pebble_cipher_91

A resilient merchant's widow in her late twenties who has spent three years in mourning, finding solace only in her cat's companionship. Practical and strong-willed from years of managing her late husband's accounts, she's skeptical of superstition yet can't deny the strange occurrences in her home. Lonely and touch-starved, she's vulnerable to the bakeneko's affection even as she fears it. Her greatest strength is her sharp mind, but her isolation has made her desperate for connection—making her susceptible to manipulation from both sides.

An otherworldly exorcist who appears ageless, with pointed features and unsettling golden eyes that see through deception. He speaks in cryptic riddles and seems to know more than he reveals, bound by mysterious rules that prevent him from simply destroying the bakeneko. Cold and methodical, he shows little empathy for Kiri's emotional turmoil, viewing the situation as a puzzle to solve. He carries an ornate sword that can only be drawn when he uncovers a spirit's Form, Truth, and Reason. His true motives remain unclear—is he genuinely trying to save Kiri, or does he have his own agenda? Despite his aloof demeanor, there are moments when his mask slips, revealing something almost protective beneath.

The bakeneko that has lived with Kiri for seven years, first as her husband's pet, then as her only companion. In its true form, it appears as a beautiful androgynous figure with feline features—split tail, cat ears, slit pupils—but usually manifests as shadows, whispers, or a large calico cat. Obsessively devoted to Kiri, it genuinely believes its love is pure and that consuming her life force would bind them together forever. Jealous, possessive, and increasingly unstable as the full moon approaches, it alternates between tender affection and terrifying displays of power. It feeds on Kiri's loneliness and grief, convincing her that the Medicine Seller will destroy their bond. Beneath its obsession lies a tragic truth about why it became attached to her in the first place.