The exam is lightly ritualized: Candidates enter the room where it will take place en masse through a big door in the middle of the library, but leave it quietly one by one through another, far more discreet, one. It leads to a "pressure release" room: A quiet place with , some seats, some cushions, and a light buffet (tea and sweets), where candidates can cool down their brain, and discuss with each other or with anyone visiting.

Done for now, Satsuki helped herself to some sweets... feeling a sense of strange fatigue from the fire kami continously zooming through her brain right now.

Pleased with her answers, the Lioness also helped her self to the offered sweets.

"Makime-san," Satsuki waved to the Lion heiress, then shoved the remaining sweet-cake into her mouth to quickly finished it.

"... It seems we keep meeting in the library, huh? I didn't know members of the Lion were so well-read and studious as you are, but I'm very pleasantly surprised!"

Ayano blinked at the eating habits of Satsuki, the Dragon was a striking woman...but completely shattered her romantic ideals of the delicate mountain artist. In many ways she seemed more like a certain Akodo in manners.

She bowed politely before responding, "Togashi-sama, I take it you have not heard much of my family." She smiled slightly, "We are a very studious group...though that study tends to be focused on Lord Akodo's art and the subjects which are related to it. I am a bit more broad in my reading then most others of my name, I do have to admit."

"Ah... right, right. Your mother helped uncle Akodo pen Leadership, yes? He gifted me with a copy of the work for my coming-of-age, but... warfare isn't really a topic I understand very well." She smiled sheepishly to admit that to a Lion.

"But what else do you like to read then, apart from warfare?"

"Anything I could find in the library," Ayano replied, "...though if I had to say the knowledge most intriguing to me is on the burgeoning complexities of trade."

Her own smile turned sheepish, "I can speak on a lot of things with some degree of understanding though. And I know warfare and commerce are...niche subjects."

"Commerce huh?" she did look a bit intrigued. "... I admit, it's not a subject I know much about. Not something my parents have taught me, and it's kind of something that other people handle. But, I suppose it would be good to learn, at some point?"

She sounded a bit uncertain. Was it something she should learn?

Sora, having set a nice baseline level of failure for anyone else, observed two of his favorite young people having a chat, and made a point of giving them some space.

Let's see if you can find some commonalities with this particular Dragon, Ayano...

Togashi Satsuki wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 2:04 am

"Commerce huh?" she did look a bit intrigued. "... I admit, it's not a subject I know much about. Not something my parents have taught me, and it's kind of something that other people handle. But, I suppose it would be good to learn, at some point?"

She sounded a bit uncertain. Was it something she should learn?

"It's very dry to most but immensely important," Ayano tilted her head slightly, considering how much to say...it was a boring discussion for most...but the Lioness thought she could at least keep the why's interesting if not the how's.

"At the level of the old tribes, and even the villages now, trade is simple. I know how to make clothes, you know how to make shoes. I need shoes and you need clothes, so of course we just swap. Both of us is happy and neither of us concerned about the relative values of the exchanged object. We know each other and work together already to keep everyone in the village happy."

"But it gets more complicated the larger the groups, I can trust you because I know you...but can I trust the person from that other village three days travel away?" She smiled, "Unfortunately they have things I need and can not get locally, so we must come to an agreement. Commerce is partly that. Although if I wanted to properly define it...then I would say it is the process of managing resources. The extraction, use, and transportation. That is the key to it's importance. Making sure resources are available and where they are judged to be needed."

"Hmmm yes, yes," Satsuki nodded attentively, very much in student-mode as she listened to Ayano.

"I see the need for such better understanding, as Great Falls keeps growing more and more, and its location makes it the natural place for visitors out of clan to come to, to trade and seek to speak with the leaders of the Dragon. I don't know if it will be a trading hub as such, but... hmmm, I suppose the Dragon are kind of in the middle of a lot of the northern clans, so that might be..."

She was clearly thinking way ahead.

"Do you think you could teach me more? I'm good at mathematics already, but I don't have your experience with the finer details of these things. Like what things are worth when you take into consideration the time and materials it took to make it, and then factor in travel and whatnot for those coming from far away."

"I..." Ayano rubs her chin in thought, "Well I was planning to put my thoughts to paper, having a group of people available to read and critique them would be useful."

