Appearance in Anime

Hyou Shusui is a refined and graceful young woman who is often regarded as the epitome of elegance and propriety. Her composed demeanor and meticulous etiquette make her the ideal noblewoman, but beneath this poised exterior lies a strict and no-nonsense personality, particularly when dealing with individuals like Ran Shuuei, whom she frequently scolds for his carefree behavior.

Despite her seemingly distant and rigid demeanor, Shusui is genuinely kind and gentle, though she rarely expresses this openly. Her true warmth is reserved for a select few, including Kou Shouka, Kou Shuurei, and Shi Ryuuki. This hesitance to reveal her emotions may stem from the psychological conditioning and brainwashing inflicted by the Hyou Clan, making her fearful of forming deep connections out of concern that she might unintentionally harm those she cares about.

Hyou Shusui is a strikingly beautiful woman with a pale complexion, wavy olive-brown hair that cascades down to her waist, and deep blue eyes that add to her mysterious allure. Her beauty is legendary within the Imperial Harem, with Shi Ryuuki himself acknowledging that she is comparable only to Kochou, the renowned courtesan of the Red Light District.

Her refined and elegant aura, combined with her graceful attitude, has made her one of the most admired women in the palace, both for her stunning appearance and her poise in courtly settings.

Hyou Shusui served as Kou Shuurei’s primary Lady-In-Waiting during her stay in the Imperial Harem as Emperor Shi Ryuuki’s consort. Despite her composed and gentle demeanor, she harbored a mysterious past intertwined with the Hyou Clan, one of the most influential and enigmatic families in Saiunkoku.

Born without any special powers, Shusui was deemed a failure within the Hyou Clan. As a result, she was brainwashed and conditioned to become one of their Assassin Dolls, a mindless agent carrying out their will. However, due to her extraordinary beauty, she was later chosen as the next host and attendant of the Red Immortal, also known as the Rose Princess.

When Kou Shouka, the Black Wolf, took the Rose Princess away from the Hyou Clan, he also rescued Shusui, adopting her and sending her to serve in the imperial court. Unbeknownst to many, she became an assassin and a member of the Wolves of the Wind, an elite faction working under Advisor Sho Yosei, the true master of the Black Wolf. Though Sa Enjun believed she was an assassin loyal to him, Shusui was, in reality, a double agent, serving a far greater cause.

After breaking free from the Hyou Clan’s influence, her latent powers awakened, allowing her to see thousands of miles away with her farsight ability. However, remnants of the brainwashing remained, and she eventually began hearing voices in her head. Fearing that she was once again falling under the control of the Hyou Clan, she attempted suicide. When she collapsed into Ran Shuuei’s arms, she called out Shouka’s name instead of his, unknowingly breaking his heart. Later, Shuuei used Shouka’s name to pull her out of a hypnotic trance, saving her life once more.

After this ordeal, Shusui decided to leave the Imperial Harem and head to Ran Province, where she would face the Hyou Clan and her past. Though she was officially deemed missing, Emperor Ryuuki secretly knew of her whereabouts, and her position was filled by Ran Jyuusan. Knowing that Hyou Ruka would never forgive her betrayal, Shusui returned to confront her fate. Ruka, intrigued by the change within Shusui, subjected her to the Prison of Time, a maze-like dungeon within the Hyou Clan that muddles the prisoner’s sense of time and slowly erodes their soul with evil spirits lurking within.

Inside the Prison of Time, Shusui displayed immense resilience, resisting the spirits for an entire year according to the prison’s warped timeline. Meanwhile, a jealous priestess named Tatsuka—who resented the attention Ruka gave to a “traitor” revealed that the last person to be imprisoned there was none other than Ruka herself. It was later revealed that this was the final trial for a High Priestess candidate, meant to test her endurance and mental strength.

After being rescued by Ran Shuuei, Shusui met with Ruka, helping her remove the locust plague and restore the sacred artifacts. She later discovered Ruka in a deep slumber and encountered the spirit of the first High Priestess, Sou Youki, the guardian of the priestess candidates.

In a final act of atonement and faith, Ruka relinquished her position as High Priestess, passing the title to Shusui before her death. Now the new High Priestess of the Hyou Clan, Shusui continued to serve a higher purpose, bridging the mystical world and the imperial court.

At some point, Shusui and Ran Shuuei married, and together they had three sons, with their eldest named Ran Shijaku.

Embroidery
Despite her noble upbringing, Shusui is terrible at embroidery, a fact that Ryuuki enjoys teasing her about. She once attempted to embroider a sunflower pattern onto a handkerchief for Shouka, only for him to mistake it for a lion.

Assassination
As a brainwashed assassin doll of the Hyou Clan, Shusui was trained to be a fearsome assassin, specializing in weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. After Shouka rescued her, she became an operative for the Wolves of the Wind, where she honed her deadly skills. Her abilities were demonstrated when she single-handedly attacked the Vice Minister of Arms, effortlessly defeating the guards who tried to approach her. Even Ran Ryuuren, known for his keen observation, was suspicious of her swift agility when handling Kourin’s clumsiness.

Clairvoyance
Originally born powerless, Shusui later developed supernatural abilities after her liberation from the Hyou Clan’s influence. She gained a special sight known as ‘Senrigan’, a unique form of clairvoyance that allows her to see more than a thousand miles away whenever she focuses her vision. This ability made her an invaluable asset in intelligence gathering and strategic planning.

The Red Immortal
Shusui was chosen as the attendant and future vessel of the Red Immortal and held a deep affection for her. She treated the Red Immortal with great kindness and loyalty, and when she realized the immortal’s suffering, she secretly led Shouka to her in hopes of setting her free. After the Red Immortal took the identity of Kou Shoukun and became Shouka’s wife, Shusui continued to serve them with unwavering devotion. However, Shouka and Shoukun believed that they were unfit to be her parents, and in order to teach Shusui how to live a normal life, they sent her to the Imperial Palace, where she entered the harem as a lady-in-waiting.

Kou Shouka
Shusui is deeply attached to Shouka, though he remains oblivious to her feelings. Despite her unspoken love for him, Shouka sees her only as an adopted daughter, as he remains forever in love with his deceased wife, Shoukun. Even so, Shusui cherishes him dearly and is one of the only two people (besides Ryuuki) who praises his tea—though her strained expression while drinking it suggests otherwise. Despite her hidden affections, Shusui accepts that Shouka’s heart belongs to Shoukun and remains steadfast in her role as his retainer.

Kou Shuurei
As Shouka and Shoukun’s daughter, Shuurei is incredibly precious to Shusui, whom she loves like a younger sister. While serving as Shuurei’s lady-in-waiting during her time as the Emperor’s consort, Shusui acted as both protector and caretaker. Shuurei was also one of the few people capable of snapping Shusui out of her hypnotic trance. Later, when Shuurei visited the Hyou Clan, Shusui personally prepared medicine for her every day and was strict about her health, refusing to let Shuurei make her own medicine. She also played a crucial role in restoring Shuurei’s lost life force, further demonstrating her deep care and dedication to her.

Ran Shuuei
For Ran Shuuei, it was love at first sight when Shusui unknowingly helped him in the past. However, Shusui herself does not remember the encounter, much to Shuuei’s disappointment. Despite this, fate brought them together once more when Shuuei rescued Shusui from the Prison of Time, an act that earned her respect and trust. Over time, their relationship blossomed into something deeper, and Shusui eventually married Shuuei, giving birth to three sons, including their eldest, Ran Shijaku.