"F-Finn?!"
For now, Finn’s posture returned to his usual confident but leisurely posture, and he sat down on one of the armchairs, all while under the unblinking stares of the three.
They gaped at him, looking at all his angles, making sure they weren’t seeing things.
Marcus, in particular, was very vocal. "H-How...did you change your face?!"
Naturally, Leez was the most interested, especially in the technicality.
This whole disguise thing was more of a hobby for her than an actual profession. There were many who were supposedly better than her at this, especially those working with mercenaries, but somehow she realized this person was not inferior to those people.
"This is done with my tools?" She could not help but ask, just to be sure.
Finn nodded and Leez sparkled. The reason he knew how to do this was because of his reality show. Finn was not much into books or reading, but he had a gift for remembering imagery and movements.
Back when he was a kid, he learned a lot about cooking, techniques, and recipes by watching Grandma, other chefs, and even videos on Metube.
Interestingly, one of the skills he inevitably picked up was the makeup artist’s skills back when he was doing his reality show, ’The Greatest Gourmet’.
And because makeup took time each session, they’d also tell him some things and techniques to help him pass the time while they did their job.
"When this all goes well, I’ll teach you a few techniques. I’d like to keep these props as well as some maintenance things, however."
Leez had no reason to refuse. "DEAL!"
...
Finn left the house in a cloak, separating the new identity from Leiah and the others. He told them not to speak of this outside as much as possible, just in case.
The three couldn’t help but gape as the cloaked person was striding gracefully on one side, and then just before turning a corner, the walking pattern completely changed.
He started walking with a slight limp, the confidence turning to a slightly guarded atmosphere.
"So interesting..." Leez said, Leiah shook her head, while Marcus laughed out loud.
"There’s just never a dull moment with that dude!"
...
Finn headed to the rear gates of the palace, which were still guarded by two guards. The guards saw him and immediately blocked the way by crossing their swords. "HALT!"
"Hello, my name is Vincenzo," he said, carrying himself like a well-trained servant. "I am here for an advanced party for the guests tomorrow. I was here to ensure the esteemed guests would be well taken care of."
"What? What’s the reason you’re separated from them?"
"One of the reasons I am here in advance is because..." he paused, looking at his leg. "I tend to move more slowly than others. My carriages do, too, so I left much earlier."
"Where is your identification?"
"I do not have one," he said. Although he had an unremarkable face, he had an arrogance about him, and the way he carried himself gave the impression that he was well-raised and trained in a noble household.
"The eastern territories didn’t require it since our guests simply needed to show their emblems."
He naturally did his research. While they didn’t know exactly who the guests were, the adventure hall did know that they came somewhere from the Eastern territories.
"You are only Awakened-level," a guard said. Although awakeners had a decent status, most high nobles wouldn’t pick them often.
"And so? Awakened level individuals are also great people and I am proud!"
At this point, if the guards pushed for it, they’d just seem like irrational jerks who forgot they were once at that level.
"Further, I—and don’t spread this— am a distant relative with the master," he said, looking around, obviously getting annoyed as time passed. "I know information about them and their preferences, particularly on food. You will listen to me before they arrive; otherwise, it could lead to problems with communication with them."
He, of course, would have to use different recipes for this one lest things get traced to his inn. Another, the ingredients here could be different.
However, he wasn’t too worried. Using his [Ingredient Sense] and [Farming] Skills, he was confident he could make something out of whatever was available.
He also had to pretend he’d be handling other preferences as well. After all, he needed to go around the palace without being thrown into their prisons.
The guards looked at each other, still doubtful, but they were leaning on cynicism.
"Did they say they’ll arrive tomorrow night? Well, their mounts are fast, and they could be here the first thing in the morning! You don’t believe me?"
This made the guards pause. What kind of weakling would be so arrogant if he didn’t truly have backing?
"What to do?" one asked his partner, confused.
"Let’s ask the Lord. Anyway, he’s only a low-leveled person. What could he do?"
In the end, the Palace Steward, Jonathan, came out.
"What proof can you have of your association with our guests?" Jonathan asked, looking sharply at him.
They naturally didn’t trust a random person who appeared at the front door! What if it was an assassin? Granted, they were all fairly confident he really had a limp at awakened-level and was unlikely to do anything physically dangerous, but what if he was a poison master or something?!
This was a completely suspicious man with no records!
However, Finn was determined to bullshit his way in. With confidence, he took out the most expensive equipment he had in his space.
"He has a rune stone!" they said.
"A weak servant who has a rune stone?"
Space runes were not cheap, and this alone added to his reliability.
And then he showed them the dagger, the one that Syl gave him before. He knew he had to show off if he wanted to prove himself.
The three of them gaped, and suddenly half-convinced.
"It’s true, taking out these elven items so casually—he must really be a relative of the elves!!"