At dusk outside the City of Knowledge, it was the busiest time of the day. Merchants from the nearby villages and towns, with empty wagons and heavy purses hanging from their belts, returned home with the joy of a good day's trade. Winter was coming, and after selling the last batch of goods, these part-time village merchants would not continue to shuttle between the city and the villages. They preferred to hide in their warm homes and spend a comfortable winter.
The girls were slowly moving against the flow of traffic towards the City of Knowledge. On the way, whenever they encountered familiar vendors, Catherine would always wave hello to them with a smile. However, the vendors who were greeted didn't seem so cheerful. After seeing Catherine, they often hid on the other side of the wagon as if they hadn't seen her. Despite this, there were a few vendors who hadn't had time to hide, and were forced to return the greeting with a distressed expression.
