18TRIP FILES | 01: Kitakata Death Prophecy
Content Warnings:
Mentions of Death
Child Abuse
Cults
Cross-posting the first edition of the lore explanations I've been meaning to work on! Please let me know if there are any mistakes, thank you 🙇
“Kitakata Raito will die at 28 years old.”
The Kitakata Death Prophecy is a Key Plot Point in the 18TRIP story. This event was major contributor to how both Raito and Nayuki’s lives turn out as they grow up and become adults, as well as a second turning point in Ryui and Toi’s relationship with Astaroth’s powers.
It is first referenced in Season 1 Main Story - Chained Up Scarlet (SideA - 009) and mentioned on the Shiramitsus’ side on Designs of Happiness (SideB - 12).
Persons of Interest:
Kitakata Raito
Kitakata Nayuki
Astaroth
Shiramitsu Toi
Shiramitsu Ryui
Origins explained
For generations, the Shiramitsu clan has been operating the prestigious fortune telling establishment, “Angel Eye”. Many of Angel Eye’s customers are composed of elite members of society, including the Kitakata household. The head of the family possesses a power to foresee the future with 100% accuracy, which makes their shop incredibly sought after.
Their family wholeheartedly believes in the god Oshisha-sama and it is thanks to them that their head gains the power. However, the Shiramitsu clan’s methods in order to gain such power is rather sinister in nature.
Every so often, the clan would enact a summoning ritual in order to bring forth Oshisha-sama. One that requires for the next family head to have a near-death experience. In actuality, the entity that provides that foresight is not an angel, but the demon, Astaroth.
Sometime after the previous head passes, his identical twin sons, Ryui and Toi swap places. Ryui was selected to undergo the ritual, but with Toi taking his place, Astaroth has slipped into his body instead.
The day of the prophecy
On a day after Raito has turned 12 years old, he and Nayuki headed to Angel Eye to receive the prophecy. It is to be noted that this is soon after the title of family has been passed down from the twins’ father to Toi.
There, Astaroth uses Toi’s body to tell the pair of brothers about the foreseeable future.
“Kitakata Raito will die at 28 years old.”
There was just one glaring contradiction——what the pair of brothers saw in the vision Astaroth had showed them is different.
Raito saw that he died smiling, and what Nayuki saw was that Raito died in agony. These are clashing statements, so which of these was the ‘truth’ is currently up in the air.
Present day
One night, Astaroth approaches Raito and offers to let him see his corpse one more time. Raito simply declines, then continues to ponder over the prophecy.
But when he thinks back on his death expression... he can no longer seem to remember what it looked like...
Other Characters Aware of the Death Prophecy:
The Chief
Azekawa Kinari
Natsuyaki Chihiro
Kinouchi Tao
Domeki Kuguri
Story References
Main Story
Chained Up Scarlet | SideA - 009, 011, 022 | SideB - 016,
Designs of Happiness | SideA - 09, 25 | SideB - 012
Ward Mayor Novels
Raito S1.0 - “Origin of the Name”
Toi S1.0 - “The Day I Became an Angel”