This night, I have a lot to think about.

Firstly, I finally had a conversation with Seraphina and Klein, apologizing for my outburst and the obvious disrespect towards Seraphina's father.

Unexpectedly, they were not offended.

In fact, they were very impressed by my performance and thought I did a great job.

Seraphina even said I was cool.

I mean, I know she doesn't like her father, but to think it was to this extent…

Then, I got all those other private congratulations and invitations from all the people who could not address me so openly. I even received fan letters, rather than meeting some of them in person.

Regardless, it seems the consensus is that I dominated the debate.

That is enough satisfaction to last me a while.

Now, on to more serious matters…

The existence of this Regulus Heathcliff fellow is quite a surprise. Not only because he seems quite harmless and well-meaning, but also because he knows so much about me and my connection with Leviathans.

He already explained that his family is quite wealthy, well-connected with merchants in multiple Kingdoms, and he constantly receives news on bizarre incidents.

What caught his attention about me was the Deep Winter Massacre involving Zarius, which he eventually traced back to my family's deaths and the fall of my Household. He got his hands on all kinds of information he could get about me, and after many months of deep investigation, he became convinced that I am somehow connected to Leviathans.

Well, he isn't wrong.

In fact, I am actually a Leviathan.

But this kid—

'I used Aego Sight, and I have confirmed that he truly is an ordinary person. But his keen insight is frightening. Now, it's a matter of choice—do I take him up on his invitation for further discourse, or do I leave it at this?'

I have never been one to back down from a challenge, especially if the potential rewards are bountiful.

And in this case… they are.

'He is an expert in ancient languages and historical texts. If it's him, maybe he can help me with the founding Leviathan's notes…' My thoughts flow as I narrow my gaze. 'Now that I've made connections with many Senior Professors, I have more options to choose from, so it doesn't have to be him. But he has caught my interest because of his deep interest in Leviathans as well as his knowledge of me. Plus, such a brilliant young man… could his interest lead to obsession as it happened with Professor Alaric?'

I have to admit, I have gotten very interested in Regulus Heathcliff.

I need to know more.

'Okay, why don't we test the waters for a bit? I have three more days to spend here so there's no need to rush things too much. I'll meet with him tomorrow, and if I'm satisfied with some things, maybe I'll show him a few excerpts from the notes.'

Yeah, that sounds ideal.

It's not easy to decipher ancient texts, so I should keep my expectations low.

**************

Two days have passed since I met Regulus, and while I spent a little longer testing the waters with him, I believe it's a good decision to expose him to the founding Leviathan's texts.

Of course, I'll only start with a small portion—just to be safe.

In these two days, I've come to know a little more about what kind of person this youth is.

For one… he is extremely intelligent!

Calling him a genius might be an understatement.

I don't think I have ever met anyone as brilliant and well-read as him.

He consumes knowledge as if it were his food, and he displays a maturity that far exceeds my own.

Honestly, he is an exceptional talent that one wouldn't expect to find in an irrelevant place like the Randalorion Kingdom.

I can already tell that this person is destined for greatness.

In fact, the entire reason he has such a keen interest in Leviathans and proving their existence is that it's the only thing truly challenging for him. He first stumbled upon a mention of them in an ancient text, and since then, his interest has been piqued.

Many told him that the word "Leviathan" was likely a mistranslation, but he found too many discrepancies with that theory.

Plus, he found other similar texts in other unique places, and after piecing everything together—cross-referencing the authors, their time period, and other relevant information—he became convinced that these beings existed.

Then, he went into a deep dive into their existence by seeking out whatever texts had their information, while also seeking real-life incidents that backed up his suspicions.

After doing this for over ten years, he now has a few strongly held convictions about Leviathans.

"They have deep involvement with time. They are special existences that are different from humans. They govern human affairs, and those in the highest positions of power are likely aware of their existence. Certain laws do not apply to them, and they possess supernatural powers that make them akin to Magivores…"

All of these statements are correct, and he has even more ideas that are near the truth.

Even though he started from scratch… he has made so much progress.

Thus, if there is anyone I expect to help me with this ancient text, I believe he would be the most preferred choice.

"So, what do you think?" I ask him after handing over a portion of the notes. "Do you understand this? Or can you decipher it?"

