There are strangely many animals from another world around here.
Was it only after hearing this from Alice that my vision finally widened?
David and Lisa, as if realizing it just now, both widened their eyes and showed surprised reactions.

"Oh my, could it be…?"
"Is the purpose of the treasure hunt…?"
"That's right. Maybe… the treasure we're supposed to find is something these animals from another world are meant to find."

Alice spoke in a hushed tone, as if worried her voice might leak out.
After all, the other examinees were all competitors. She probably thought there was no reason to help them.

Anyway, her intuition was right on the mark.
The first task was closely related to animals from another world.
To be precise, the solution to the task was a precious ingredient from another world.

The crucial clue was that the examiner, Mira Valentia, was a gourmet fixer.
When the task was described as a treasure hunt, the key process was figuring out whose treasure it would be from whose perspective.

It wasn’t about getting stuck on the word "treasure" but thinking outside the box and judging how to accomplish the goal.
It was a task designed to test things like critical thinking and the ability to secure ingredients faster than the competitors.

"Well… when you think of treasure, most people think of precious metals or artifacts. So, I suppose the test is about breaking those conventional ideas and seeing if we can achieve the goal."
"Wow, I never imagined it. Who would have thought the treasure would be these cute little things… Well, once someone figures it out, everyone else will want to follow suit."
"In that case, it’s important to finish quickly before someone else gets ahead! Yuria! Thanks to you, the first task is going to be a breeze! Really, thank you so much!"
"…"