As dawn breaks over a misty river canyon, the God Emperor Leto awaits his departure for Tuono in his sealed Royal Cart. His majordomo, Moneo, emerges from the guest house and expresses immediate anxiety about the journey, questioning the lack of aerial guards and eyeing the dizzying chasm's edge with deep trepidation. Leto uses Moneo's fears of the canyon and the open sky to challenge his reliance on constant judgment and external reassurance, urging the majordomo to take charge of his own existence and confront the uncertainty of a universe without a divine ruler.
Moneo's panic only intensifies under Leto's severe philosophical prodding, eventually driving the majordomo to flee back into the guest house to fetch Hwi. His sudden retreat scatters the surrounding Fish Speakers and courtiers, who remain too fearful to approach the Royal Cart directly. In stark contrast, Hwi steps calmly from the shadows wearing a golden gown decorated by the Fish Speakers, bringing an immediate sense of calm and relief to the God Emperor.
Hwi approaches the cart with a warm smile, teasing Leto about the state in which he left Moneo and playfully questioning her own safety among the suspicious courtiers. When she briefly touches his hand, the moisture in the air causes Leto's sandtrout skin to shudder sensitively, though he quickly recovers his composure. He warns her to remain strong as their fates are bound together in spirit.
Moneo soon returns, visibly humbled and noticeably more deferential to Hwi after bonding over shared meals. With the cortège finally prepared to move out, Leto plays the part of an impatient bridegroom, while Hwi climbs aboard his cart to sit beside him. In a quiet, intimate exchange just before they depart, Hwi tells Leto she has discovered another of his secrets, noting how he speaks directly to the senses with his life. Leto shudders before whispering his profound gratitude to her for offering him a brief, rare space in which to feel human.