The meeting only lasts for a few hours.

Most of that time was spent on sorting out the details of the agreement, seeking out loopholes, and ensuring all parties are satisfied with the final outcome of the contract.

Javier wasn't made to drink the Dark Guild Potion, but he was warned of the consequences of breaching the agreement. Because it is a written contract, denying any part of it would be difficult, and while such an illegal agreement is void by normal legal standards, it carries enormous weight within the Dark Guild.

Even Javier should recognize this; thus, the likelihood of his turning against this deal is low.

Once Snake concludes the agreement, with each party keeping a copy of the deal for themselves, he takes his leave from the building.

At first, he thought they might make an attempt to trail him.

But no such thing happened.

He was free to go.

Still, he is only able to let out a breath of relief once his carriage takes him is far away from the meeting location. It is only at this point that he activates the Auxiliary-type Communication Armament that is hidden deep within his body.

Naturally, there is only one person that this channel leads to—his Superior.

A Leviathan.

"The meeting is concluded. An agreement has been made, just as you said. Nothing deviated from your expectations." He whispers, not out of worry, but simply due to reverence towards the one whom he speaks to.

This is a Seeker—a frightening existence who casts his gaze upon the world from high above and easily witnesses its affairs.

Past… Present… and Future!

They are all within the grasp of this unfathomable entity!

"Good."

A soft, gentle voice suddenly echoes in Snake's mind.

It almost feels like a drifting whisper, or an intrusive thought, but it plants itself deeply into his vulnerable consciousness.

"That means there's no reason to worry about him. With the absence of Interference, it has become apparent that he has no patrons who seek to protect him. Even if they are, they are not my match. Javier Aditi is no threat…"

"Then, do we proceed as planned? But doing all these things might help him grow."

"Pfft! I'm no fool. I can see through his intentions clearly. He wishes for us to do most of the work due to our interests being tied to the current profits. This will give him breathing room and show his subordinates the ropes, which will be useful to him down the line."

"E-exactly…"

"He's benefiting for sure, but this further goes to show his inexperience. He has no clue what he is doing or how far the pit goes. He likely is a recently awakened Leviathan, at the very bottom of Rank 1. Someone like that thinks they can scheme against me… how laughable." For a moment, a soft laugh echoes, eventually fading away like a long-forgotten dream.

Throughout all of this, Snake is silent.

Then, the voice comes again.

"But there's no real detriment to us, which means we don't need to do anything more. I already foresaw the entire meeting, and I've confirmed that he won't be an active threat, so why not just let things go according to his will? He should think of it as a kind gesture… from a well-meaning senior to his junior."

"Understood, sir. I will begin to make all the necessary arrangements."

"Yeah. But hurry and leave the Randalorion Kingdom. I've heard from some reliable sources that the Ouroboros Sect will be making their way there really soon."

"O-Ouroboros?!"

Snake shudders the moment he hears this name.

Unlike the Dark Guild, which comprises both mortals and Leviathans, the ranks of the Ouroboros Sect are entirely filled with Leviathans.

It is a genuine Leviathan Organization.

'What are they looking for in a place like the Randalorion Kingdom? It's possible that their presence here means the Kingdom is finished, which would render all my agreements with Javier Aditi meaningless. Did my superior know this already, or is the final outcome still obscure?'

Snake feels a temptation to ask the superior, but he dares not.

Certain knowledge is not for him to have.

All he can do is catch small glimpses of the world of Leviathans by gladly receiving the crumbs thrown at him by his Leviathan overlord.

"I understand! I'll make all the necessary arrangements and won't fall below your expectations!"

"Good. Then… farewell."

As the communication network cuts, and Snake is left pondering matters within the Carriage, the Leviathan on the other end of the call sits back in their comfortable couch and smiles.

Then, they close their eyes to revisit the past.

Once again, they see everything that happened in the meeting with perfect accuracy.

Not a single detail is lost.

"Haa… I have checked multiple times already. There are no mistakes with my Vision. I'm not missing anything. This Javier Aditi is ordinary, and his cooperation will only continue the smooth running of the Dark Guild's rudimentary affairs."

In essence, there is no need to worry.

'But what is this unpleasant feeling?' The man asks himself as he sighs. 'Although I am already a Disciple Seeker, why am I so bothered with such a Rank 1 nobody from a backwater place like the Randalorion Kingdom?'

He silently ruminates on the situation for a moment before letting out a loud sigh.

In the end, he can't explain this feeling.

