Part 6 – A Warning Too Dangerous to Ignore
Amaya quietly stepped inside.
The heavy wooden doors closed behind her.
Thud.
The room fell silent.
Large maps of the village and its surrounding forests covered the walls.
Several reports lay scattered across a long wooden table.
Standing before them...
Was Raijin.
His crimson eyes lifted from the reports.
They settled on Amaya.
"...Amaya."
His voice remained calm.
"But this isn't the time for a visit."
Amaya gave a small bow.
"...I know."
"...I'm sorry."
Raijin noticed the folded paper in her hands.
His expression sharpened slightly.
"...What is it?"
Amaya stepped closer.
Without saying a word...
She carefully placed the folded letter on the table.
"...Haruto dropped this today."
Raijin looked at the letter.
"...Haruto?"
Amaya nodded.
"...At the academy."
"I noticed it after classes."
"I went to return it..."
She hesitated.
"...But before I could..."
"He had already gone home."
Raijin reached toward the letter.
"...So you came here instead."
"...Yes."
He unfolded it.
His eyes slowly moved across the page.
The room remained silent.
Amaya watched him carefully.
At first...
Nothing changed.
Then...
Raijin's brows slowly furrowed.
His eyes returned to the beginning.
He read it again.
More carefully.
"..."
A Hunter...
Warning Haruto?
His expression remained unreadable.
Finally...
He looked up.
"...Did Haruto read this?"
Amaya slowly shook her head.
"...I don't think so."
"He picked up the envelope..."
"...But the letter was still with me."
Raijin became quiet.
"...You read it?"
Amaya lowered her head.
"...I did."
"I know I shouldn't have."
"...But after I did..."
"I couldn't pretend I never saw it."
Raijin didn't scold her.
Instead...
He asked only one question.
"...Do you believe what's written here?"
Amaya was silent for a moment.
Then...
"...I don't know."
"But..."
She looked him in the eyes.
"...I know Haruto."
"If someone wanted to trick him..."
"...He'd never notice."
"And if this letter is real..."
"...He doesn't know."
Raijin lowered his gaze back to the paper.
His fingers rested against the edge of the table.
"..."
"The war is fake..."
He murmured quietly.
"...Hunters..."
"...Haruto..."
Then his eyes stopped on one particular line.
'Your Hunter friend.'
"..."
Raijin's gaze hardened.
"...A Hunter..."
"...Friends with an eight-year-old?"
He slowly folded the letter again.
"...That..."
"...I don't believe."
The room fell silent once more.
Amaya didn't argue.
She hadn't expected him to.
But she did know one thing.
Whether that part was true or not...
The rest of the letter...
Could not simply be ignored.
The room remained silent.
Raijin's eyes rested on the folded letter lying before him.
A Hunter...
Warning Haruto.
It was difficult to believe.
Yet...
Ignoring it wasn't an option.
Just then—
Knock. Knock.
A firm knock echoed through the room.