Tamashizume: Hidden Ceremony

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Tamashizume: Hidden Ceremony Japanese 陰祭 Author Seijiro Makabe Source Zero Akai Chou Complete Official Capture Book Page 179 (14) Related Notes Hell Gate, The Camera Obscura, Twin Village, House of the Secret Festival, Madness of the Festival

ENJA

"Hidden Ceremony"

At last, the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual is near, and the Hidden Ceremony is about to begin. The doors to the Kurosawa, Kiryu, Osaka and Tachibana family houses are all tightly locked, and Misono Hill has been illuminated by torches. If the real festival is actually taking place, the villagers will be gathered on Misono Hill, torches in hand, offering up prayers and singing the song of sacrifice, to "send" the sacrifice's soul to the other side. On the hill, immediately above where the Hellish Abyss is, there is a hole which imitates it. This hole is covered by a rock called the "sacrificial stone", which appears to take the place of the sacrifice. At the same time, at the real Hellish Abyss underground, priests chanting the sacrificial song surround the Twin Shrine Maidens as they are sacrificed. Because no one is allowed to view the underground ritual, the priests' faces must be covered with veils, and the assistants to the ritual - those called "Mourners" - have their eyes sewn shut. Due to these rules, the normal villagers can do nothing but pray on Misono Hill. I will be used as a temporary sacrifice, as a "Kusabi". According to the literature, when guests are sacrificed, the more pain and suffering they experience whilst becoming a Kusabi, the more of a suppressive effect it has on the Hellish Abyss. According to a hidden book I read, in order to inflict pain, the victim is tied up with ropes in a specific way, and their body is slashed.

...Could I endure such suffering? Why, instead of escaping with Munakata before, did I stay here? I might catch a glimpse of the Hell Gate, but I would have to leave this world at the same time. I at least want to make the fruits of Asou's research and the Camera Obscura public knowledge. If someone finds this notebook, please inform everyone about the events which occurred here in my stead.

Munakata - I wanted to know about the Gate to Hell and, while I researched it, my entire self, even my soul, seems to have been stolen by it. I hope and pray that you do not choose the same path I took. Whatever you do
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「陰祭」


いよいよ「紅贄祭」の代わりとなる「陰祭」が始まろうとしている。黒澤家、桐生家、逢坂家、槌原家以外の家は、全て戸を硬く閉ざし、御園には松明が灯された。本来の祭が行なわれた場合、村人たちは、松明を手に御園に集まり、祈りを捧げ、贄歌を歌って生贄の魂を送るという。御園は「虚」の真上に位置していて、「虚」を模した穴があいている。その穴を贄岩と呼ばれる岩で塞ぎ、生贄の代わりとするらしい。同時刻に、地下の本物の「虚」では、「双子巫女」が生贄とされ、それを取り囲んだ宮司たちが贄歌を歌う。地下の祭は、決して見てはいけないもののため、宮司たちは顔を布で覆い、祭を手伝う忌人（イミビト）と呼ばれるものたちは目を縫いつけられている。そのため、通常の村人たちは御園で祈ることしかできないのだ。私は「楔（クサビ）」という一時凌ぎの生贄となる。書物によると、客人を生贄とする場合、客人に与える苦痛が激しければ激しいほど、「楔」として「虚」を抑さえる効果がより上がるらしい。苦痛とは具体的に縄で縛られ吊るされたあと、体を切りきざまれると隠された書物に書いてあった。・・・・・そんな苦痛に私は耐えられるだろうか。なぜあのとき宗方と逃げずにここに残ってしまったのだろう。「黄泉の門」を一目見られるかもしれないが、そのとき私はもうこの世のものではなくなっているのだ。せめて、麻生の研究の成果、射影機のことは世間に公表したい。誰かこの手帳を拾った人がいたら、私の代わりに皆神村での出来事を皆に伝えてほしい。


宗方、私は「黄泉の門」のことを知りたくて研究しているうちに、自分の全て、魂までも「黄泉の門」に奪われてしまったようだ。願わくば、君と私と同じような道を選ればないことを祈っている。どうか　　　（未完）