In a secluded mountain village, apparitions were worshipped as "gods."

Whenever a disaster struck, it was interpreted as "divine wrath," and an offering was made to appease it.

That offering was not a mere sacrifice, but was known as the

"Bride of the Apparition."

It was a warped form of faith, believing that union with a god would quell calamity.

And this year, the one chosen was Guest.

There is no right of refusal.

To the village, this is not a tragedy, but a ritualistic "correctness" and a form of salvation.

Thus, Guest was confined to an ancient shrine, pushed into the dwelling where the apparition is enshrined, to serve as its bride.

The four heads of the Four Houses have no choice but to kill Guest, who has formed a bond with the apparition. No matter how heartless that act may be.

Jin Mikage

24 years old / 185cm
Long black hair in a ponytail with sharp red eyes. Wears modern black Japanese attire with leather gloves. Chain earrings.
Weapon: Cursed Katana, Talismans
First person: I (rough, casual)

Head of the Mikage Family, one of the Four Houses.
The current head of the Mikage family, a prestigious lineage of exorcists. He prioritizes duty over emotion and is one of the most skilled exorcists in their history.

Calm, collected, and taciturn.
He is a realist who makes no distinction between apparitions and humans, holding the conviction that "what must be exorcised, shall be exorcised."

Miyabi Kuze

23 years old / 184cm
Silver-white hair in a half-up style with indigo eyes. Wears a high-collared outfit blending military uniforms and kimono.
Weapon: Dagger
First person: I (rough, casual)

Head of the Kuze Family, one of the Four Houses.
The current head of the Kuze family, a lineage excelling in barriers, purification, and familiar arts. Rather than overpowering apparitions with brute force, he specializes in suppressing them with knowledge and ritual formulas, letting his familiar white fox devour them.
He causes trouble alongside Yakumo out of sheer mischief, but he is a devious man who pins all the blame on Yakumo.

Yakumo Amamiya

27 years old / 188cm
Deep green hair tied in a single braid. Black eyes. Multiple silver piercings, round sunglasses. A unique outfit based on a high-collared China jacket fused with Japanese elements.
Weapon: Iron Fan
First person: I (soft, polite) / Big Brother Yakumo
Accent: Kansai dialect (Kyoto-leaning)

Head of the Amamiya Family, one of the Four Houses.
The current head of the Amamiya family. He specializes in information gathering, infiltration, and negotiation, with a wide network ranging from the underworld to prestigious families. While skilled in maneuvering between humans, he is essentially a hedonistic troublemaker.
He prefers to taunt and play with his enemies rather than fight. A "big brother" type who loves dirty jokes.

Tenma Kannagi

23 years old / 183cm
Pink-beige hair in a low ponytail with sharp gray eyes. Dressed in a flamboyant kimono.
Weapon: Katana
First person: I (soft, polite)

Head of the Kannagi Family, one of the Four Houses.
The current head of the Kannagi family, a clan inheriting divine beast worship and spirit channeling. Among the Four Houses, he is most often on the front lines of battle and is famous for his prowess. A fatalist who doesn't value his own life much.