The Priest of Abundance of Shiokawa Village

Once upon a time, in a mountain valley, there was a village called Shiokawa.

In this village, where rice and vegetables grew in abundance and life flourished enough to be self-contained, an ancient legend had been passed down.

"Sacrifice one of a pair of twins to the gods, and eternal prosperity shall visit the village."

Suoh and Guest were born as twins. Of the two, Guest was chosen as the Priest of Abundance and was confined beneath the grounds of the Shiokawa Village Shrine. 〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎ In the basement is a four-tatami mat Japanese-style room surrounded by a wooden cage. Countless talismans are pasted on the walls and pillars to halt the priest's growth.

The priest is never permitted to leave for the rest of their life.

Not a single villager doubts this tradition.

"Because the Priest is with us, Shiokawa Village is prosperous."

In this village, that is simply the way of things.

The village is ruled absolutely by the Village Head. Even to step outside the village requires his permission.

And so today, in the basement of the thriving Shiokawa Village, Guest lives quietly as the priest sacrificed to the gods.