Shiraishi was waiting for them when they arrived at the shrine house, and Akiko realised that she wouldn’t be able to have a bath immediately; there were more important things to discuss. The priest couldn’t miss the dirt on them, and her face was worried.

“Everyone got out, but the house was destroyed.â€ Akiko told Shiraishi the essentials as quickly as possible, and the priest immediately looked relieved. “But we need to do something about the cause. We can’t just run about every time Mr…â€ She caught herself. “Every time there’s a curse. People will die.â€ Shiraishi nodded.

“I have an idea. Come in, and I’ll explain.â€

She led them into the shrine office, where books were spread across the table, and pointed them to a couple of seats. Akiko was acutely conscious of the dirt she was getting on hers, but she tried to sit still and listen.

“According to Akiko, Mr Takenaka was complaining about being ignored in her visions, and it sounds as though he was abandoned by his clients, right?â€ She turned to Akira, apparently waiting for confirmation, and he nodded.

“So,â€ she continued, “if we look at past cases of angry ghosts, onryo, the normal response was to enshrine them, and perform ceremonies at the shrine. That generally calmed them down. The most famous example is Sugawara no Michizane.â€ She looked at them, apparently expecting recognition, but Akiko had no idea who she was talking about. She glanced at Akira, but he was equally blank. “Tenjin-sama? The kami of scholarship? Where all the exam candidates go in February?â€ Now Akiko knew what she meant; she’d gone to one of the shrines herself before her university entrance exams. She nodded, rubbing at a patch of dirt on the back of her hand, and saw Akira nod as well. Shiraishi continued.

“Well, Sugawara no Michizane was a courtier a thousand years ago, exiled in a palace coup. He died in exile, and then cursed the capital. After he was enshrined, the cursing stopped, and now he’s become a positive kami.â€

“Are you really suggesting enshrining my father?â€ Akira sounded incredulous, but Shiraishi nodded.

“It worked in the past. Also, if he is angry at people ignoring him, it is a way to give him attention, so it seems to have a direct application to this case as well.â€

“It just seems a bit…â€ Akira sounded very sceptical, and Akiko wasn’t entirely sure either. The grit inside her clothes was irritating her, and she shifted in place, trying to get comfortable.

“There are over two and a half million Japanese war dead enshrined in Yasukuni. It’s really not that unusual.â€

“Will it work?â€ That was Akiko’s main concern. She tried to brush some of the dust off her sleeves, but that was just making the room dirty, so she stopped.

“Yes.â€ The priest sounded very confident for a moment, but then she sighed, and shrugged. “I hope so, anyway. It’s the only thing I can find that used to work in these sorts of cases.â€

“Then I think we should try it.â€ Akiko looked at Akira for support, and he nodded a little hesitantly.

“I suppose there’s nothing to lose.â€

Akiko looked back to the priest, suddenly acutely conscious that her face was dirty as well. She had to resist a strong urge to cover her face with her hands.

“Right,â€ said Shiraishi. “We need something that was significant to Hideo as a goshintai, and something to put it in.â€

“First, I need a bath.â€ Akiko couldn’t take it any longer; she had to get clean.