Diamond in the Rough
Ibuki lounges on her bed, kicking her feet in the air as she flips through the latest issue of Sorcerer Magazine. Well, it wasn't her bed. Her bed was in the palace collecting dust now that it was deprived of its owner. This bed was the one which she had been provided upon her arrival at Balsam's Hob House guild. While it couldn't compare to her usual chambers, it and the room were perfectly comfortable. Balsam itself was a rather desirable destination for a getaway thanks to the choice of baths and endless variety in entertainment. The only thing she could complain about was the pesky bandits that dared to accost her on the way here.
The fools had been just bright enough to recognize that she was someone with money to lose, but failed to put together who she was. It was humiliating. Who couldn't recognize their own princess? Perhaps they simply couldn't fathom that she was traveling with a single bodyguard instead of her entire retinue. She was still coming to terms with that fact herself. However, she did have to admit that her lone guard proved himself more than capable.
KNOCK KNOCK
"Miss, it's Alaric."
"Sigh. You may enter."
The door to her room opens and a well-built older man sporting a beard and scar across his eye enters before gingerly closing the door behind him. As strange as it was, he was the bodyguard in question. In his hands are several flyers that he shuffles through before speaking.
"Mr. Ugard picked out some jobs you might be interested in."
"Has he now? I'm sure they must be thrilling chances to hone my abilities as an errand girl."
This was her problem. In the short while that she had stayed Hob's House, she'd learned more about how to efficiently scrub a bath clean than she had about becoming a more powerful mage. Not to mention the bizarre nightmares she'd been having since she arrived. Her dreams were usually filled with visions of ascension to the thrown surely prosperous reign as queen, but these night terrors were entirely indecipherable. They seemed more like the work of some demon taking joy in tormenting her than they did the creations of her own psyche. Worse than simply disturbing her sleep, they lingered and kept her from even properly enjoying the baths when she wasn't cleaning them. If she didn't know any better, she'd think this was some sort of punishment. Yet she couldn't fathom what she could be being punished for, so the notion was dismissed. Someone must have simply erred when arranging her stay. For that, they would pay dearly.
"Indeed, they are simple tasks. There should be no question of your ability to see them through, but it is prudent for the guild to ascertain your abilities truly challenging you. Is it not?"
"My talents should be self-evident. I've already studied, practiced, and been tested more than enough. Anyone could tell that I stand head and shoulders above your run-of-the-mill mage. If it's a question of the function of my magic, then I would expect them to at least be as knowledgeable as I am."
With a huff, the flyers are enveloped in a wave of energy and transported from Alaric's hands to Ibuki's side. She finally looks away from the magazine to glance through the job offerings only to scowl. It was as expected, but she couldn't keep herself from feeling disappointed. Insulted even. A great mage should be dealing with important matters that require their expertise. And a princess certainly shouldn't be wasting her talents on exterminating oversized pests and escorting vegetables. Worse yet, she might even have to be supervised for handling such trifles.
"The nerve! I fail to see why I should waste my time on such pointless busy work."
"Even if you believe them to be lacking in prestige, they are no less important. Someone must do them to ensure the the health of the village, and thus the kingdom."
"Perhaps they must be done, but I do not see why I must do them. It would be an understatement to say that I am overqualified."
"Is serving your kingdom not your duty as its princess?"
"My duty is to rule and to maintain order. Serving is for- Damn!"
Ibuki is suddenly on her feet and shoving her copy of Sorcerer Magzine into Alaric's face. The page she's flipped to displays a rather risqué image of a woman in a bathing suit along with what appear to be notes taken from an interview. While the bodyguard gives no reaction, Ibuki is clearly fuming — seemingly even angrier about the contents of the magazine than her regrettable circumstances.
"Do you believe this woman can even hold a candle to me? I've never even heard of her guild, let alone her. She certainly lacks my beauty and it's evident from her drab answers that she lacks my charm and wit. Why then has she and others just as dull been allowed to feature? Why not I? There could be no woman more desired than the kingdom's crown jewel."
"Hmm. Would you truly make time for such a trivial matter as this? A princess certainly has duties more deserving of her attention. You may think it worthy of your time, but they must be certain that it would be an inconvenience to someone of your standing."
