The big lizard leaned back in his wooden chair as far as it would let him as he listened to Leopold's diagnosis. A few words registered but the Leo could even just spew unintelligible babble and Arco wouldn't be able to tell the difference. He wasn't that smart but what Arco lacked in book smarts, he made up for in street smarts. Centuries of sailing on a merchant and military ships and staying in various taverns listening to stories can teach you a lot of tricks on how to tell if someone is lying or in this case, unsure. Arco was pretty good at it but never has he ever seen a mutt's face on a human body. Leo's face was expressionless and seemed empty just like any hound. It was impossible to determine facial expression. 

It felt a bit like failure as Arco would determine if this guy was real and qualified, but the interesting phenomena was the fact that Rye had sat still and actually followed through with everything Leo did. She remained still as he waved his magic rocks. She allowed him to observe closely and touch her, check her throat. So on and so forth. Arco spent a long time contemplating right after he first rescued Rye, how exactly could she recover from all that trauma, not only physically but psychologically as well. She should be very distant from people and judging from her initial scared reactions, that should have been the case, but here she was. Standing, almost in confidence, before another man of medicine seemingly unafraid. She might be the toughest being in the world...

When Leo was finished, Arco brought himself back to the table and very gently placed his hand on the table between Leo and Rye. "As much as I'd like to have a say in this, I will leave it up to her." He looked down at her and she looked up at him. She smiled and he smiled back. Arco, not needing to hear her voice, withdrew his hand and went back to leaning on his chair. Rye turned to Leo, her smile now gone and nodded signaling that she was okay with it...

Shortly after that, another voice joined the conversation. A woman, baring a red cloak that looked like she belonged in a children's story. Quite strangely, she admitted fault for what that alchemist in the woods did, seemingly full of guilt and sorrow for what had happened. She offered her ring which looked rather ornate and pretty as a sign of her submit. The offer kind of unnerved Rye as she appeared uncomfortable and looked to Arco for help. Arco didn't really know what she wanted out of him. Did she want the woman shooed away? Did she look to him for his opinion on the matter? Whatever she wanted, it was clear she wanted her voice back. 

Caelyn weighed in and that was pretty much how Arco felt. It wasn't in the very least, this girl's fault. Arco, despite not being offered the ring, reached down and gently pressed her hand closed around the ring. "Your submission is admirable but it is not your fault. The man I slayed in the forest came out here to do all this in secret. At that point he was no longer part of your order." Arco said under his breath. With his other hand, he reached down and dug into a leather pouch on his hip. In there were various leaves packed together to form a small bed that Rye would use during their time in the woods to rest. But there was also the guild ring of the rogue alchemist. Arco grabbed it and placed it on the table in front of Rye. "His blood paid for her blood. You need not worry about taking that man's debt."