The young scholar knew.
From the day the results were posted, the news that he had failed the exam had been made public.
"As it turned out..."
The woodcutter glanced at the young scholar again. "That creature wasn't some auspicious beast that could bless you with a place on the examination list..."
"It was just a black monster."
The young scholar lowered his eyes.
"My younger brother took a double blow."
The woodcutter continued, "First, he failed the exam."
"Second, he felt that the black monster had toyed with and deceived him."
"My brother was furious."
"He wanted to settle the score with the black monster."
The Eminent Monk nodded slightly.
Yes.
That was what had happened.
"Actually, my younger brother has seen the black monster twice since he failed the exam..."
The woodcutter looked at the young scholar again.
The young scholar didn't look at the woodcutter.
"I don't understand..."
The woodcutter looked baffled. "Isn't that enough?"
"My younger brother is still set on seeing the black monster again."
"And because of that, as you can see, Master..."
"He can't eat properly."
"He can't sleep properly."
"He's always dazed."
"He gets distracted easily."
"He's completely absent-minded."
"He can't even focus on his books anymore."
The woodcutter knew all of this, actually.
He'd just never told the young scholar.
He'd promised the young scholar three months, and three months it would be.
As far as it was within his power, he let the young scholar do what he wanted.
"This isn't like my younger brother."
"Master, you don't know..."
"My younger brother is completely devoted to his studies."
"He really is diligent and hardworking..."
He'd thought that once his younger brother succeeded, he probably wouldn't work quite so hard at studying