Ciara looks like she might actually have some ideas for how to teach that sort of thing, based on her pensive (but almost amused) expression.

"Oh my, that must feel horrible -"  She takes a teacup.  "Thank you, Ciara.  But I don't know what action we can do, except teach her."

"Yes, something about budgeting and overseeing things well.  That'd even tie in with what the Speakers were just complaining about - and you say she'd like that?"

"I think it would be pleasant for her.  And I'll go, too; it's... perhaps not going to be as enjoyable for me," an understatement if there ever was one, especially if it turns out to be shaped the way she's predicting; she remembers the anime's baking competition, and it was an absolute disaster, really - "but if I am to ever live up to my duties, I need to know how to run complex projects.  ...The Speakers were complaining about something, Papa?"

Yesterday, if she would've asked that, it would've been out of simple irritation, and he would've replied dismissively.

Today...  "Complaining about their barons overrunning their budgets, and claiming emergencies.  They think most of them should've been anticipated.

"So I'll make the soul jar more secure, and also," he taps the paper, "I should send someone to retrieve this powerful gem-belt.  Do you think you can describe better where it is, or do you want to be on the mission to get it?"

"...Surely that should be something the Assembly itself can address; its power of summons is precisely for this purpose!  But I do think they're right.

"As for that mission...  I - am very tempted to go, I must admit.  The Tora gems represent an ability to vastly increase our crafting capabilities, if they can be reverse-engineered.

"I'm not sure whether that would be a good idea, though.  Would you go, if it were you, as a prince, who had had this vision?"

"I don't know.  I was a different person than you.  I was happy to leave questing to others - I still am.  But if I got a vision?  Before I left that quest to others, I'd want to figure out why I was the one to get the vision."

"It seems clear why you got that vision, though.  But if you want to go on that quest now, after having seen the vision?  By all means, go!"

If Alicia now wants to go on quests, Jethelia isn't going to protest.  If Alicia wants to go questing so much she becomes a knight-errant, she's not going to protest that either.

"All I can say is that - I really think that the main reason I had this vision was because I could receive this vision.

"...How do you mean, mother?  What do you think is clear about this, other than - averting the obvious catastrophe?  Or was that what you meant?

"I just...

"I'm a somewhat unique source of knowledge, and that's not something you casually risk.  And that's what I'm - having trouble weighing the costs and benefits of."

"...Risking you in well-known, controlled, circumstances, is better than risking you when our enemies catch on without the benefit of prior experience surviving adverse circumstances, Princess Alicia.  Nor will you truly be happy in a gilded cage."  She knows this, with a strange and deathly certainty.  "If I may, your Highnesses - I think she should go."

Well.  Fuck.  Looks like she's going, she can't refute that.

"...That's - an insightful way of putting it.  I'm convinced.

"...I suppose we'd best assemble an adventuring party, then."

"She does speak correctly," Jethelia says reluctantly.

At least she doesn't need to tell Alicia the obvious answer to "why she got the vision" is "to stop her from constantly being mean to people and eventually stupidly freeing a demon lord."

"How soon should we do this?  It does seem important, but then the belt has apparently stayed in place for over a century.  Should we get adventurers from the people we have here, or should we wait for that meeting" (she gestures to Ambrose) "and bring in Lady Lila?"

"...You shouldn't send both of us, if we've both had the vision.  That's risking far too much.  I think I should go, and maybe Diana Pallas-Smith - er, Smith-Pallas - if we're just talking about Lila's people.  Lila's not combat-trained at all yet, I don't think, and she's not - really inclined to study mysterious artifacts; I am.  Diana's more prepared for adventures, casts Light as capably as Lila, and is also a stellar craftswoman."

Ambrose nods.  She's the one who's had the vision involving Lila; if she isn't pressing for including her, that decides it.  "Very well; I'll set up the expedition at once, unless you really think we should wait.  I expect we'll be ready the day after tomorrow.  I don't see any other urgent business, except for dealing with the various demon cultists?"

She nods, and then her thoughts drift onwards. "Proving they're demon cultists seems like it's going to be the hard part.  'I saw it in a dream' is hardly evidentiary."

"Not persuasive, of course.  If we do find this belt where your dream says it is, then we could enter your dream into evidence as a prophecy... but I would prefer not to have to publicize it like that.  So, I expect I'll tell the Watch I've received a confidential tip about them, and remove them from overly sensitive matters when I can.  Hopefully they'll find some more evidence soon."

Jethelia looks up again from the report, making a face.  "Given what Lord Ratrimir apparently does, it shouldn't take long for him."

Oh, yes, him.  He was bad enough in the anime, let alone as a hypothetical real person who existed and did things.  Ugh.  "You're quite right about that, mother.  And, yes, father, I'd rather not be put out as having had a prophecy; I'd much rather be an arcanist than a priest and I'm sure the faithful will demand I become one if they get the news like that."

"Did your dream tell you anything about whether to share it?"

"Not directly."

Then they should decide for themselves, and - even given her sudden change of heart - it wouldn't be good for Alicia to be immediately regarded by everyone as a seer.

"Then I agree; we shouldn't tell anyone.  We should keep it to ourselves, and the Archmages, if possible."

"I wouldn't be so sure of even them; even if they themselves are loyal - too many people knowing, and the secret shall make its way out.  And then we lose surprise.  We shouldn't speak of my having had a vision until we make a move we aren't hiding.  And these low-hanging fruits...We're hiding them."

"Not to mention the possibility of a Peabody.

"...Excuse me.  Not to mention the possibility that their staff is suborned somehow."

"I don't know everything, and we can't be sure."

"So we must be extremely careful."