Kaei

Kaei (花影) is an official from the kingdom of Tai and a good friend of Risai. She is about forty years old.

Overview
Before the disappearance of Gyousou and Taiki, Kaei had been a high ranking official in Tai's government. Unlike Risai, she held doubt and fear when Gyousou began a brutal purge of government officials as he not only executed corrupt and greedy officials, but also those who openly opposed his policies. Kaei's doubts were furthered by the fact that Taiki had been deliberately sent on a diplomatic visit to Ren at the time, with Gyousou ordering his officials never to inform Taiki of the executions.

When Risai learns that the new ruler of Kei is a taika like Taiki, she formulates a plan to request aid from Kei to end Asen's rule over Tai. The plan horrifies Kaei, who warns reminds Risai of the story of Juntei and the consequences of sending a royal army into another kingdom and that Risai's plan could destroy Kei. When Risai attempts to reason that En's army had entered Kei for the new ruler to take back her throne, Kaei asserts that the circumstances had allowed the situation because the ruler of Kei had requested the aid of En's army. Regardless, Risai decides to follow through with the plan, while Kaei remains behind in Tai, refusing to bring another kingdom to ruin to save their own.