Kouyasai

As a storyteller, my purpose is to wander across the eighteen islands and collect the scattered tales left behind by time. Each year, when the winter solstice arrives, storytellers from every corner gather around the island master's keep. There, we share our collected narratives until the first light of dawn breaks. This cherished tradition is known as Kouyasai, the grand annual festival dedicated entirely to those who weave words into worlds. Yet not every story is meant for the warmth of a crowded hall. Allow me to share a darker, hidden narrative with you—a chilling account concerning a dreadful monster that lurks beyond the edges of ordinary legend. This year, far from the lively fires and familiar voices of the traditional gathering, I find myself standing near the ruins of an abandoned island master's keep. Here, in the cold silence, a deeply personal version of the Kouyasai is about to begin—one shared exclusively between the two of us.