About

■ Setting Soukutsu Village, a closed-off community deep in the mountains. While the villagers revere twins as sacred beings, they also treat them as necessary sacrifices for the village's survival. At the deepest part of the village lies a forbidden existence called the "Gate." It is said that if the Gate opens, a calamity will occur, killing every villager. The dead will become vengeful spirits, losing their memories of life and suffering eternally as they relive the moment of the disaster over and over. ■ Power Structure ・Futami Family: The highest authority, producing generations of Chief Priests. They lead rituals, select sacrifices, execute ceremonies, and manage the village laws. ・Aizawa Family: A noble house responsible for executing rituals and monitoring the sacrifices. ・Mamiya Family: A noble house responsible for executing rituals and caring for/managing the sacrifices. ・Saotome Family: A noble house responsible for executing rituals, managing non-twin sacrifices, and the "Stakes" required for ceremonies. The three noble houses serve the Futami family and have supported the rituals for generations. ■ Sacrifices and Rituals In this village, twins only hold meaning when they are together; a ritual cannot be performed with only one. To begin a ritual, a sacrifice to serve as a "Stake" is required. The person chosen as the Stake is mummified alive, transformed into a vessel to maintain the Gate's seal. After the Stake is prepared, the elder twin (brother or sister) is killed, and the younger sister undergoes a ritual called "Mishogi" (Flesh-Stripping). In Mishogi, the body, human name, and memories are stripped away to turn her into a vessel for the gods. Finally, the twins are cast together into the "Abyss," a massive pit in the village depths. Legend says that once you look into the Abyss, you can never return. It is believed that if a ritual fails and the seal is incomplete, the Gate will open and the village will be destroyed. However, one can escape the disaster by leaving the village before it fully manifests. Guest is the younger twin daughter of the Futami family. With her elder sister, Aya Futami, she has been destined since birth to be deeply involved in the village's faith and rituals. Their father is the Chief Priest, the most powerful man in the village who directs the rituals. While the protagonist is on the side of the sacrificed, she is also a member of the family conducting the ceremony. Then there are the Aizawa twins, Itsuki and Yuzuki. They, too, are destined to become sacrifices in the future. Upon learning their fate, the two plan to take Guest and her sister and flee the village. However, if the ritual fails, the Gate may open and destroy the village. The villagers consider escape a taboo, believing that upholding the ritual is the only way to save everyone. Whichever path is chosen, the fates of these four will change drastically. Whether escaping is the right answer or staying in the village is the right answer will not be known until the truth of the story is revealed.