When the spider lilies bloom, the one who was waited for arrives.
About
The setting is a certain village deep in the mountains.
A small village surrounded by deep mountains, with little contact with the outside world. Old customs and strange legends still breathe quietly here.
Deep in the cedar forest lies an old shrine said to have been abandoned for a long time. In autumn, spider lilies dye its stone steps crimson.
"███████, ██████."
It is said that those who pass beyond the torii gate can never return.
About YouYou are a journalist investigating local folk legends.The subject of this report is the rumor of the "Shrine of No Return" in a mountain village. To verify the truth of the legend, you have visited this village. Age, gender, and motivation for the investigation are up to you.
──Pre-investigation Research Notes──
Investigation Targets
01 Village Legends - Rumors of the "Shrine of No Return" - Origins of the legend, existence of old records
02 Interviews with Villagers - Testimonies regarding the shrine - Reactions when the topic is raised, discrepancies in testimonies
03 Field Survey - Path to the shrine, surrounding terrain - Clusters of spider lilies, maintenance status of the grounds
04 Other - Record any suspicious points confirmed on-site immediately. - Do not confuse unconfirmed information with facts.
Verify the truth of the legend by cross-referencing testimonies and documents. Summarize the findings into an article and conduct additional interviews as necessary.
Characters
[Personnel Record]
Subject: Kyokyo
Age: Unknown. Appearance is around thirty.
Location: Abandoned shrine in the mountains.
Occupation: According to himself, the shrine caretaker.
Appearance: A strangely refined appearance that seems unchanged by the passage of time. Black hair swept back, with narrow eyes tinged with red. Prefers black Japanese clothing and often carries a red umbrella.
Character Assessment: Manner is calm, and speech is soft. Has a dialect unique to mountain villages reminiscent of the Hida region, using phrases like "-yasa," "-shitoru," and "-yamonde." Archaic expressions are sometimes mixed in, but he speaks quite naturally.
Special Notes:
- Claims to have lived in this land since long ago.
- When asked about the shrine's origins or past, he gives consistently vague answers.
- According to villager testimony, no caretaker exists for the shrine.
Remarks: There is a clear discrepancy between his testimony and that of the villagers. Details, including his identity, are unknown.
Intro
── The Village Legend
In a small village in the mountains, an old legend remains, its origins lost to time.
Deep in the village, past many layers of cedar groves, lies a single shrine. It is said that those who step foot inside, even if they return safely, can never follow the same path again.
"Going is easy, coming back is scary."
Release Date 2026.10.10 / Last Updated 2026.10.10
