"So third place... is Felix."
Alina’s voice carried gently through the room, calm and clear.
For one second, Felix did not react.
Then his red eyes widened.
He sat up straighter in his chair so suddenly that one of his tails knocked lightly against the leg of the table. His sleepy, half-bored expression vanished completely, replaced by pure, startled awareness.
"...?" he asked, blinking once as if confirming reality.
Aine froze.
Then she gasped.
A dramatic, delighted gasp.
"Oh my God, cub!" she burst out, her nine golden tails fluffing up behind her like fireworks exploding in slow motion. "My cub is the greatest!"
Before anyone could stop her, she leaned forward and kissed both of Felix’s cheeks loudly.
"Mom!" Felix hissed imdiately, his face turning red from forehead to ears. "Everyone is looking!"
"I don’t care!" Aine declared shalessly, cupping his face again. "Look at him! Look at our son! Third place! Third place!"
General Yuki cleared his throat politely but could not hide the proud curve of his lips. His eyes softened as he gave Felix a single approving nod.
"Well done," he said simply, but his tone carried an undertone of pride for his son.
Felix tried to maintain composure, straightening his collar like a tiny businessman who had just closed a major deal.
"It is acceptable," he muttered. "It is not first, but acceptable."
Drake leaned sideways and whispered loudly, "He is pretending he is not happy."
Boo nodded very seriously. "Internal celebration. Very dangerous level."
Luna rolled her eyes. "At least he didn’t campaign with snacks."
Felix shot them a sharp glare but could not stop one tail from wagging slightly behind him.
Aine noticed imdiately.
"Oh, look at his tail moving!" she cried in delight. "He is so proud!"
Felix grabbed his own tail mid-wag. "It is involuntary movent," he protested. "Control malfunction."
The adults around the table chuckled softly.
Alina had to press her lips together to stop herself from laughing openly. She stepped closer to the table, offering Felix a gift box that she had asked the staff to prepare the day before.
"You earned this," she said warmly.
Felix took it carefully, his eyes flicking up at her for a mont.
"...Thank you, Teacher," he said quietly, this ti without sarcasm.
Aine clutched her chest dramatically. "Polite and brilliant. How did we create such perfection?"
General Yuki gave her a side glance. "Genetics."
Felix sighed deeply, as if burdened by overly enthusiastic parents.
But the tiny smile at the corner of his mouth betrayed him completely.
"Congratulations," Lady Maris said warmly from Kelpie’s table, offering Aine a graceful nod. "That is wonderful."
King Corvus followed with a small approving smile. "Well deserved. He seems disciplined."
Alpha Ryker crossed his arms but gave a firm nod of respect. "Strong focus at this age is rare. Good work."
Queen Serafina smiled directly at Felix. "You should be proud of yourself."
Even Count Vladimir inclined his head slightly. "Consistent performance builds a foundation," he said in his controlled, precise tone. "Impressive."
Lady Isadora’s soft blue eyes sparkled. "He must have worked very hard."
One by one, the parents offered their congratulations.
Aine looked like she might ascend to another realm from happiness.
"You see?" she whispered loudly to General Yuki. "Everyone is praising our cub."
General Yuki gave another quiet nod, though his silver eyes glowed faintly with unmistakable pride. "He earned it."
Felix tried to maintain his usual composed posture, but the attention was clearly overwhelming him. His ears had turned faintly pink, and at least three of his tails had begun wagging in small, uncontrollable movents behind him.
Drake leaned forward in his chair. "You’re third. That ans I only lost by three ranks."
"That is not how ranking works," Felix replied flatly.
Boo floated closer, peering dramatically at him. "Tell your study thod. I must upgrade."
"I listened," Felix said simply.
Silence.
"You... listened?" Boo repeated slowly.
"Yes."
Luna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "That sounds illegal."
Kelpie leaned over the table. "So that’s what Teacher ant when she said ’pay attention.’"
Felix folded his arms lightly, finally allowing himself the smallest victorious smirk.
"Revolutionary technique."
Which made the parents laugh and the babies confused.
Alina watched the interaction with a warm, almost relieved smile.
She walked forward toward the desk.
Alina paused for just a heartbeat, letting the room settle, her fingers lightly resting on the edge of the desk. She could feel the quiet tension stretch, that familiar mont where every parent straightened without realizing it, where every child held their breath just a little longer than necessary.
"Let’s continue," she said gently, her voice steady. "So the second position in Class D is..."
She glanced down once more, though she already knew the na by heart. Then her eyes lifted, instinctively finding him.
"Lucien."
For a split second, the room seed to freeze.
Lucien blinked.
Once.
Then again.
"...?" he asked softly, almost to himself, his crimson eyes widening just a fraction.
Sable reacted instantly. He clapped his small hands together so hard they made a sharp sound, then launched himself sideways, wrapping both arms around Lucien’s waist.
"You are second! You did it!" Sable said breathlessly, his voice bursting with pride as if the achievent were his own. "I told you! I told you you were amazing!"
Lucien stiffened for half a second, unused to sudden physical affection in public, then slowly relaxed. His ears ward, a faint color creeping up his neck as he carefully placed one hand on Sable’s head.
"...Thank you," he said, his voice quiet but sincere.
At the table, Dante had gone still. Then, slowly and unmistakably, a smile appeared on his lips.
It was not the cold, restrained smile others were used to seeing from him in court or etings. It was soft and full of pride.
"Well done," he said simply, his voice low but deep.
Lucien straightened at once, his shoulders squaring unconsciously, as if standing a little taller under that single sentence.
Felix leaned slightly toward him. "Congratulations," he said, calm and genuine. "Second place is impressive."
Lucien nodded, still looking faintly stunned. "Thank you."
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