Miyabi Hosorogi

**Miyabi Hosorogi** (細呂木 雅, *Hosorogi Miyabi*) is a spirit possessing Misaki Sakimiya's mechanical pencil as per a pact with the Corpse God. He currently works as a 'gimmick' in the Corpse God's fortunetelling business, acting as an autonomous pencil to convince clients of the Corpse God's legitimacy.

While alive, Hosorogi was at one point Chief of Police and an Internal Affairs inspector investigating a certain symbol alongside Tsubaki Iwanome. He was murdered before he could see his case through, and his last lingering attachment to the world is his desire to see the case entrusted to Iwanome.

## Appearance

Hosorogi's appearance while it was alive is unknown. The mechanical pencil it possesses is spider-themed, with a decorative arachnid on its clip and a white cobweb on the cylinder.

## Personality

Hosorogi is shrewd and broad-thinking, having masterminded the fortunetelling operation from all angles. At the same time, he can get a little carried away—especially with money-related fantasies, as his love for money remains strong even in death. That he retained a sense of self for five years, post-mortem is purportedly unusual for spirits and may suggest noteworthy tenacity.

## Chronology

### In Life

Before becoming an inspector, Hosorogi rescues Lisa Kuraki—the teenage granddaughter of a wealthy industrialist—from her kidnappers and likely death. The nature of their relationship going forward—type, length, evolution—remains to be defined.

Not only does Miyabi Hosorogi eventually become an Internal Affairs inspector within law enforcement, he eventually achieves the rank of Chief of Police. He has claimed that during this time, he is often called a "delinquent inspector" and a "scumbag who exposed scum."

At some point during his career, he is made aware of a certain symbol and its connections to a mysterious investigation; he soon focuses on pursuing symbol and organization. Ongoing corruption within the police force means there are few trustworthy officers whom Hosorogi can confide in, but he at least finds one such ally in Tsubaki Iwanome.

On a certain day, Hosorogi throws Iwanome a pack of Marlboros, to which he has affixed a scrap of paper featuring the symbol. Once Iwanome confirms he has memorized the symbol, Hosorogi sets the paper on fire and warns Iwanome to neither forget the symbol nor allow anyone else to see it—for it is a "one-way ticket to death." Iwanome, thus recruited, subsequently joins the case.

The investigation proves dangerous enough that Hosorogi is forced into hiding, though he never gives up on the case and continues growing closer to closing in on his targets. He is consequently murdered at the Abandoned Building—commonly used by murderers as a dumping ground—by someone he will later presume is a hired assassin rather than one of his targets. He lingers on Earth in spirit form for the next five years, driven by his need to see Iwanome shoulder the case in his stead—and, it is implied, lingering attachments to Lisa.

### In Death

When the Corpse God—in Polka Shinoyama's body—discovers Hosorogi's spirit underneath the building, after the five years have passed, he is surprised to find Hosorogi still has a sense of self and intelligence and as such offers to make a pact with him. Once the pact is made, he moves Hosorogi's spirit to one of Misaki Sakimiya's mechanical pencils he picked off the floor.

The day after Lemmings' appearance at Youtoukorou, Corpse God presents the possessed pencil to Misaki and Takumi Kuruya as an example of an object possessed by a spirit with whom he has made a pact. Hosorogi writes that he is honored to be working with friends of the "Mediator Clarissa" and introduces himself as 'Hosorogi', rattling off a list of ways they could use him as a weapon.

That day, the Corpse God announces his attention to open a fortunetelling shop and use his Necromancy to make money. Three days later, Hosorogi redesigns the business sign and finds the Fortuneteller Shop doing good business, with customers lining up to have their fortunes told. One of these customers is Mikoto Saimyouji, who is shocked when the Corpse God alludes to his leg injury, and quite impressed when Hosorogi acts as an autonomous pencil.

When they go on break, Hosorogi credits his sign redesign as one reason the business is making money. Takumi admits the sign is impressive for a pencil, but is still skeptical about the profitability of fortunes, so Hosorogi provides a thorough rundown of how their business' fortunetelling works and why his self-propelled performative gimmick is vital to selling the Corpse God's abilities as the 'real deal.' While Takumi admits he should probably just be thankful, he still worries that the business' success depends so heavily on a "one-trick mechanical pencil that randomly showed up."

Hosorogi insists that this is just a 'foot in the door' for when they start advertising their fortunetelling at Youtoukorou, after which the 'real show' will start once they attract more influential clientele. He also assures the Corpse God that they can shut down the operation before he attracts too much attention, though he sighs wistfully at all the money they could make.

The business continues running without incident for some time; when it is next seen closed, it is revealed that the Corpse God's fortunetelling efforts have raked in one-hundred-thousand yen. Hosorogi delightedly rolls in the yen notes before stopping to assure the Corpse God that he is not a sham for using his paranormal powers after the profits are split five ways. As such, though Hosorogi is the 'brains of the operation', he receives an equal share of twenty-thousand yen.

