The carriage adorned with a pair of wings rolled steadily down the street.
Upon seeing it, pedestrians proactively stepped aside.
The road ahead remained clear the entire way, free from the usual congestion of crowds.
If one was destined to be a coachman, then being a royal coachman was certainly the most comfortable option.
Ron glanced at the bystanders pausing to watch and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Of course, even as a royal coachman, you had to choose the right master.
If it were a mixed-blood prince like him, infamous for all the wrong reasons, he wouldn't be receiving this kind of respect from passersby.
It would already be a good fortune if no one deliberately tried to provoke trouble.
In truth, he was simply unlucky. There weren't many followers of the Goddess of Harvest in the Royal Capital. Otherwise, as a favored one of the Goddess, he wouldn't have been mocked so openly.
"We'll go to Queen's Street first, then Peace Square, and finally Lake Impash. After visiting the three locations, we'll have lunch at the newly opened hotpot branch there."
Mia laid out the day's itinerary in a serious tone.
"If Brother Ron likes one of the morning shops, we can purchase it directly in the afternoon. If you'd like to see more, we'll visit the ones marked in blue."
Ron left everything to their arrangement. As he chatted casually with Mia and Eileen, he also projected part of his consciousness into the puppet in the City of Chaos to nurture his bond with Nora.
In less than fifteen minutes, the carriage arrived at the entrance to Queen's Street.
The street was broad—yet not a single carriage could be seen.
Even Mia's carriage stopped at the entrance instead of proceeding inward.
Queen's Street had been built to commemorate Monlis, the legendary mage who heroically sacrificed herself during the War of Founding—and also the wife of Emperor André I.
Carriages and horseback riding were forbidden on this street. One could only walk.
Over time, Queen's Street had become one of the Royal Capital's most famous districts, lined with luxury boutiques and beloved by noble ladies and young misses alike.
Ron stepped down from the carriage and followed Mia and Eileen onto the cobbled pavement of Queen's Street.
Though called a single street, it was actually composed of several interconnected lanes, forming something akin to a luxury commercial district.
The two young women were clearly regulars here. They led Ron confidently through the area, even stopping to exchange greetings with familiar shopkeepers.
Eventually, the three entered a narrow lane just wide enough for a single carriage.
"Brother Ron, it may look narrow, but this is actually the original site of Queen's Street. The outer sections were expanded later," Mia explained. "This particular street is now called Monlis Street. Monlis was the name of that empress."
Ron surveyed the layout and nodded in satisfaction.
When he had asked Mia to help choose locations, his primary condition had been quietness—and this place clearly fit.
"Monlis Street is filled with long-established luxury shops. Many of our clothes and accessories are bought here."
Eileen added from the side, "This particular shop became available because the family behind it fell into internal conflict. Poor management led to a broken capital chain, and they urgently need cash flow. Otherwise, a shop on Monlis Street would never be sold."
"Mia and I both think highly of this location. However, it's also the most expensive—at least 5,000 gold coins to secure it."
"Frankly speaking, the cost-performance ratio isn't very high. The location is somewhat secluded, and transportation isn't convenient. Most customers here are noble ladies and young misses—while Your Highness intends to open a flower shop."
"If it weren't for the fact that this street is named Monlis Street, we originally planned to classify it as a blue-tier option."
Ron observed a little longer under Eileen's explanation before nodding. "It's quite good."
His plants were in a seller's market. He wasn't short of customers. Accessibility meant little to those who truly needed his products.
Soon, the three arrived at the entrance of an elegantly decorated shop.
A middle-aged man in a deep red robe happened to walk out at that moment.
Upon seeing them, he smiled politely and bowed. "Your Highness Ron, Princess Mia, Miss Eileen."
Mia and Eileen did not recognize the man. They returned a slight nod of courtesy.
Ron watched the man's departing figure, his brows faintly knitting together.
After that small interlude, the three stepped inside the shop—only to find the owner already packing up merchandise, clearly preparing to leave.
"Hello, I'm Eileen Christine. We had an appointment this morning to view the shop—"
"No need." The owner cut her off flatly. "It's already been sold. What's there to view?"
"Sold!?" Mia asked in disbelief. "But… It's been on the market for a whole month. How was it suddenly sold today?"
"The contract was signed just now. Seven thousand gold coins paid in full—clean and decisive. Not like you, with appointments and viewings, and in the end, who knows if you'd even buy." The owner's tone carried clear impatience.
After a month of being toyed with by prospective buyers, he had little patience left—even for Princess Mia.
When someone appeared offering immediate payment above the asking price, naturally, he signed without hesitation.
His family urgently needed funds. Every minute earlier that the gold arrived was better.
Mia was about to say more, but Ron gently pressed a hand to her shoulder, stopping her.
The three were politely escorted out. They watched as the shopkeeper closed the doors and hurried away.
"This is ridiculous!" Mia complained. "No one bought it for an entire month, and today it just happens to be sold?"
A thoughtful look crossed Eileen's face as her gaze shifted toward Ron.
Ron remained silent, looking toward the far end of Monlis Street. The image of the middle-aged man in the deep red robe resurfaced in his mind.
With that thought, he formed a few guesses.
How petty.
Ron turned back to look once more at the elegant storefront.
He had merely wanted to open a branch shop in the Royal Capital—yet even that met with obstruction.
"Brother Ron, let's check the next one. Honestly, this location was a bit secluded anyway. The one near Peace Square is better," Mia said irritably.
Ron looked at Mia and Eileen, then lowered his gaze to the beautifully detailed map in his hand—the two distinct, elegant handwritings marking each shop.
Finally, he nodded.
"Let's go, then. There are plenty of options. We'll just visit them one by one."
To spend 7,000 gold coins just to spite him—and if they truly wanted the best effect, they would likely have to buy the other two red-tier shops as well.
That would mean over ten thousand gold coins thrown away.
Such tactics were rather low-level.
Ron shook his head and followed the two back out of Queen's Street. They boarded the carriage and headed toward Peace Square.
Hopefully, he was simply overthinking it.