But maybe it's not Javier Aditi, but rather the affairs of the Randalorion Kingdom itself, that is causing this inexplicable emotion to stir within him.

'Even the Ouroboros Sect will be making its way to Randalorion. I don't know about the details, but if those guys are involved, then something interesting is bound to happen. Hehe… could they still be after that rogue that defected a while back? The Shadowstalker…'

Even this Seeker Leviathan shudders when she thinks about the person in question.

'It's a shame I can't observe that far ahead, but oh well… It's none of my business. Even if the Randalorion Kingdom perishes in the advent of their activities, it's only a minor loss on our end, and per the agreement with them, they'll cover damages.' With a wry smile, the man finally retreats to his bed and enjoys a long nap.

Even Leviathan criminal overlords need their beauty sleep.

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

As I sit before my Uncle and Leon, I feel a certain inexplicable emotion surge from my depths.

Is it because of the topic at hand?

Could this be due to the history of that subject matter and the people present?

I, more than anyone, know the level of significance that the word "Leviathan" holds in both of their hearts.

Uncle Damon's life was ruined, and his lover was stolen from him.

Leon lost his former master and the Household that he dedicated himself to serving.

These two have certainly suffered at the hands of Leviathans.

Or rather, one Leviathan.

But—

'These two are my most trusted assets. Uncle Damon and Leon have taken on the role of subordinates to me, but we have endured so much together that I have grown to trust them more than anyone else.'

If I can't even divulge my true identity to them, then how can I entrust them with even more pertinent matters?

Even if I set aside my sentiments, this revelation is still highly necessary for the sake of both efficiency and even steeper cooperation.

They need to know.

"I am a Leviathan." I plainly tell them while the three of us sit in the hall. "I became a Leviathan after killing Zarius and falling unconscious."

Uncle Damon's eyes bulge in shock, while Leon also struggles to maintain his stoic demeanor.

For Leon, I'm sure he already had an inkling after my conversation with Snake, but hearing me confirm such a thing must still be unnerving for him.

I understand both of their reactions, and now the burden is on me to properly explain my circumstances to these people. It wouldn't do if they saw me as any different from the Javier Aditi that they used to know, although quite a few things about me have changed.

"W-what? So Alaric was right in the end? Humans… can actually become Leviathans?" Uncle Damon is the first to speak up, his body shuddering uncontrollably.

"But… how?"

I remain silent on the matter, not saying anything about what Lady Anastasia told me.

Not yet.

In the end, Leviathan Awakening is tied to Apotheosis.

Alaric must have somehow uncovered that secret, but he failed to grasp what Apotheosis meant.

He thought he could initiate it with ritualistic spells or experimentations, when in actuality, it is a concept beyond conventional understanding. Only by being exposed to it can the mind of one be highly elevated and unlock their latent potential.

They become Leviathans.

"Listen closely… two of you…" I sigh deeply, narrating my experiences with Zarius, from start to finish, stopping at the point where I fell unconscious.

Naturally, I leave out Lady Anastasia, her Observatory, and those… things… that exist outside the world of fog. I don't think they should know about those things, and even if they were, I'd probably need to ask the Lady if that's alright.

It would be unwise to go ahead spreading word of someone who has made themselves so obscure in the world.

"I-I see…" Uncle Damon stares at me with a mix of all kinds of emotions, his glasses only barely containing his bulging eyes. "It's nothing at all like what I had expected. So that's what Apotheosis is like. I wish I were there to witness it for myself… now my curiosity is piqued."

I laugh bitterly as I stare at my uncle.

If he were there at the time, he likely wouldn't be around to spout these words.

Everyone except me perished so gruesomely.

"I am telling you these things so you are not ignorant of the truth of the world. Now that I have officially stepped into the world of Leviathans, there will be many bizarre events that will occur, and also some seemingly unethical things I will allow in consideration for a much broader scope. My decision to join the Dark Guild is just the start of these affairs."

"Javier…"

Both Uncle Damon and Leon cast worried looks at me as they show complicated expressions.

"I am not Zarius. I am and will always be Javier. Naturally, I do not wish to cause harm to innocents, but I have chosen to be more decisive in my actions."

"To what end, Javier…?" Uncle Damon looks me in the eyes and asks. "Business is one thing. I can overlook shady deals and even be complicit in Dark Guild affairs, but this scope… I suspect it exceeds even that. How deep does it go… and what is your gain in all of this?"

As expected of my uncle.

He wishes to get to the meat of the subject—the destination.

I smile at him and confess.

