The café was tranquil, with only a few patrons scattered around, sipping their coffee and engrossed in their conversations. Sabel, disguised as the middle-aged barista, found himself restless. The excitement of transforming the café with the oak tree illusion had worn off, and now the monotony of everyday life was starting to creep in.
"Ugh, I'm so bored," he muttered as he wiped down the counter for the third time in an hour.
With nothing better to do, he entertained himself with a bit of illusion magic. Sabel conjured multiple versions of himself, each taking on a slightly different personality.
"Well, well, look at us," one illusion said, leaning against the counter with a smirk. "The prince of Werren, reduced to serving coffee."
Another illusion, a more serious-looking version, crossed his arms. "At least we're staying out of trouble. You remember what happened last time we got bored."
Sabel laughed, enjoying the banter. "Oh, come on, it's not that bad. Besides, this place needs a bit of excitement."
The illusions continued to chatter, momentarily distracting from the day's dullness. They joked, argued, and even performed mock sword fights, much to Sabel's amusement. However, the novelty quickly wore off, and the prince found himself yawning.
"Alright, that's enough," he said, dismissing the illusions with a wave. "Time to get some rest."
He leaned against the counter, closing his eyes, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.
Rosemary, the café owner, spotted him from the back. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "This lazy prince," she muttered. "Always causing trouble."
Determined to teach him a lesson, she grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the café. Despite his weight, she managed to pull him across the street and to the edge of a small lake nearby. With one final heave, she threw him into the water.
Sabel woke up with a start as he hit the cold water. He flailed briefly before surfacing, gasping for air and blinking water out of his eyes. "What the—?"
Rosemary stood at the lake's edge, hands on her hips and a satisfied smile. "That'll teach you to fall asleep on the job."
Sabel swam to the shore, grumbling as he pulled himself out of the lake. He was drenched from head to toe, his clothes clinging to him uncomfortably. "You didn't have to throw me into the lake," he said, shaking water from his hair.
"Oh, yes, I did," Rosemary replied, crossing her arms. "Maybe now you'll think twice before napping at work."
Sabel sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. He trudged back to the café, dripping water all the way. As he walked through the door, the few patrons still there looked up, some stifling laughs while others openly chuckled.
"Having a rough day?" one of them asked, grinning.
"You could say that," Sabel replied dryly, his mood sour. He went to the back room, grabbing a towel to dry off as best he could.
He returned to the counter, still damp but somewhat less annoyed. Rosemary handed him a fresh apron and a cup of coffee. "Here," she said, her tone softer. "You might need this."
Sabel took the cup gratefully, sipping the warm liquid. It did help to chase away the lingering chill from the lake. "Thanks," he said, managing a small smile. "I guess I needed that wake-up call."
Rosemary chuckled. "Just don't make a habit of it, alright? We've got a café to run."
As the day went on, Sabel found himself more engaged. The cold dunking had shaken off the boredom, and he focused on serving the patrons and maintaining the illusion of the tropical oasis. Despite the rough start, the day it ended on a better note.
That evening, as he sat on the rooftop with his cup of coffee, Sabel reflected on the day's events. He realized there was always something to learn or experience, even in the quiet moments. Sometimes, it just took a bit of a push—or a dunk in the lake—to remind him of that.
He chuckled, thinking about how he would never hear the end of it from Rosemary. But deep down, he appreciated her no-nonsense approach. It kept him grounded and reminded him that even a runaway prince could learn something about hard work and humility.
As the stars twinkled in the night sky, Sabel finished his coffee and sighed contentedly. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and, undoubtedly, more chaos. But for now, he was content to sit, relax, and enjoy the peaceful night.