Leon stirred awake, his vision slowly focusing on Rossweise sitting patiently by his side. Turning his head, he noticed Isha was still in the room as well, observing him with a mix of concern and her characteristic sharpness.
"You're awake, Leon," Rossweise said softly, helping him sit up and lean against the carved headboard of their bed.
Hearing her voice, Isha walked over, her arms crossed.
"Awake already, brother-in-law? Care to explain yourself?"
Leon blinked, his mind still groggy from the forced relaxation. "Explain what?"
"Why am I ranked below a donkey in your mental list of important things?" Isha demanded, a mock-offended glint in her eyes.
"..."
Leon looked utterly baffled, scratching his messy hair. "Big Sister, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Rossweise chuckled softly, a warm, melodic sound that eased the room's tension. She proceeded to explain the disjointed, strangely prioritized things Leon had mumbled while under Dr. Rachel's guidance.
After hearing the explanation, Leon gulped nervously, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "That doesn't count, Sis, it doesn't count. I wasn't in control of my thoughts."
"Counts or not, it still happened. If you want to clear your name, we'll have to re-rank everything while you're fully awake and accountable," Isha retorted, though a smile played on her lips.
"Imagine, after all I've done for you, I'm still ranked below a farm animal."
"Just let it go, Sis. That donkey is sometimes more important than I am," Rossweise teased, narrowing her amethyst eyes with a playful smile. "But to be fair, the creature is oddly adorable. I'll introduce you to him someday."
Isha smirked faintly but didn't press the matter further. Her expression grew more serious as she asked, "How are you feeling now, Leon? Truly."
Leon blinked, taking a moment to assess himself, to feel the lingering unease clinging to his spirit. He then shook his head. "Still not great... the weight is still there. Wait, where's Dr. Rachel?"
"She left shortly after you fell into a natural sleep," Rossweise explained. "She said your symptoms aren't rooted in your mental state, but she did recommend someone who might genuinely help with your nightmares."
"Who?"
"The Twilight Tower Master," Isha answered.
Leon frowned in confusion. "The Tower Master? Simon? Isn't their renowned specialty spatial magic? How are they supposed to help with dreams and nightmares?"
Rossweise shook her head, her silver hair shimmering. "Dr. Rachel didn't give many details, but she was insistent that the Tower Master is the most knowledgeable person to consult. It's not a big hassle to visit Sky City tomorrow, so what do you think?"
Leon hesitated, the rational part of his mind warring with a deep, instinctual caution. But before he could formulate a response, Isha interjected, her tone shifting to one of blunt concern.
"Rossweise wrote to me recently, saying you haven't been eating or sleeping well for weeks. She's been worried sick about you—"
"Big Sister, why are you bringing that up now!" Rossweise blushed slightly, clearly embarrassed about the depth of her concern being so openly revealed.
Isha shrugged, making a playful zipping motion across her lips to indicate she'd stop talking.
"I don't mind going to Sky City," Leon said finally, swinging his legs to sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the intricate patterns on the marble floor. "But something about this entire situation feels... off. Orchestrated. Like it's not as simple as a doctor making a referral."
Rossweise raised a delicate eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Leon furrowed his brow in thought before turning his gaze to Isha. "Sis, I need to understand the sequence. Think carefully. How exactly did you come across this Dr. Rachel?"
Iha thought for a moment, reconstructing the events in her mind. "It was a few weeks ago. I was in Sky City finalizing the next phase of cooperation between the Wind Dragon Clan and our alliance."
"After the formal meeting, the Wind Dragon King suggested we take a stroll through the central shopping district. I had nothing else to do, so I agreed. We bought some clothes, had ice cream, and—"
"You two went on a date, didn't you?" Leon interrupted, a knowing look on his face. "That doesn't sound like it has anything to do with finding a psychologist."
"Let me finish," Isha said, rolling her eyes but smiling faintly at the memory. "During our stroll, we passed a fortune-teller's shop. The fortune-teller, a woman named Sibyl, called out to us, claiming she could read tarot cards, interpret dreams, and more."
"When she mentioned dreams, I thought about Rossweise's letter and casually asked if she could help with recurring nightmares. But honestly, I thought she was just a charlatan spinning stories for entertainment and coin. We left soon after."
"Later, as I waited for other Dragon Kings to arrive for broader alliance discussions, I happened to meet Dr. Rachel at a cafe. We got to talking, and the subject of your nightmares came up. She expressed professional interest and offered to help, so I brought her here."
After finishing her story, Isha sighed and leaned back in her chair, resting her chin in her hand. "Honestly, I didn't expect her methods to fail. I suppose reputation doesn't always equal reliability."
Hearing this, Leon grew more convinced that the situation wasn't as coincidental as it seemed. The pieces fit together a little too neatly.
After a moment of silent contemplation, Leon spoke plainly, his voice low and steady. "Do you think it's possible the Tower Master deliberately orchestrated this? A chance meeting with a fortune-teller who primes the subject, followed by a 'random' encounter with the exact specialist you were subtly guided to think about? All to draw us to Sky City on a matter of personal urgency, making us the supplicants?"
Isha raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "What? Why would the Tower Master go to such elaborate, convoluted lengths? Do they have nothing better to do than manipulate us through psychologists and fortune-tellers?"
"It's not impossible," Leon countered. "If they wanted to involve me in something, they could've just sent a formal invitation directly. There's no need for such an elaborate, deniable setup unless the purpose is different."
Leon shook his head, explaining further as he stood and began to pace slowly. "This is about more than just securing cooperation or pooling resources to defeat the Shadows. The Tower Master wants control—over the partnership, over the flow of information, and ultimately over the outcome. They want to be the architect, not a participant."
"By creating a situation where we desperately need their unique knowledge, they're forcing us into a position of dependence. It's a game of silent negotiation, a battle of leverage before we've even sat at the table. And right now, by manufacturing my 'need,' they're waiting for the perfect opportunity to tip the scales entirely in their favor."
Rossweise nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful and severe. "Whether through honesty or manipulation, they want to dictate the terms of this alliance from a position of unassailable strength. We need to tread very carefully."
Leon exhaled, a slow, weary breath, then smiled a faint, determined smile. "But if Dr. Rachel was indeed sent by the Tower Master to lure us in, it also means they're running out of patience or time. A direct invitation can be refused or negotiated. A cry for help, especially one involving family, is much harder to ignore."
Isha's eyes lit up with understanding. "That's true. If they're going to such great, subtle lengths to involve you, it means they're getting desperate for your specific involvement. Their need might be as great as yours."
Leon stopped his pacing and walked to the window, gazing out at the horizon where the spires of Sky City were just a distant shimmer. "Desperate or not, we won't know the true game until we go and find out for ourselves. But now, we won't be walking in blind."