The baby tiger will be raised by a squirrel.
Maurice's sober, stern tone drew every lady's rapt attention.
‘A quiz? This couldn't be better!’
I had graduated at the very top of my class at the Academy.
Simply because there was nothing else I could afford to do besides study.
Most students attending the Academy were noble scions, while those among the commoners were usually children of wealthy merchants.
They relished forming all kinds of sports clubs and social circles to keep themselves actively engaged.
I, however, could not do that.
Every activity outside of studying cost money.
If I attended even one social gathering, my younger siblings would have to starve for the day.
I had made a habit of offering one excuse after another to skirt around social outings.
As a result, only my grades were high.
It would be a lie to say I never envied them.
Still, I knew what to prioritize to keep my heart from aching quite as much.
And in the end, hadn't the moment finally arrived for those painful times to shine?
I clenched my fists and stared intently at Maurice's mouth.
Amid the tension and anxiety, I could hear the swallow of the person beside me and the faint breathing in the room.
Maurice finally parted his lips again.
Shasha's hand shot up at the speed of light.
All of us flinched at her sheer speed.
I immediately thought, ‘Ah, missed my chance.’
Surely there were several other young ladies who knew the correct answer as well.
Thanks to Shasha, I realized this was no time to care about keeping up appearances.
Maurice extended an open hand toward Shasha.
Shasha spoke with imposing confidence, turning her head to seek agreement from those around her.
Adele, standing beside Shasha, chimed in with enthusiasm.
You couldn't truly settle the king of beasts by beastfolk standards alone, but he was clearly implying it was the tiger.
Hmph. I let out a snort so soft no one could hear.
The lion's house, the Carnivora family, held their territory at the empire's southernmost tip.
Since that was an immense distance from the capital, it was fortunate no young ladies from that family were present.
It seemed this test would feature only questions favorable or related to House Blantiger.
‘Oh? I know this! I learned it at the Academy! What was it again, what was it?’
I couldn't let my guard down for even a second. The ladies were terrifyingly quick.
When Maurice nodded, Adele sprang from her seat.
Befitting a family symbolized by the giraffe, Lady Reti was extraordinarily tall.
Debbie and I raised our hands the instant the word ‘incorrect’ fell from his lips.
This time, I was faster than Debbie by a hair.
Maurice extended his hand toward me.
I gulped hard and cleared my throat.
“Eek!”
Intoxicated with joy, I ended up hopping up and down with a shriek.
Debbie and Jane, watching me, clapped their hands in congratulations.
Quickly smoothing my skirt, however, I sat back down.
Melissa, eliminated for her rash behavior, came to mind.
‘Making a noisy scene during a competition might be grounds for disqualification too.’
I promptly wiped every trace of a smile from my face and assumed a composed expression, ready for the next question.
Each territory had its symbolic tree, and beastfolk memorized the Tree Table at the Academy.
Though it had been long enough that my memory was hazy, I faintly remembered the trees of influential families.
Our Durams family tree was the oak, bearer of acorns.
And the tree of House Blantiger…?
Everyone seemed to be combing their memories, tilting their heads or tapping their fingers to the rhythm peculiar to the Tree Table.
Lady Aluco threw her hand into the air.
Maurice gave a small smile and nodded.
Debbie grasped my hands as we shared the joy.
It felt wonderful.
Even though we were competing, warm encouragement passed between us, lifting the mood higher and higher.
About to present the next question, Maurice wore a curious expression.
A hint of playfulness shone in his eyes.
Nearly all the young ladies raised their hands before Maurice could even finish, but the first name called out was Fury Equis.
Tee-hee! As Fury's refreshing burst of joyful laughter rang out, the young ladies exchanged glances and dissolved into giggles.
Maurice called for calm as the room grew noisy with laughter.
After that, in-depth questions followed one after another—on topics ranging from military camouflage techniques inspired by a cheetah's eye markings to imperial geography and history—and the ladies' scores remained neck and neck.
As soon as Maurice finished speaking, the young ladies relaxed their stiffened postures and let out long breaths.
True to her prominent standing in high society, Shasha was the first to propose tea.
The truth was, I had no close friends among the young ladies, so picturing myself mingling in an elegant tea gathering felt rather awkward.
Yet I felt as though I ought to attend, so I followed after Shasha.
***
The expansive garden was awash with the brilliant hues of fresh spring blooms, and the pillars of the gazebo set beside the lake were entwined with lovely climbing vines.
While the young ladies strolled across the grounds, maids briskly brought out black tea and cookies under Maurice's direction.
Abundant arrangements of roses adorned the white marble table beneath the gazebo's domed roof.
As the maids pulled out the antique wooden chairs one by one, the ladies settled into their seats around Shasha.
Quietly taking a seat near the edge, I looked down with deep satisfaction at the fragrant black tea and assortment of cookies set before me.
‘They look so delicious. Cookies studded with dried blueberries…’
It was just then.
Hm? Hearing a familiar voice from somewhere, I whipped my head this way and that.
A gasp caught in my throat. That was unmistakably the voice of my three-year-old brother, Jackjack.
Why on earth was Jackjack's voice coming from here?
