In this chapter, the young prince is introduced to the world outside of the palace. He is a "toy boy" who has not been allowed to leave the palace for sixteen years. He tells the princess that he has seen far more outside the palace than she has ever seen. He says that a "puppet princess" would not want to have anything to do with such things. The prince says that he does not want the status or wealth of the emperor's family. He just wants to know where someone is. He shows the prince the "authorization plaque" that the chancellor has given him. He then tells the prince that he will take the prince out to investigate the whereabouts of the chancellor's daughter.