After noon and night had alternated once more, Sifa woke from his sleep. He still clearly remembered that, in this shared dream, he had not appeared in that pitch-black passage and had not encountered the ascetic named Leomaster again.
Instead, just like the first time, he had appeared beside the Admiral of Stars. He did not explore the surroundings, merely admired the magnificent city across from them until noon arrived and he woke naturally.
After waking up, Sifa thought of the earlier question and sought out the Admiral of Stars. "Ma'am, I'd like to discuss something with you."
Cattleya adjusted her heavy glasses and replied calmly, "Go ahead."
Sifa glanced toward the spring. "The Fountain of Youth might not be real. This place is probably a trap, one Agalito set for us—for everyone who tries to drink from the Fountain of Youth and gain eternal life."
Deep violet stirred in Cattleya's eyes. "You mean the mausoleum we discovered was something Agalito had known about long ago? He deliberately leaked the Fountain of Youth's location so people like us would come here, be killed by the power within the mausoleum, and then he could collect the dead people's belongings and seize the spoils?"
Her reasoning was remarkably clear. That saved me a lot of explanation. Sifa nodded. "That's right. If Agalito has ever drunk from the Fountain of Youth, then he must have come here before and must know about that mausoleum."
"Besides, when we encountered him near Sonia Island, didn't you think he gave up too easily?"
"As one of the Four Kings of the Sea, he took the Golden Leaves and left without even suspecting that we might have more leaves in our possession."
"That made me feel he did it deliberately. He deliberately gave us the illusion that