Riou Hyou Sr. is the de jure head of the Ryou Clan. Riou possesses a lifespan longer than a normal human being, though he is not immortal. He was born as one of the 'White Children' of Hyou clan who possessed immense beauty and perpetual youth along with longevity. But those children were like lifeless puppets who didn't move or did anything, not even blinking, being akin to the living dead. In his youth, Riou had to be hand fed by his sister just to survive. He is by nature an unenthusiastic and lazy person. However, once he gets enough motivation to do something he does his work properly. He also has a tendency of sleeping a lot and is a reclusive person. He shut himself up in his room for over 50 years and wouldn't come out unless necessary.
Always bored with no interest in the world, the first time he experienced true emotion was when he saw the Red Immortal, who had been kept against her will in the Hyou family residence for many decades by his insane father, who had been using her powers to increase the Hyou family's influence and magical ability. Riou instantly fell in love with her and eventually dubbed her the "Rose Princess" ("Bara-hime"). Riou visited her every day in her "cage," and though the two often quarreled, she enjoyed listening to him play the ehru, which he eventually taught her. Riou planned to eventually release Bara-hime towards the end of his life, even though he knew that releasing her power by cutting her chains might destroy the world. However, about 50 years later, Bara-hime was rescued by Kou Shouka, who at that time was an assassin known as the "Black Wolf". Shouka then fled to the capital of Kiyou with the help of a former "Assasin Doll" named Shusui. Riou never forgave Shouka for this, and swore revenge. Eventually, however, the Bara-hime "died," but Riou learned later that she had actually remained on earth and that her consciousness was sleeping inside the body of her daughter, Kou Shuurei. Riou proclaimed to Shouka that he would take back "what belongs" to him, and he plans to wait until the Red Immortal awakens to take her back to the Hyou clan.