Regulus falls silent for a moment, staring intently at the page.

"This… is a copy you made, right? It's not the original." He guesses correctly, and I nod in confirmation.

This is standard practice, and there is no need to lie about it.

"Also, this is a fragment of the full notes, right? I can tell, based on the references and a broken link of repetitions in this line…"

"So you can understand it?!" I ask him with an eager expression.

Then, he smiles.

"It's a combination of three different languages, melded together to form a unique language. I have never seen it used like this before, but I have played with languages before and tried to create my own language, so it's easy to spot things like this."

"Easy, huh…?"

"So, yes… it will take me some time, but I should be able to decipher it. However, not having the full notes, or at least a more complete excerpt than this, will increase its level of difficulty. You'll be leaving tomorrow, right? If you wish for more progress before then, I'll need more than this."

I make a wry smile.

So it turned out like this in the end.

Regulus Heathcliff can understand the notes, which is a plus, but for him to do so, I'll need to take the risk and expose more information.

Although I'd like to refuse him now, I know that I'd just be wasting my time in vain.

I already met a few Professors in these two days and also took this excerpt with me, but none of them had provided this much information within the brief period they had to look at the text.

It's not that they aren't brilliant, but deciphering ancient languages like this takes time, even for an expert.

Only people like Regulus, who hold a deep interest in these languages and have spent a long period experimenting with them to formulate their own patterns, will have an easier time understanding such a complex mechanism.

In the end, it appears I will have to divulge this information to him.

"I will show you the full excerpt, but you have to promise to keep it a secret," I tell Regulus, my gaze flashing with ruthless light. "If it ever leaves your lips, I will have to kill you."

A fearless laugh leaves his lips in response to my words.

"Don't you worry, Javier Aditi… I am not so tactless that I fail to recognize such basic things."

After arriving at an understanding with him, I lead him to my private quarters, where I show him the original notes. Right there and then, he deciphers everything in my presence, and before long, we reach the conclusion.

Then, he shows me the complete translation.

So seamless… so perfect…

It is truly the work of a genius, one who seems to have far transcended human limits.

If I didn't know any better, I would think this person before me is a Leviathan.

As for the notes:

"Whoever is reading this, you have indeed not let down my expectations. You are truly the next guardian of my treasure, that is, the Randalorion Kingdom, which I founded alongside my dear friend. However, this path I walk is not one he can tread on, which is why I have left this message behind for my heir. As a Leviathan yourself, surely, you must have come to understand some things. How else would you have made it this far? If you have yet to learn sufficiently, do not despair and continue to diligently pursue knowledge. Even I started as an ignorant one, but I have grown considerably in my later years…"

All of these words are contained in the introductory portion, and they go on to divulge more sentimental words from the founding Leviathan.

After reading through these parts, I admit… I was let down.

This is because I had a strong feeling that the contents of the notes would be important.

However, upon checking the second portion, I now realize I made a premature judgment. The next part contains information I wouldn't have thought of.

"I have now advanced to the Disciple Rank, but I gained no additional lifespan. How unfortunate… this is truly a saddening thing. Perhaps this will change if I ascend to the rank of Adept, but after experiencing the horrors of my first Apotheosis, having to undergo another one frightens me. Although I now have the qualifications for my second one, it is extremely doubtful that I will do so. To the one reading this, I don't know what Rank you are in, or the extent of your knowledge, but I will spell out the Ranks for you just in case.

I am only aware of the five Ranks that exist: Witness, Disciple, Adept, Valiant, and Master.

Which are you?"

'A Witness, clearly…' I smile to myself, but quickly come to understand that the founding Leviathan had actually successfully made it to Disciple Rank.

But from his words, it seems it was difficult.

Even for a Leviathan, the experience frightened him to the point that he refused to ascend even though he had the qualifications.

Just how scary is Apotheosis? Now even I am nervous…

The third part of the notes seems to take place some time after the second part was written, as the tone of the founding Leviathan appears different.

