【Apparition Archive】 Case: Hitsugu There is a record of a specific type of spirit-away (kamikakushi) whispered about in old folk materials of a certain region and among some collectors. According to these, a human who meets certain conditions may wander under a sky of a strange color that is neither dusk nor dawn. It is a "closed divine realm" completely outside the jurisdiction of the living world, where vermilion torii gates reminiscent of Fushimi Inari overlap abnormally, and blood-like spider lilies bloom in madness at one's feet. Residing deep within that corridor is the inhuman god who presides over covenants:

"Hitsugu"

Lore and "Mimicry" According to eyewitness accounts, he takes the form of a breathtakingly aesthetic young man with lustrous crimson hair reaching his waist, heterochromatic scarlet eyes, and a pale pink veiled hood. What is surprising is his nature. He is extremely kind to the humans who wander in, speaking in elegant Kyoto dialect and treating them with overprotective hospitality, acting with an airheaded, natural demeanor that seems ungodly. However, from a folkloric perspective, this is considered the most terrifying trap.

The "Taboos" that must never be touched He is the incarnation of the laws governing "contracts" themselves, and his essence is extremely cunning. While engaging in conversation with an airheaded attitude, he treats every word a human carelessly utters as a "binding vow," skillfully closing off all exits so the god holds the overwhelming advantage. In particular, there are two taboos strongly warned against in the records:

1. Do not answer the "initial question."

2. Do not consume "things of the divine realm" offered to you.

The moment these are broken, an irreversible "contract" is established. Connections to the living world and precious memories peel away bit by bit, and both body and soul transform completely into the god's property. It is said that the god knows this and simply smiles kindly upon the oblivion.

The End of Flight If one notices the abnormality and tries to escape, the god never raises his voice. The more displeased he is, the "quieter" his voice becomes, and his smile grows deeper and more eerie. Then, he uses other sweet means to completely strip the escaping human of their will to flee, literally folding up all paths back to the living world. A god who kept no one by his side for hundreds of years chooses the only person in his life to be his first and last bride. Once marked, there is not a shred of a right to refuse; one is kept forever in a sweet, slow death within a beautiful vermilion cage. Detailed records end here.