"I wish to save everyone, Uncle. I want to travel to the past one day and rescue all of those who perished from ever experiencing that horrid fate."

"W-what?!"

"Is that even possible?!"

Both of them appear astounded by this development, but they have no idea.

This world is too vast.

The mysteries that exist within it are far too much to be comprehended by mortal minds like theirs. Even I struggle to fully wrap my head around its machinations.

"Yes. It is possible…" My lips curl up decisively. "Because I am living proof."

"E-eh? What does that mean, Javier?!"

Uncle Damon's eyes stretch to their limits, disbelief etched on his pale expression. As a Scholar himself, he must have a clear understanding of what is and isn't possible.

So, this will come as an especially shocking thing to him.

"I am a regressor. I returned fifty years to the past after living up to sixty-five years old. I possessed all the memories of my past life, and I chose to correct all my mistakes." Since I have already chosen to go this far, I spill out the details to them.

I tell them all about the future.

I reveal the fate of the Randalorion Kingdom and connect it to Zarius' machinations.

I… also tell them of the Aditi Household.

I hide nothing from them.

"Even now, I still don't know who is responsible for my regression, but it is likely a Leviathan. I also possess powers related to time, so isn't it logical to assume that I can replicate that process?"

"Traveling back in time…" Uncle Damon mumbles silently. "… It is really possible?"

I nod at him.

Then, I look at Leon and also nod.

"I need your cooperation to make this a reality. This is all for a great cause—to save those who we lost to great evil—but I also recognize that it is a selfish request for me to make. After all, the ones I wish to save are my immediate family, and it's my fault that they are dead."

"Don't say that, Lord Javier!" Leon quickly pleads. "They meant a lot to me, too. The Aditi Household… was the only family I ever really knew."

Uncle Damon then breaks into a smile and nods in agreement.

"Leon is right. Your father and siblings… they were my family too. There's also no need to blame yourself too much. Your actions made sense, and you were only doing it to make a better future."

I smile at their words, hanging my head helplessly.

"Thank you… truly."

I know it's awfully patronizing, and that it's cheap to use their encouraging words to feel better about myself, but the effects of their words are undeniable.

It almost feels like I have been waiting so very long for someone to tell me that it's not my fault.

At least, not entirely.

But, I still wish to take responsibility for all of it.

I want to save them!

At the very least… I wish to try!

"It all makes sense now. So many actions of yours that I found strange, and your sudden change in personality… even all the information you used to start the business… so it was gotten like this…" Uncle Damon laughs lightly as he reminisces about old times. "I guess I could never have suspected time travel, but to think…"

"Ahh! No wonder you acted so strangely right before your Coming-of-Age Ceremony! Was that when you returned to the past?" Leon suddenly yells, his eyes widening.

I laugh and nod.

"Yes. Very perceptive of you."

Back then, I thought my body had simply reverted to its younger state, and that the same happened to Leon. Hence, I ended up making a fool of myself. Then, I wound up causing a lot of trouble by announcing my intentions to abandon the path of a Knight, with even more of my actions stirring controversies in the Aditi Estate.

Anytime I think of the past, although I have to endure a tightening pain in my chest, I am also blessed with so many memories that I find very pleasant.

"So… what do you say?" I ask the two before me. "Will you help me?"

Right now, these are my most trusted companions.

My inner circle.

If they can help me… the burden on my shoulders will be much lighter.

"Do you even have to ask?" Leon smiles warmly at me. "I'm in! Your will is my will, Lord Javier… and if it involves saving everyone, I'm even more motivated!"

"Leon…" My heart stirs as I look at him with deep emotion.

"Same here, Javier." Uncle Damon's voice draws my attention to him. "We've been through too much for me to throw in the towel now. Besides, they're my family too. I will do everything in my power to help you."

My lips tremble as I nod at him.

At them both.

'I hesitated many times and wondered if telling them the truth was the right choice, but now I see that my worries were in vain. Having allies you can trust like this… is truly the best feeling.'

"Thanks… for believing in me." I stretch out my hand in a decisive manner.

Then, they do the same.

With our hands stacked together, we stare at one another and nod with a look of camaraderie in our eyes and firm resolution embedded in our hearts.

Through thick and thin…

Come what may, and the endless challenges that will rear their head…

… We will remain as one.

Together, we will do the impossible and change the world!

Now, I didn't know this at the time… but this union between the three of us will end up forming the foundation for an entire Leviathan Organization, which I will end up creating in the future.

—The Evernight Secret Society.

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