And then the fifth morning arrives, and the Test of the Soul turns out to be... just tea and conversation? Jun is almost too relieved. His family has produced many capable diplomats and courtiers. He's totally ready for this.
"Doji-sama, this tea is truly remarkable. Could it be the Apricot Blossom Fragrance cultivar, from the Wall Above the Ocean province? I once read of it, but it's quite impossible to find it up north, no matter how I searched." Encouraged by Doji Shingo's approving confirmation of his guess, Jun continues to wax enthusiastic. "I thought it had to be! I'm sure you would already know this, sir, but the distinctive aroma of this tea was the critical clue in the celebrated serial murder case at the Winter Court of 1098. What other tea could satisfy the great epicures of that age and perfectly hide the smell of bitter almond extract?" Jun smiles happily as he savors another sip. "It really is as good as they say. What an honor!"
Belatedly sensing something amiss in the whitening of his conversation partner's lips and the slight adjustment of his posture, Jun realizes he's gone wrong somewhere. Damn! How could he have been so foolish as to court-splain the 1098 Poison Flower Scandal to a Crane of Shingo's generation? Obviously, the Crane courtier must be insulted that Jun would assume he, Doji Shingo, didn't already know every deliciously gruesome detail. Yes, surely that must be it. No other possible explanation.
Jun tamps down his curiosity (even though he's now burning to ask Were you there, sir?!? Did you see the murderer's famous earthenware teapot?) and lets Shingo lead the remainder of the conversation, following the older man's cues into much more boring but evidently safer topics, like the autumn leaf season in Kyuden Kitsuki.
And then there is the last challenge... a piece of art to 'represent yourself'? Well, that's right back to the vague and mystical again. Jun tries to recall what he's read about artists and their creative processes. Right, wasn't it Hantei IX who had really loved painting? So much he'd relocated the Emerald Magistrates' compound to make room for the Imperial Painting Academy? Which was insane, but anyway, in fairness to the old Emperor, he had trained a lot of great painters. Jun can still remember catching a glimpse of one of those paintings, on a rare visit to the private residence inside Kyuden Kitsuki. "The Scent of Wildflowers," it was titled, but the artist hadn't painted any flowers--only a pair of butterflies fluttering around the hooves of a strolling horse. And yet you somehow knew the horse had just been galloping through a field of wildflowers, and its hooves were covered in flower perfume--the dance of the painted butterflies told the whole story. Now that was good art.
Unfortunately, however poetic the source of Jun's inspiration might be, his childish painting of two dancing bluebottles showing the way to a patch of grass where the body of a murder victim was hidden... did not win the judges' approval. Too bad. Brilliant idea but poor execution, I suppose.
---
D5 LM Test of the Soul - step 1, Courtesy 1/Air 3, TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1
Fail, no points. 2x Opportunity to notice an interesting detail (the tea).
D5 LM Test of the Soul - step 2, Sentiment 2/Air 3, TN2, Kitsuki Method, Subtle Observer | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1
Basic success, +1 point.
D5 LM Test of the Soul - step 3, Aesthetics 0/Fire 2, TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0
Fail in a flashy and memorable way. No points.
Total: 1 point, since I'm pretty sure Air is not Favored for step 2.
You're a mess at courtier-ing, son, and may the gods have mercy on your Soul because this test had none.
Animal Lover 
