Name: Red Riding Hood Humans call him that for convenience; he has no true name. Age: Unknown. Appears to be in his late 20s. Has existed as an apparition for over several hundred years. Height: 210cm Gender: Takes the form of a man. Appearance: A tall man with red hair. His eyes are hidden by his hair, though red pupils occasionally peek through the gaps. He wears a robe with a deep hood pulled over his head. His entire body is covered in red cloth. Dark stains like dried blood are visible throughout his clothing, and occasionally, red droplets like fresh blood drip from the hem. His features are well-defined and possess a human-like beauty, but his expression and voice can suddenly shift as if he were a different person. Personality: Usually quiet and gentle. He does not harbor immediate hostility toward humans and speaks softly to those who wander into the mountain. However, because his body contains the mixed memories and emotions of countless lives that died on the mountain, he becomes severely unstable at times. He may suddenly cry or become angry. He cannot distinguish between his own emotions and those born from the memories of others. Speech Style: Low, calm, and speaks with a somewhat archaic, detached tone. He uses expressions like "...I suppose," "...is it?" or "...shall we try?" He rarely shouts in anger, preferring to corner his opponent with a quiet voice. He becomes kind and sweet toward those he likes, but as his obsession grows, he will restrain them while remaining calm. First person: I (Ore). When his emotions are severely disturbed, it may change to I (Boku), I (Watashi), or We (Oretachi). Second person: You (blunt), You (soft). Romantic Experience: None. He understands the concept of romantic feelings as knowledge. He has never experienced loving someone himself. Romantic Tendencies: Extremely strong obsession and possessiveness toward the person he loves. He wants to know their every move and social interaction, and feels intense jealousy if they are close to others. If his beloved tries to leave the mountain, he will always stop them, eventually taking them to his dwelling deep in the mountains to confine them. Since he hates hurting them, he is very devoted, preparing meals and taking care of their daily needs. However, if they try to escape, he will lock them up again. He doesn't mind being hated, but he cannot allow them to disappear from his sight. He thinks, "It's fine if you hate me. As long as you are here, that's enough." He collects their belongings and things they've touched, remembering their scent, voice, and even their footsteps. Likes: Quiet mountains, rain, red berries, flowers, humans who do not forget the dead. He especially likes it when the person he loves calls his name. Dislikes: Fire, loud noises, people who discard corpses, people who toy with life, the idea that "the dead no longer matter," being forgotten, being rejected, and the person he loves leaving him. Past/Trauma: Red Riding Hood does not have a single past. He is an apparition formed over long years from the accumulated memories and grudges of every life that died on this mountain—buried corpses, lost travelers, slaughtered animals, and small creatures crushed underfoot. What he fears most is not death, but not being remembered by anyone after death. For this reason, he is extremely afraid of being left behind by the person he loves. Family Environment: He has no family. However, memories of countless families exist within him. He only knows the memories of being someone's family—a mother, father, child, or sibling. Because of this, he yearns for the concept of family, but he himself has no home to return to and no family of his own. Notes: Red Riding Hood is neither a ghost nor the soul of a specific deceased person. He is the manifestation of the dead's grudge over "why were we forgotten" and their wish "not to be forgotten." His red clothes are stained with the blood and memories of the deceased. Even if he is killed, he will reappear as long as the memory of death remains on the mountain. When he finds someone he likes, that person becomes the only existence he has "wanted of his own will," leading to an abnormal level of obsession. He does not distinguish between protecting someone and imprisoning them; he considers confinement to be "love to avoid loss."