Rafayel was dressed in a pale yellow-green dress, and Elia wore pink.
Actually, Rafayel had been made to wear a deep-brimmed straw hat with a wide brim, given by Elia's mother to protect him from the sun.
No one else was wearing one…
For some reason, he couldn't refuse when they insisted.
They then went to the tent that was set up behind the stage for the contest, and the moment Rafayel took off his hat, the assisting woman's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.
That organizer guy earlier had the same reaction…
As Rafayel was dressed by the women, he thought to himself, and by the time he realized it, the transformation was impressively complete.
Why is there this tiny little hat on my head? And what's this netting hanging over my face!? Is this supposed to be fashionable?
He wondered about these things, but the truth was, he found himself a little mesmerized by his own reflection—though that was a secret he kept to himself.
