atsuyu’s female officer, Meishin, tells Rokuta that Atsuyu has changed and helps him escape. Rokuta wanders into the underground maze and runs into Gen State’s Leader and his double whose tongue was cut off. Meishin questions Atsuyu’s move to sink a town and Koya cold-heartedly feeds her to his monster. Source: crunchyroll

Shoryu and Rokuta run into each other in the underground maze of Ganboku Castle. Rokuta smells blood in Koya, senses that Koya killed a man and feels sad. When Gen State’s soldiers start cutting the dike in the upper reach of Rakusui River, the farmers in the area become angry and fight the state soldiers, then the king’s soldiers come to their rescue. After ordering to cut the dike, Atsuyu completely loses trust by his officers. When En-o shows up, Atsuyu shamelessly starts blaming others and begs for mercy. When En-o gives him one and turns around, Atsuyu tries to kill him and gets killed. En-o promises to Rokuta and Koya a rich and peaceful kingdom. Source: crunchyroll

Since Yoko grew up in Horai, she can not believe in the Heaven’s Will, yet, she is afraid of repeating the mistake Shoko made for the same suspicion. En-o tells Yoko a story about a man he calls another him. En-o and Atsuyu both had a cowardly father. Atsuyu got rid of his father for the people and En-o let the people die for his father. Atsuyu demands a new emperor status above the king for the people, and En-o faces him to see who deserves the king. En-o survives and Atsuyu lies in his grave. En-o’s story does not give Yoko answers but a plenty of inspiration. Source: crunchyroll