They are interrupted by the unexpected arrival of several Shinoyama bodyguards and the young twins Shizuki Shinoyama and Kazuki Shinoyama—the real Polka's half-nephew and half-niece—who crow at having found their runaway uncle and demand he read their fortunes. Takumi attempts to keep the attention off the Corpse God and on him by goading Kazuki, but eventually, the twins leave after "Polka" hugs them and whispers something in their ears.

Once the twins leave, the Corpse God explains to Hosorogi and the others that they are being haunted by a spirit who appears to be pleading with him to save them. Hosorogi suggests the Corpse God make a contract with the spirit as he did him. Still, the Corpse God points out that Hosorogi is a unique case—the whole reason he contracted with Hosorogi is that he found it "incredible" Hosorogi retained his consciousness for five years without aid.

The next day, Misaki and the Corpse God—carrying the real Polka in his hood—leave to dine with the Shinoyamas. Hosorogi and Takumi remain behind at the abandoned building, where Takumi remarks to him that Takeru Shinoyama—the real Polka's eldest half-nephew and the president of Shinoyama Security—is the Shinoyama relative they need to most keep an eye on. Hosorogi has already heard of the rumors that Takeru has full power over the Shinoyamas' shadier affairs, and the two discuss the real Polka's status within the family, Misaki's adaptability, and the possibility that one of the Shinoyamas may have wanted the real Polka dead to claim his inheritance.

By the time "Polka," the real Polka, and Misaki return that night, with Misaki's dress charred and the Corpse God carrying an antique radio, Hosorogi, and Takumi have already been made aware that an arsonist set fire to the manor and tried to kill Shizuki and Kazuki. Hosorogi supposes it makes sense for a being from another world to acquaint himself with radios and newspapers before moving on to the news sources; when Takumi observes the Corpse God is acting like a kid, Hosorogi guesses that the real Polka's memories and consciousness are causing the Corpse God to regress a little.

Shortly after the radio is plugged in and tuned to a news station, the news reports that two police cars carrying a suspected arsonist went up in flames earlier that afternoon; Takumi uses his computer to confirm the arsonist was the one who attacked Shinoyama manor. The following news item on the female announcer's list is that of Tena Sorimura—a man now infamous for the various stunts he has pulled as the troublemaker "Phantom Solitaire." The announcer rattles off some of his more notorious stunts, none of which Hosorogi has ever heard of—nor is he familiar with Sorimura's name, implying Sorimura was still an unknown figure when Hosorogi was still alive.

Misaki notices that the announcer's voice has changed from a woman's to a man's, drawing everyone's attention back to the radio, and it soon becomes apparent that Sorimura himself has hijacked the broadcast. Sorimura announces that he will make a comeback performance as "Phantom Solitare" in one week before signing off.

Takumi asks the Corpse God if there were any similar "enemies of the state" in his home world, and he lists several before learning via Takumi that no dragons exist on Earth. At his evident surprise, Hosorogi suggests they, at some point, ought to thoroughly compare the creatures inhabiting this world and the other world. The group converses for a bit longer until they hear a knocking at the door, which opens to reveal two late-night visitors: Sayo Shinoyama—one of the real Polka's half-nieces—and Xiaoyu Lei, her escort and an alleged butler-in-training.

As Sayo's room had burned down in the fire, Rozan Shinoyama—via a pre-recorded message—requested that "Polka" allow her and Xiaoyu to stay with him for the time being. "Polka" agrees, and a room one floor down is swiftly accommodated for Sayo and Xiaoyu's use. Once Sayo and Xiaoyu are situated, the Corpse God and his friends return upstairs for further discussion before turning in for the night.

The following day, Iwanome and his partner Kōzaburō Arase arrive at the building and catch the Corpse God in the middle of changing into his fortunetelling outfit, after that Iwanome requests "Polka" read his fortune. Sayo, Xiaoyu, and Arase file into the fortunetelling room to witness the 'psychic reading', with Hosorogi on the table as per his usual role and Takumi ready at his computer elsewhere for the 'hot reading.'

The Corpse God proceeds to do a 'hot reading' of Iwanome using Takumi's information, referencing Takumi's job at the Community Safety Division and his arranged marriage proposals. When he says that Iwanome will "continue to walk submerged" for as long as he carries his "deep scar from his past," Iwanome asks if he can guide him to the man who gave him the injury and left him "one-winged" in the first place.

At the Corpse God's signal—"The shredded wing will spell out the signpost to you"—Hosorogi draws the simplified symbol on a sheet of paper and writes the following: '[...] So trust nobody. There's one more garage on the west side of the place indicated. There's a signpost. 383 mirror.' Iwanome surges to his feet, grabs the Corpse God by his clothes and demands to know what he knows and why he relayed *that* symbol. The Corpse God coolly replies that all he has done is shown Iwanome the way; Iwanome grits his teeth, relaxes, and offers him payment for the session and his wrinkled shirt before he and Arase take his leave.

