Kutabe, a fox‑like spirit that haunts the fourth step of an old stairway near the school; it can turn any wish or spoken statement made on that step into reality – often with dangerous consequences . In order to save Leo, she draws a specific ward‑symbol on a wooden tablet and calls out the binding phrase to Kutabe from off‑stage . Hajime distracts Leo so he does not utter the fatal script line right away.