The meeting room appeared big when there was no one inside. Hanako could feel the leader’s seriousness fill the empty space among them. She had no clue what the motive of their sudden reunion was, but her sixth sense told her it had nothing to do with Utah or the stone. She remembered the detailed explanations their teacher would give them in the Academy about the wars between clans before the existence of hidden villages. And given the era she had been living in for the last couple of months, she expected the worst. “A petition arrived this morning,” said Tajima. Madara didn’t say anything, but his lips curved up slightly. “The Land of That took over the Land of Ancestors shortly after Utah destroyed his castle. Upon his disappearance, the villagers had no other choice but to join their

