Job Well Done

“Eh, hope he ends up in court.”

The Verdant Inferno’s new members weren’t perfectly satisfied after the Dark Emperor’s defeat, so they were all partying in the town square as their leader sat alone.

“Room for one more?”

Serah came over to her, ice cream in hand. Frankie accepted, though she couldn’t feel the coldness in her hand.

“Yeah. Sorry to ditch you, just had a little too much of people for one day.” She took a look over to the boys, playing fair games with her sister- they all looked so happy. At this point in her life, she could enjoy the sight without being jealous or spiteful- at long last, the girl had enough going on with herself that she just wanted others to feel the same.

“You really did do good, you deserve a break.”

Frankie licked the dessert. Wasn’t too shabby.

“I know, but… I feel like there’s something I’m forgetting. You know that feeling?”

“Some chore or something?” Serah shrugged. “…A job?”

Frankie shot to attention, eyes widening.

“Oh, right…!”

She racked her brain for remaining questions.

“What’s up?”

“N-nothing. H-Have you… ever met someone you loved in Everfair…? Just a question.”

“Right, a question! Not many of them left, huh? Must be getting to the juicier ones.”

“What… what do you mean?”

“I found your little scroll. While we were deep in the bowels of the dungeon, it fell out of your bag. I… put it back, but not before a little peek.”

“Oh… that’s… that’s embarrassing.” The American winced.

“How come? You should’ve told us you were with the King to begin with, that’s a big honor.”

“I didn’t think I’d… get this close to you four.”

“It’s been a crazy couple of days, yep. So about that question? I’ve already got your answer, if you want it.”

“Right, right. I… admit I don’t have a clue what it’ll be. You.. flirt with each of the boys a lot, but… surely there must be… at least one of them you have… real feelings for, right? …No judgment either way.”

Serah nodded.

“So which… which one is it?”

She leaned in close, a smile cracking across her mischievous face.

“All of them.”

Frankie was terrified by this astoundingly confident chaos-breeding woman she could not even hope to understand. In that moment she was grateful to only be attached to a single humble sharpshooter, somewhere back in the states.

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, am I right?” Serah pulled away laughing.

“Yeah… yeah.” Frankie’s red face nodded. “Thanks for the… data.” She scrawled it down, realizing how much of her special quest she still had to complete. The hapless adventurer sighed.

“Not fitting work for a thief. He should’ve had you slaying monsters and having a good time.”

“Yeah… this is more useful to him, though. Even without Wolf, he seemed pretty uncertain about the future of this place.”

“Are you insulting me to my own subjects?”

Frankie jumped as Lord D was suddenly standing behind her, arms crossed. Mercifully, he broke the tension before she could become even more stressed.

“I kid, I kid. Sorry to see you aren’t enjoying your duties.”

“I-It’s fine, really-“ the girl stammered, before screaming when he dropped a big bag of money beside her. He smacked Serah’s hand away before she could grab it.

“No. You’ve done enough for my Kingdom already. And it’s my failing as a King… that I didn’t have the courage to ask my people these things in the first place.”

“W-what?” Crazy though this week had been, Frankie was just now losing track.

Lord D snatched away the lost before running headfirst into the crowd.

“Do you believe in dragons? Hey, you! Tell me your home address. Are you a single mother? Is it safe for children under the age of six to enter the dungeons?”

The two giggled, watching as his lordship went on and on, finding the answers to his questions himself.