Although customers are still waiting to have, their fortunes read. The Corpse God and his friends—excluding Sayo and Xiaoyu, the latter having left to go shopping—take a moment to recover from Iwanome's visit. The Corpse God says no ghost was 'possessing' Iwanome. When Takumi asks if he drew something that "just happened" to "push Iwanome's buttons," he explains that he left the drawing to Hosorogi at Hosorogi's request.

When Misaki asks if Hosorogi knew 'that officer,' Hosorogi writes that Shinjuku is a surprisingly deep place before revealing that he was an Internal Affairs inspector when alive and that he knew Iwanome and Arase despite being posted at a different station. He shares with evident amusement, if not pride, some of the deprecating monikers he was called at the time—but refuses to show or explain what he wrote for Iwanome on the paper unless the Corpse God pays a fee of one million yen.

Takumi says Hosorogi is acting instead "heavy-handed" against a necromancer he owes quite a bit to, so Hosorogi apologizes for being the reason "Polka" was grabbed by the neck—demurs and admits that what he wrote has to do with his 'lingering regret.' The Corpse God proposes a deal: in exchange for letting him put Hosorogi to work, he will release Hosorogi from all his lingering attachments to the world.
In thinking of his 'lingering attachments,' Hosorogi silently muses that he needs to see 'Lisa' sooner rather than later.

Several days pass. On the day scheduled for Sorimura's comeback performance, Sorimura delivers a 'performance' which all of Shinjuku witnesses: a delivery of a dirigible fleet floating across Shinjuku's skies, each dirigible's side painted with a symbol identical to the symbol Hosorogi drew save for one difference—unlike Hosorogi's symbol, Sorimura's symbol has a horizontal line drawn across its confluence point.

The Corpse God and his friends crowd around the window to look when Sayo calls them over; in shock, the Corpse God identifies the symbol as, despite some differences, unquestionably the emblem of a fallen empire in his world. His statement leaves Hosorogi utterly nonplussed.

Fifty-eight minutes after the dirigibles invade Shinjuku airspace, a sniper shoots a Solitaire dummy planted on top of one of the airships. Sorimura subsequently arranges another live broadcast, in which he shares footage of the shot dummy and a theory that whatever organization wanted him dead must have footholds within the police (as only a police helicopter could have flown above the airships). He then offers his viewers a three hundred million yen reward for whoever can give him the "most helpful information" they can find on the symbol.

The Corpse God and his friends watch the broadcast on Takumi's tablet, with Hosorogi and the real Polka listening from the table; once the broadcast is over, Sayo marches up to them and demands an explanation for "Polka's" earlier statement about the "world he came from." The Corpse God confesses his true identity and gives an abbreviated version of his backstory, all of which Sayo says she believes.

Once Sayo and Misaki (and the real Polka) return from the showers, the group discusses the symbol again. Takumi volunteers to use his "identification wizardry" (i.e., hacking) to gather information, starting with the police's data networks. At this, Hosorogi admits he may have an 'inkling' of what is going on, though he cannot go into details; however, he does warn the others to be careful—for the police department truly is a "hotbed of vice."

It does not take long for Takumi to hack into Iwanome's file, nor does it take him long to see that Iwanome has been investigating Hosorogi for quite some time. Hosorogi asks with some trepidation if Iwanome was using the police station's computers all this time. Takumi clarifies Iwanome was up until a few years ago; as a result, some but not all of the records have been deleted. He proceeds to relate some of the more relevant details of Iwanome's most recent files.

The following day finds four customers bright and early for fortune readings: Saimyouji, two young ladies, and Sorimura disguised as salaryman Shouta Yamanoura. While the Corpse God is changing into his fortuneteller garb, Takumi—who spent all night looking into the symbol—informs him that Hosorogi was pursuing the symbol himself when he went missing. Hosorogi confirms this is correct, adding that he was killed when he "almost had them by the wail."

Hosorogi 'voices' his suspicion that his murderer was a hired assassin rather than one of his targets, which Takumi assumes means Hosorogi suspects the criminal belonged to the police force. Hosorogi refuses to confirm or deny this or say anything else, as he does not know beyond a doubt and does not want to involve others in his 'drama.' After all, he has already communicated what was necessary to Iwanome—and here he confides that his last lingering attachment to Earth is his desire to see his case left in Iwanome's hands.

## Etymology

* The name **Miyabi** means "elegant, graceful" (雅).
* Miyabi's surname **Hosorogi** means "fine, dainty, thin/get thin, taper, slender, narrow" (細) (**hoso**), "spine, backbone" (呂) (**ro**) and "tree, wood" (木) (**ki**/**gi**).

## References

1. ↑ Given name revealed in *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Volume 4, Chapter 28; 20.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Chapter 48.
3. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Volume 3, Chapter 24; 2.
4. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Volume 3, Chapter 23.
5. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Volume 3, Chapter 24; 19-22.
6. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Volume 3, Chapter 25; 21.
7. ↑ *Dead Mount Death Play* Manga: Volume 3, Chapter 29; 4.