Chapter 13

"His royal majesty requests your presence at the annual selection day in a weeks time." Announced a pompous plump looking man wearing a curly white wig who was reading off a scroll. He was obviously a royal messenger of sorts.

"So the prince is requesting my presence at my execution, is he? Tell him no."

Her mother shot her a dirty look as if to say "let the man finish." She shrugged and stood quietly with her arms folded, waiting for what he had to say next. The man cleared his throat after side eyeing Chinessa disapprovingly and continued on: "It has come to our attention that a child of your household is eligible to be enrolled in his majesty's sponsored junior academy. You are invited to participate in the selection process along with every other child in the kingdom who is the same age. Please note that no places are guaranteed, although factors such as family status may play a factor in the decision-making process."

"So it's not an execution?"

"Chinessa, when he said 'his royal majesty' he was referring to the king." Her father sighed.

Ohh I see. Although since rude boy appears to be a spoilt child who gets everything he wants, I wouldn't be surprised at all if his father was simply fulfilling his request to see me gone.

She was excited at the prospect of attending a proper school. Up until now, she had been educated at home by private tutors. She said tutors, because there were multiple. There was almost always a new one every few weeks because the previous one had quit because of her... unique personality. In other words, she was too energetic and had the attention span of a goldfish. She had learnt all of this already so she couldn't bring herself to give it her full attention. It was that and the fact that no teacher likes to be told by a student that they 'knew this already.'

***

Hundreds of other children were already lined up alongside their parents, all hopeful for a place at the junior academy. A place would mean that you were essentially guaranteed entry to the proper academy (which was basically an exclusive high school) where you would learn how to become a veterinarian - the most admired occupation in the country. Chinessa and her father were dressed in hooded robes to blend in amongst the common people. Apparently, nobles weren't looked upon too favourably around these parts. Speaking of which, this was her first time venturing out into the main city. Whenever she had asked her father to take her because she wanted to shopping, he had always made the excuse that it was 'too dangerous.'

At the moment the line was so long she couldn't see what they lining up for. She tried to ask her father but he pretended not to see her.

Grr, why wouldn't he tell me? Is it because it's scary? Does think that I will run away?

As time went on, children would pass by her in tears while their parents tried to comfort them. Yep, whatever it was, it was definitely going to be scary.

"Maybe its like that scene in the story of Arthur where he pulls the sword out of the stone? The reason we're lined up is because we'll have to perform some kind of impossible task like slaying a dragon!" She muttered quietly to herself, deep in thought.

"Did you say something?" He father asked, raising an eyebrow.

"N-n-nothing!"

Actually, upon second thought, maybe it's more like finding the owner of the glass slipper like in Cinderella? Those children must have been crying in disappointment because it wasn't them!

As they got closer to the start of the line, she could see something in the gaps between people. A cat sitting on a stool? So it was more like the house sorting scene in certain wizard story? From the whispers of those around her, she gathered that this particular cat was regarded as being 'the most sacred and wisest of all animals' and whether it liked you or not determined whether you were worthy of receiving a special education. How was that fair? What if you weren't a cat person or you were allergic to them? She began to panic. She knew her parents would be extremely dissapointed in her if she didn't get accepted. But what exactly was she supposed to do when she got there? Stand there and get judged? Perform a dance?

There were only a few children ahead of her now and she could overhear some of the conversations. "I brought this for you." Said a child as they placed a small fish in front of it. Bribery. Darn it! If she had known earlier she would have brought something too. The cat looked at it with narrowed eyes before flicking it off of the stool with its left paw. She had to hold in a laugh. It reminded her of cat videos she had seen previously where cats would push their owner's possesions off tables in displeasure.

It was soon her turn to come face to face with the cat. She was frozen in her spot for a minute. What to do... What to do... Aha! Why didn't she do just that!? Get face to face with the cat, of course! During the many years she had spent taking care of kitties, she had learnt that the natural way cats greeted each other was to be at eye level and touch each other nose to nose. She bent down, looked the cat directly in its eyes and softly nudged its nose with her own. She prayed that the cat wouldn't claw her. Luckily her belief was correct as the cat proceeded to rub its face against hers, signalling that it was a successful friendly meeting. She held out her arms and the cat jumped into them much to the surprise of onlookers.

"Aww, you're a good kitty cat, aren't you? Yes you are ~"

***

It wasn't long before Chinessa's first day at school rolled around and she was standing in front of the towering front gates with both her parents holding her hands. She was grateful to have them both at her side as her past life parents where almost always too busy to spend time with her, so she made sure to savour the moment.

"This totally doesn't look like a licensed business." She accidentally voiced her thoughts out loud.

From what she had heard, this building wasn't even built for the intended purpose of being a school. In fact, it was the house of a noble who had taken on the job of teaching as a hobby. How she would have liked not to have had to walk to work in her previous life!

As the gates opened, she prayed that she would make many friends and have the happy school life she had always dreamed of, free of bullying and excessive homework!