At dusk, the setting sun bathed the entire street in warm amber.
Catherine stood quietly by the roadside, the most striking sight in that twilight tableau.
Today, she wore an exquisitely tailored ivory jacket cinched at the waist, paired with a dark brown knee-length skirt and a delicate gold chain belt. She exuded an understated elegance that still spoke of luxury.
Most captivating of all was her long, pure golden hair, falling smoothly over her shoulders and gleaming softly in the evening sunlight.
Students from the Magic Academy passed by in twos and threes, having just finished another day of working like beasts of burden. Many were drawn to her beauty and kept glancing her way.
"Holy shit, that lady is gorgeous..."
One boy whispered to his companion.
"Should we... go say hello?"
Another boy eagerly straightened his rumpled collar.
But his companion grabbed him. "Are you crazy? Look at your dusty work clothes, then look at what she's wearing. Go talk to her dressed like that, and she'll definitely think you're a beggar. At the very least, we should change first."
The boys lingered where they were, shoving one another, none daring to take the first step.
Yet while they hesitated, a young man wearing work clothes just as dusty as theirs walked straight up to the golden-haired beauty and casually said something.
Then, the blonde beauty who had intimidated them actually smiled, nodded, and went off with him.
"Wait, how the hell is that fair?!"
One boy stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
"He gets to do that just because he's a little better-looking than us?!"
Another boy indignantly chimed in. "That's so unfair! How does he have the nerve to go up to her dressed like-"
He suddenly stopped halfway through.
That figure had suddenly struck him as familiar.