Chapter 6
The Purification Ritual at the Temple
Yuki's husband walked quickly towards the temple, holding the ōgiban firmly under his arm. He felt a growing dread come over him, as if something were pursuing him in the darkness. He looked back several times, but saw nothing other than the trees and the river glittering under the moon. His mind was tormented by thoughts of his wife, sunk in a dark obsession because of this ancient game. He hoped that the purification of the board at the temple would bring an end to the curse that had fallen upon her.
On reaching the temple, a sanctuary of serenity in the midst of the sleeping city, he was received by a priest. The priest's face, lit by the trembling light of the lanterns, reflected a deep compassion. After briefly explaining the situation, the husband placed the ōgiban in the priest's hands.
We shall purify this with the sacred fire,
the priest declared in a gentle but firm voice, guiding the husband towards a great pyre where offerings and prayers were already burning. The flames danced towards the night sky, as if binding the earthly world to that of the spirits.
With a respectful bow, the priest placed the ōgiban on the pyre. The husband watched the flames engulf the board, its light mingling with the smoke rising towards the stars. He felt a mixture of relief and apprehension—relief at being rid of the source of the curse, and apprehension at the unknown that awaited Yuki and himself after this ritual.
As the last fragment of the ōgiban burned away, the priest murmured ancient prayers, his words lost in the crackling of the fire. The husband joined the priest in these prayers, fervently hoping that this act would free Yuki from the grip of the game.
After the ceremony, the husband thanked the priest and left the temple, his heart lighter but his mind still preoccupied with Yuki's condition. The way home seemed calmer, as if the night itself shared his renewed hope.
It was then, lost in his thoughts and his hopes for the future, that he met a familiar figure on the way home, an encounter that would reveal still deeper truths about the curse that had struck his house.