As the clock struck 17:00, Lucian and Aether found themselves near the lower entrance/exit of the town.
A brisk wind swept through, rustling leaves from the nearby trees, a harbinger of the impending winter.
Aether, lacking gloves, clasped her hands near her mouth, exhaling warm breath in an attempt to stave off the cold.
"What a careless woman," she remarked.
Lucian began to offer a defense, "She's not necessarily irresponsible, perhaps she..." but his words tapered off as he caught sight of her.
She emerged wearing a beige female suit paired with a dark gray top hat. Her cheeks and nose were tinged with red, evidence of her hastened arrival. "I'm sorry!" she panted.
