Chapter 10: The Letter
Maho's point of view
It happened during our Psychology lecture on Friday afternoon.
The classroom door opened quietly, and a staff member stepped inside carrying four black envelopes. He did not speak. He simply walked to the professor's desk and placed them there before leaving.
The professor adjusted his glasses and looked down at the names written on the envelopes. "Maho Rin Suzuki, Sara Nakamura, Riko Ishikawa, Tsuki Hoshino."
My heartbeat got faster. It was only our names. Why only us? The rest of the class turned to look at us, but there was no confusion in their expressions. There was no surprise either. Some of them even looked relieved.
We walked to the front and collected the envelopes in silence. The paper was thick and sealed with dark red wax. They felt official.
When we returned to our seats, no one asked questions. The professor resumed teaching as if nothing unusual had happened. That was when I understood something was wrong.
After class, the four of us went back to our dormitory without speaking. Once inside, Sara locked the door. Riko placed her envelope carefully on the table. Tsuki stood near the window with his arms crossed.
I broke the seal first. Inside was a single sheet of paper. There were no greetings, neither explanation. Only few words existed in there.
''THIS WEEK'S TARGET:
Hiroto Aizawa.''
My stomach tightened. What was this?
Hiroto Aizawa was a second-year student from the Martial Arts division. He was disciplined and physically strong. I had seen him training several times in the courtyard.
Sara opened hers. Riko opened hers. Tsuki opened hers.
The same name was everywhere! And only four letters had been distributed.
The rest of the class already knew about this system. That was why they were not surprised. We were the new ones. At the bottom of the page, another line was printed.
''Deadline: Sunday, 11:59 p.m.
Failure will result in disciplinary correction.''
Sara sat down slowly. "We are not actually going to do this," she said, but her voice lacked certainty. Tsuki did not answer immediately. "If we refuse," he said finally, "we become the example." Riko looked pale. "This is not a competition. This is execution."
But what are we supposed to do now? We are confused.
That evening, we saw Hiroto training in the open courtyard. His movements were sharp and controlled. He looked completely unaware. Or maybe he was pretending. Students passed by us without making eye contact. Some whispered quietly. Others observed us openly, as if waiting to see what we would do.
This was not just about eliminating a target. This was about proving that we were willing. Across the courtyard, I noticed Kai standing near the administration building. He was watching the area calmly. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes were focused.
This was not a random assignment. Are we supposed to kill him like we did earlier? I can't do such bloody thing again!
The first week of normal classes had been an illusion. This was the real system of Hoshizora. And for the first time since arriving here, I truly understood something.
The trial never ended.