Ronald's solution to the problem was to make dolls.

Even though there had been no need to use it until now,

the doll magic he learned from Mil could finally be put to use.

——"The Nutcracker"

This spell, originating from the original fairy tale, had once brought Ronald quite a bit of trouble.

Especially those disguising dolls that could stand in for the real person, which were so lifelike.

Unless the person was the original holder of the fairy tale and equipped with a spell specifically for detection, it was almost impossible for anyone to see through the doll's true form.

And such an ability happened to meet Ronald's needs.

The two of them could continue to move freely, while the dolls left behind could completely handle interactions with outsiders, and even combat wouldn't be an issue!

That very night,

as the night fell,

Ronald and Costate changed their appearance once again and left the inn in a new guise. The people monitoring the place focused all their attention on the so-called "Balmo siblings," so no one noticed their departure.

After leaving the inn, Ronald looked back.

The room they stayed in was lit, with the two in disguise as dolls displayed like artworks.

Lifelike and flawless.

"Costate, let's go."

"Straight to the capital of [Nine Commandments]. As for the remaining news, the insights we gather on the road should satisfy our needs."

...

In this world, the seasons in the southern and northern hemispheres are opposite.

Although the place where Ronald and the others were was heading into midsummer, due to the latitude issues, the temperature of the environment still felt cold.

Leaving the city under the night sky,

they followed the main road southward, but the weather did not improve even until dawn.

Until noon,

when the sun drove away a mass of dark clouds, casting warm rays on the earth.

This finally warmed the ground enough to walk on without having to constantly sneeze.

Meanwhile, Ronald walked straight ahead with agile steps under the summer's warm sun.

Beside him, Costate was studying the map in her hand.

The maid occasionally asked a few questions.

Every time this happened, Ronald would promptly answer to prevent Costate from falling into too much confusion.

And so they moved ever forward until the evening approached, when Costate addressed their current situation:

"Sir, the next city is still some distance away, and at our current speed... if we don't prepare soon, I fear I won't be able to make dinner tonight."

But Ronald was unconcerned, pointing ahead.

"Costate, look at the tracks beneath our feet, there should be a caravan not far ahead. Moreover, by closely examining the size and importance of the carriages, we can determine they are not just simple travelers, but merchants carrying a lot of goods."

Costate tentatively asked,

"Do you plan to join them?"

"Of course." Ronald nodded as if it were obvious, "Merchants are always the most informed group. To understand our enemies and the current environment, this is nearly the best choice."

The fact proved Ronald's prediction quite accurate.

They found the marks left by the caravan at dusk and advanced just slightly faster than the average walking speed, reaching the encampment by the roadside before nightfall.

A small caravan of fewer than ten people rested in a camp surrounded by carriages. From afar, apart from the rising smoke, singing could also be heard.

The voices might not have been professionally trained, so they were a little off-key.

But the joy in them was unmistakable, showing those singing were in a good mood.

Continuing forward, they drew closer, as the farthest horizon fell into darkness.

At this moment, Ronald couldn't help but smile wryly, glancing at the earnest Costate beside him.

Such an environment hadn't been encountered for a long time.

It reminded him of his early encounters after crossing over.

Back when he faced the trial of the original tale in the mansion, totally unaware of the situation and scared out of his wits, bolting from the town overnight. This led him to Helouise's caravan and the Divine Comedy - Hell of Black Mountain.

But what if things had gone differently?

What if he hadn't run away that night and stayed put?

Costate surely wouldn't have harmed him, and the story by now would certainly be a completely different one.

Though he didn't laugh aloud, Ronald's emotions were so apparent that the maid beside him instantly sensed them.

"Sir, you seem very happy?"

"Yes, I'm very happy." Ronald nodded slightly, touching his chin. "I feel my choices have created everything today. Although there were some ups and downs, most of the outcomes were pretty good, which is undoubtedly something to be happy about."

In the past, Costate would have just nodded at these words.

But now she did not; the maid had learned to think deeply like a human:

"Sir, are you saying you don't regret the past?"

Ronald immediately shook his head, denying:

"That's not what I mean, Costate. In my view, regret doesn't work on things that have already happened."

Costate was puzzled by this, immediately voicing her question and doubt:

"But… don't you have the [Precession] spell?"

"..."

Ronald was completely stumped by the question.

He could preach about philosophies, but magic hadn't any concern for common logic!

And he just happened to wield such power.

Even in today's well-informed state, Ronald did not doubt how outrageous the time-reversing spell [Precession] was.

In the end, Ronald could only muster a weak explanation:

"I think magic and people are two different things."

"Attitude belongs to attitude, and magic belongs to magic. We should treat them as two independent matters."

Costate, looking perplexed, immediately countered:

"But when you were lecturing Miss Phil, you didn't say that."

"I distinctly remember you saying that 'people are complex individuals who cannot be viewed with simple labels or elements, but should be analyzed from as many perspectives as possible to approach the truth of who they are.' Sir, your statements are clearly inconsistent, and I don't understand!"

Ronald opened his mouth, momentarily losing his knack for sophistry:

"You... you have a remarkable memory!"

"Sir, thank you for the compliment. But how should the question just now be explained?"

"Costate, sometimes being human involves not digging too deeply into a question!"

"But I still want to know the explanation behind it!"

"..."

The 'debate' between Ronald and Costate didn't last long.

Because right ahead, someone from the caravan noticed them and greeted them enthusiastically:

"You two there, if you don't mind, come and have a seat here!"