"Tch! Then they're fools. Will I have to demand an interview then?"
"I should think not. As long as you make yourself approachable, they will come to you in short order."
Approachable? A future queen was anything but. She relished the knowledge that she was untouchable — a sparkling gem that might be gazed upon but never approached unless she allowed it. However, that was seemingly what was keeping an edition of Sorcerer Magazine being focused around her instead of some two-bit wench. The only question in mind then was how a princess could make herself approachable...
The flyers appear in her free hand and she studies them again, this time smiling in self-satisfaction as she lets out a titter. She was thankful she had the foresight not to incinerate them on the spot.
"A princess who will lend her personal touch to assisting the kingdom's people is a princess who can make time for an interview, I think. They will see how dearly I love this land and know I could not possibly turn down the offer to express that love in word."
"Your reasoning is sound. Might I add that if it is the princess's personal touch you wish to be felt, it may be unwise to leave the...flashier parts of the work to myself."
"No, it wouldn't do at all to administrate through a foreigner. The people might feel that I would trust the kingdom to just anyone and if pictures are to be taken of me in action then they should be of me. That settles it — I shall dutifully carry every one of these jobs so that the kingdom may better enjoy my splendor!"
With that, her body is enveloped in the same energy and she disappears, seemingly to inform Bastly of her intention to take on the jobs. Alaric allows a nigh imperceivable smile to slip. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it was a small nudge towards polishing the "kingdom's crown jewel" into something more respectable.
"Trouble seems to be stirring up. Other guilds have surely taken notice as well. Our next move should be to get in contact with them and compare notes. Before that, Seph, I'd like you too-"
Suddenly, a congregation of magical energy takes shape before Bastly and Seph. First, a leg and then a familiarly open skirt emerge before the rest of Ibuki plants herself in front of Ugard's desk with a hand on her hip and her usual smug expression. She slams the flyers on his desk and puffs out her chest as she prepares to speak.
"I've come to give you my response. These jobs are barely above cleaning baths. The jewels they offer are a pittance and my talents would be wasted on such simplistic work. That said—"
"Hey! We were talking about something important! You can complain later! Or never!"
"Why you..."
Ibuki whips around, nose scrunched up in unhidden disgust toward the source of the interruption. She'd done her best to ignore the obvious stench of demons, but that thing — Seph as it called itself — seemed to be in the terrible habit of being a bother to its superiors. The look Seph meets Ibuki with isn't too kind either. As far as she was concerned, this brat had been nothing but a source of trouble for Master Ugard.
"You may finish discussing whatever it is you find so important as soon as I'm through. I'd be done already if you hadn't interrupted me."
"You interrupted us first!"
"You should be honored that I'd let filth like you bask in my presence!"
CLAP
An unusually loud clap that sounds more like thunder causes Ibuki's ears to ring and stops her from further escalating the situation. The source is none other than the master of Hob's House himself. Magicless as he was, Bastly was quite physically capable. It was only a shame that didn't make him more aesthetically appealing.
"Since you're here already, you might as well tell me what it is you came for."
Ibuki shoots a glare at Seph before turning to the guild master. Her smug confidence returns as if the last few minutes hadn't occurred.
"Contrary to what your little pet believes, I haven't come to complain at all. In fact, I intend to take responsibility for each of these jobs. It certainly is beath me, but the kingdom's well-being is my burden to bear, one way or another.:
Bastly's eyes seem to light up and he grins widely. Meanwhile, Seph pinches her own cheek to check whether she accidentally put herself in a dream. Ibuki herself smirks, already congratulating herself for her benevolence and anticipating the photoshoot.
"Wonderful! Once Seph and I have finished here you two can head out."
"With her!?" "With it!?"
Ibuki's smirk falters and her eye twitches as she awaits the clarification that will make this OK. Seph pinches herself again, this time certain this must be a nightmare. Unfortunately, she doesn't wake up and Bastly doesn't seem to be making some esoteric joke. All she could hope for now was that the royal edition of Sorcerer Magazine wouldn't include the article 'Princess Ibuki E. Fiore: Demon Lover?' between its pages.