"I can not promise it is an exciting topic...but yes I can share with you what I know and what trends I have seen from my observations and speaking to the merchants of my family." She smiles sheepishly, "It will be something best spread out over the winter."

"I appriciate it a lot, Makime-san," Satsuki smiled warmly to the shorter woman. "... Is there anything I can do in return for your time and efforts? I don't know what might be of interest to you...?"

Ayumu stopped in his task so... okay, even for such a composed man grading papers could be only described as "gruesome".

So he took a break to see if everything was going alright in the relief room. Apparently so.

Jiyo Sora wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 10:20 am

Sora, having set a nice baseline level of failure for anyone else, observed two of his favorite young people having a chat, and made a point of giving them some space.

Let's see if you can find some commonalities with this particular Dragon, Ayano...

Ayumu joined his old sempai for a quiet confidence:

"Don't tell the kids Sora, but if Jiyo suddenly asked me to pass the exam without any time to prepare or focus, I would have a hard time doing half as good as they did. This thing's nasty. Only subject I can really expect to cash in some points is theology."

Jiyo Ayumu wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:19 pm

Ayumu joined his old sempai for a quiet confidence:

"Don't tell the kids Sora, but if Jiyo suddenly asked me to pass the exam without any time to prepare or focus, I would have a hard time doing half as good as they did. This thing's nasty. Only subject I can really expect to cash in some points is theology."

"Well, it's meant to be a challenge, right?"

He grinned.

"I'm just sorry you're stuck checking the results, that's got to be tedious."

Togashi Satsuki wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 4:56 pm

"I appriciate it a lot, Makime-san," Satsuki smiled warmly to the shorter woman. "... Is there anything I can do in return for your time and efforts? I don't know what might be of interest to you...?"

"Your mother is renowned as a great artist and her family likewise, but...." Ayano looked the Dragon over and smiled sheepishly, "I feel you may have taken a different path? One more attune to your father's perhaps?"

Makime Ayano wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 10:01 pm

"Your mother is renowned as a great artist and her family likewise, but...." Ayano looked the Dragon over and smiled sheepishly, "I feel you may have taken a different path? One more attune to your father's perhaps?"

"I walk my own path," she said with a bit of that Dragon air of mystery to her, "but I suppose it's closer to father's than mother's. Though, mother did teach me a lot too, like singing and dancing and music. I'm... passable with most instruments?"

She gave Ayano a curious smile, sizing her up with a new interest. "Makime-san wants to learn arts? I'm afraid I'm not expert with things like poetry and painting though. The performing arts were always stronger with me."

Togashi Satsuki wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 10:07 pm

"I walk my own path," she said with a bit of that Dragon air of mystery to her, "but I suppose it's closer to father's than mother's. Though, mother did teach me a lot too, like singing and dancing and music. I'm... passable with most instruments?"

She gave Ayano a curious smile, sizing her up with a new interest. "Makime-san wants to learn arts? I'm afraid I'm not expert with things like poetry and painting though. The performing arts were always stronger with me."

"Oh," Ayano smiled at that, "I have been hoping to explore artistic endeavors this winter. Nanzi Hadananzi-sama encouraged me to paint yesterday morning. Seems I have a natural talent for it, I hope to develop it...but it has me curious as to what other talents I might have dormant."

"If it would be no imposition I wouldn't mind help in this..."

"It would be no imposition at all, Makime-san! Music and art is for everyone to enjoy, no matter the skill and talent. I'd be happy to arrange some time for you. I brought my guqin with me, and I know Hikaru-san has a flute..." she thought on the matter. "I'll see if any of my kin have any instruments with them, in case you might want to try a couple of different ones?"

Togashi Satsuki wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 10:32 pm

"It would be no imposition at all, Makime-san! Music and art is for everyone to enjoy, no matter the skill and talent. I'd be happy to arrange some time for you. I brought my guqin with me, and I know Hikaru-san has a flute..." she thought on the matter. "I'll see if any of my kin have any instruments with them, in case you might want to try a couple of different ones?"

"Ah...that would be wonderful," Ayano's smile grew a fraction, "Even if I do not have a talent for it, then at least being able to try would be pleasant. Though what other instruments do you think would be available?"