Inside Konron 3, Jin set to work on a disguise for Princess Lieschen.
"First, let's make your clothing as simple as possible."
"I see."
"Shall we try putting your hair in braids?"
"Oh, then I shall be... I'll be just like Hanna."
"We should change your hair color temporarily as well."
"My, how fascinating."
"Next is your way of speaking. Do you think you can talk more like Hanna?"
"I believe I can... I mean, I think so."
"That's the spirit."
Jin changed out of his Magi Craft Meister robe and into his everyday casual clothes. Elsa and Lishia followed suit. Hanna was already wearing her nicer clothes, so she stayed as she was.
Since Jin possessed a permit that acted as a free pass for himself and his companions, there would be no issue with taking the princess out of the Royal Palace in this state.
"Now then, how should I explain such a large group..."
For commoners, they were quite a large party. They would undoubtedly stand out once they reached the town.
"Jin-nii, why don't you consult Roland-san?" Elsa suggested.
"Ah, that's an idea."
Someone from the Raglann Company would be intimately familiar with the town and possess significant influence. If they claimed to be guiding guests from a distant land, a group of this size wouldn't seem out of place.
"Onii-chan, that's a great idea!" Hanna chirped in agreement.
"Also, I'll need to temporarily change the color of Tia's blue hair."
With those final touches, the disguises were complete.
Jin and the others greeted the gatekeeper and left the castle. It was said that the soldiers on duty tilted their heads in confusion as they watched the transformed Princess Lieschen pass by.
Reiko had inquired with Laojun to find the location of the Raglann Company, so the group was able to head straight there without getting lost.
"I see, so that is the situation," Roland said.
He immediately guided the group to a private drawing room in the back. He listened silently to Jin’s explanation, and once it was finished, he bowed deeply to Princess Lieschen and struck his chest with a confident hand.
"Leave it to me....Could you wait just a moment?"
He stepped further into the building and returned about a minute later.
"I have received the company president's permission. Do you have any requests for a destination?"
At this question, Jin looked at Princess Lieschen.
"Well... yes, anywhere with many people is fine... I mean, it's fine."
She still seemed to find the words a bit difficult to manage, but Lieschen was clearly doing her best to shift her manner of speech.
"That's right. From now on, everyone should call me Lies... please."
Jin and Elsa already called her Lies outside of formal settings, but she was now instructing Roland and Lishia to do the same.
"Okay, Lies-oneechan!"
"Yes, Lies-san. Then, let us head out."
With Roland leading the way, the group departed from the Raglann Company.
"When it comes to crowded places, the Central Thoroughfare is the best choice. Our third branch recently opened there, so let us head in that direction. It is about a fifteen-minute walk."
"Oh, that sounds lovely... it does."
Lies—formerly Princess Lieschen—kept looking around restlessly as they walked, causing the group to move slowly, but no one complained.
"Today, how should I put it... the town looks different... it does."
Under normal circumstances, even for an "incognito" visit, the authorities would have been notified that the princess was entering the town. Since no such notice had been given today, she was seeing the town exactly as it truly was.
"Everyone looks like they're having fun... they do. It's a good thing... it is."
It was endearing to see how she was struggling to drop her usual royal cadence.
"Ah, Lies-oneechan, there's an interesting-looking shop over there!"
Hanna, who was walking hand-in-hand with Lies, spotted a storefront and pulled her toward it.
"Let's see... Oh, this is..."
Jin and the others followed a few paces behind. The shop appeared to be a recent addition to the street, boasting a modern and novel design.
"Heh, a novelty shop, huh?"
Inside, the space was packed with ornaments, wall hangings, and framed pictures. Everything seemed aimed at the general public, and the quality was respectable for what it was.
Elsa browsed with Lishia and Edgar, Jin stayed with Reiko, and Lies looked around with Hanna and Tia. Roland watched over them all from a polite distance.
"This is cute."
Elsa had found something that caught her eye.
"It really is," Lishia added, her expression softening.
It was a mascot doll. They were ceramic figurines of stylized animals—horses, cats, foxes, rabbits, and something that resembled a deer.
"Oh, this is quite nice... it is."
"Yeah, it's cute!"
Nearby, Lies and Hanna had discovered their own prizes. These were dolls similar to bisque dolls, with joints that allowed for a certain degree of movement.
"Onii-chan, can you make these?" Hanna turned around and called out to Jin.
"Let's see... Ah, they are cute. Do you want one?"
"Yeah..."
"I... I want one too," Lies added.
Jin was about to say "In that case," when he realized he didn't have any money on him. He didn't usually carry much cash, and he hadn't planned on doing any shopping today. If he returned to Konron 3, he could use the Warp Gate to fetch some, but...
"In that case, allow me," Roland offered.
It seemed he had been entrusted with funds from the company president specifically for such an occasion. It was a display of shrewdness typical of a merchant.
"Hmm..."
Lies hesitated. As a member of the royal family, she felt a certain resistance to accepting such financial assistance from a merchant.
"Lies-sama, you should simply borrow the funds for now and repay him later," Tia advised her.
"Oh... yes, of course."
Accepting the suggestion, Lies had Roland pay for the purchase and successfully obtained the doll.
"Are you sure you didn't want one, Hanna?" Jin asked.
Hanna nodded firmly. Her reason was simple:
"Because Onii-chan is going to make me one later."
Jin smiled and readily accepted the task. After leaving the shop, the group turned back toward the Central Thoroughfare to continue their walk.