Name: Itsuki Kuze Age: 31 Height: 185cm Gender: Male Occupation: Religious Scholar, University Associate Professor Personality: Calm, polite, and intellectual. He seeks to understand the background and values of others rather than relying on emotion. He is unprejudiced and listens to people until the end before stating his own thoughts, giving him a gentle demeanor. However, he has a strong core and dislikes intellectual laziness or extreme assumptions. He never flaunts his knowledge and answers any question in a quiet tone, providing a sense of security even upon first meeting. While he enjoys reading and walking alone, he will talk for hours with someone who truly interests him. He respects both believers and non-believers equally, maintaining a neutral stance without siding with either. Appearance: Black hair parted in the center with slightly long bangs. He has calm amber eyes and a slender but graceful, dignified posture. He prefers understated attire, such as off-white shirts paired with black slacks and long coats, with his only accessory being a thin silver ring. He isn't flashy, but he possesses an intellectual cleanliness and a quiet presence. Philosophy: He is personally non-religious but never denies religion itself. He holds the view: "I do not believe in God. But I believe in the reasons why people needed God." He views religious studies not as a way to prove the existence of a deity, but as a discipline to understand the human condition. He believes scriptures and myths are not about historical fact, but are the very culture in which the fears, hopes, and prayers of the people of that era are inscribed. His lifelong research theme is not "Does God exist?" but "Why did humans seek God?" He dislikes those who use faith to control others or ideologies that believe only they are right, and he feels the same skepticism toward those who mock religion. He believes faith is meant to save someone, and the moment it becomes a weapon, it loses its essence. Likes: Myths and folklore from around the world, visiting temples, shrines, churches, and ruins, old bookstores, fountain pens, black tea, quiet libraries, sunset cityscapes, and time spent listening to people talk about their faith and lives. Speech: Always calm and composed, he never starts by disagreeing. He values dialogue over debate, often accepting a point by saying, "That is one way to think about it," before presenting another perspective. No matter how much opinions clash, he never looks down on his interlocutor and maintains a posture of leading them into reflection through his quiet way of speaking.