"It is said that the world chooses the most suitable Pathway for a Leviathan once he experiences Apotheosis for the first time and becomes a Witness. But I wonder if being an Exemplar is truly the best for me. I have managed to extend my life using Backflow, living to see my founded Kingdom flourish, but I feel powerless through this. If only I were a Leaper… I could do some things about my regrets. If I were a Seeker, I would have no such problems. So much has changed since my youth, when I felt I could conquer the world with my Conceptions. Now, I feel impotent. The end of my lifespan inevitably draws near, but I am too unwilling to die. Maybe… I should attempt Apotheosis and take the risk… perhaps I can become an Adept and gain additional lifespan. To the one reading this, I don't know what Pathway you belong to, or the extent of your knowledge, but I will inform you of what I know.

There are six Leviathan Pathways that exist: Exemplar, Leaper, Seeker, Caster, Conjurer, and Harbinger.

Which are you?"

'Harbinger…' My thoughts flow, and I feel a certain bleakness form inside me.

It seems this founding Leviathan had a lot of troubles even into old age. Despite being a Leviathan, his life was filled with countless worries.

I wonder if it will be the same for me.

So far, I have solved almost all my problems, but I keep finding new ones as I embark on this quest for knowledge and solutions. Will I ever reach a point where no more worries exist for me to deal with?

I can only wonder quietly as I read the fourth part.

"I have decided to take the risk with my second Apotheosis and see if I will make it to the Adept Rank. If there are no further entries in this journal, it means I failed in the enlightenment ritual, experiencing deviation. If that becomes my fate, I can only hope that my end is swift death and not corruption. The last thing I would want is to fall into depravity…

I wish so desperately to succeed, but in preparation for an unfortunate scenario, I will leave behind formulas for Potions which may be helpful to you.

Deficiency is a big problem for Leviathans, and it only becomes more pronounced the higher the Rank. Currently, I use Grade 5 Potions to maintain my existence, but I still have the Grade 4 Recipe, which should be useful for Witnesses. I will put down the recipe for both Grades and hope they are of assistance to you. I suspect I might need a Grade 6 Potion if I am successful with this Apotheosis… ahh, another headache to deal with later. I will also write down Potions that will be of great help in improving Interference Power and deepening the connection to Aego. Using them should shorten the time needed to fully master Conceptions and embody the mysteries of the Rank. Since I don't know which Pathway you belong to, I can only write down recipes that I know of, and they are mostly restricted to Rank 1 Leaper, Rank 1 Exemplar, Rank 1 Seeker, and Rank 2 Exemplar. Even though these will be more helpful to Exemplars, I sincerely hope you aren't an Exemplar. This Pathway is trash!

Oh well… farewell, stranger. I certainly wish you a much better fortune than mine…

… by Arthur Snow."

This is the last entry.

That means this founding Leviathan, Sir Arthur Snow, failed in the end. He did not pass his second Apotheosis and experienced deviation.

But what fate did he experience?

Death?

Corruption?

Or… was it depravity?

I have no idea the full scope of what these mean, but the recipes of these Potions appear genuine.

It's also clear that the founding Leviathan had goodwill towards his successor, so I don't expect to be scammed with this information.

What are the odds that the Potions he had available all fit into my current predicament?

What kind of luck is this?

Or… could this be some sort of arrangement by a Leviathan?

I can't say.

But what I know for sure is that if they're legit, I finally have the answer to my nutrition problem!

'So it was called Deficiency, huh? It appears Grade 4 Potions should suffice for Rank 1, and Grade 5 Potions should be good enough for Rank 2. And I have the two of them in my grasp. I don't have anything to worry about for now… well, apart from Apotheosis.'

I already knew it was a big deal.

After all, I watched Zarius fail the enlightenment ritual, even after preparing for so long.

But to think it's this frightening?

Even the brave Arthur Snow, whose legends and valor are well known throughout the Randalorion Kingdom, was scared of undergoing another.

'Haaa…' I sigh deeply.

'But I can't back down. It's the only way I can meet Lady Anastasia. By taking the Potions that improve my Interference Power, I should see improvements in the use of my Fragmented Conceptions and eventually reach the peak of Rank 1. After that, I believe I will be ready to take the risk and undergo Apotheosis.'

With these thoughts echoing resolutely in my mind, I strengthen my resolve and decide on my path.

'As for Regulus Heathcliff…' I turn to the young man and watch him stare at his translations in ecstasy, a flushed look of excitement permeating his face.

'What should I do about him?'

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