Chapter: 664
Water exploded from the fountain, soaring up to touch the sky before raining down on the island whale.
It was an enormous column of water. If we had been hit without any defensive magic, we would have surely fallen into the sea as a group, and if we had been closer to land, we would have attracted all kinds of attention. Thank goodness this fellow was drifting out in the open ocean.
“Some of the magic was neutralized.”
“Just releasing water has this much force? That size really packs a punch.”
The mages, caught in the sudden rain, discussed the fountain of water demonstrated by the island whale with serious expressions.
Although it was a water phenomenon that occurred in a wet place, it was fundamentally still water. However, despite the elite magicians guarding the duke casting their defensive spells, they were penetrated by mere water. This was anything but a normal situation.
“Jo-ka?”
The clear, sober voice of the Wise Duke was proof of the seriousness of the situation.
“I’m sorry, Jo-ka, but it seems I need to borrow your strength.”
“My strength… you say?”
“Yeah. We can’t guarantee what’s about to happen.”
With those words, the Wise Duke glanced at a nearby knight, who then handed me the sword he had at his waist.
The way he passed it over with both hands felt like I was receiving a tribute from a devoted fan.
“A one-of-a-kind being has awakened, and we’re currently on top of it. It feels like the continent’s finest sword needs to step up to ease our minds, doesn’t it?”
However, there was no time to get sentimental. As the Wise Duke mentioned, it was a serious situation that required me to grasp the sword.
It was simply astounding how a creature could mess with mages just by spewing water. To put it bluntly, if this beast dived or surged towards land at full power, it would spell disaster.
“If the situation is serious, we should also consider killing this island whale. No matter how important the artifact might be, it’s not more important than our lives—”
– As soon as I heard that, I realized some truly bizarre things were being said.
“…?”
A deep, low voice that sounded slightly distorted interrupted the Wise Duke’s words.
The unfamiliar voice echoed not from a particular direction but resonated all around, causing the knights to ready their swords and encircle the Wise Duke. In an instant, a protective formation around the Wise Duke was formed.
‘The island whale?’
I quickly brainstormed within the confines of that protective circle.
There were no other beings on the island whale besides us. Given the earlier roar, it stood to reason that this voice must belong to the island whale.
It’s astounding that a whale can speak human language, but since it’s an artificially created entity, it’s not too surprising.
– How dare you disturb my slumber and speak of killing me?
The voice reeked of anger as I discreetly unsheathed the sword I had received from the knight.
Honestly, it was a fair point. To the island whale, we must have looked like small creatures, running amok on its back after it woke up. Hearing those little pests deliberating over whether or not to kill it would indeed be more than a little infuriating.
It’s very possible that we weren’t just here waking it up; we could have been the cause of it waking up in the first place! After all, we had torn into its skin during our exploration.
“Sorry! I thought you were just a mindless beast. Had I known you were such a rational and refined being, I wouldn’t have said something so foolish.”
As I was on guard against the possibility of the island whale spewing more water or wreaking havoc, the Wise Duke offered a polite apology.
“Your Excellency?”
“Shhh.”
I was shocked momentarily by a duke’s apology, but I complied with the Wise Duke’s admonition to keep quiet.
Yes, the leader of this expedition is the Wise Duke. Furthermore, since it was his judgment, it was only right to follow along for now.
– …Hmm.
Indeed, with the Wise Duke’s apology, the voice of the island whale seemed to ease.
– You must be careful going forward. I am not a mere beast but one of the three pillars that protect Roygas, the king of the sea—Leviathan.
“Of course. We must be cautious.”
To reveal its identity without even being asked.
‘One of the three pillars.’
That phrase triggered a memory of the drawing I had seen earlier.
In the triangle drawn with a book at the center, there was a whale at one vertex and a bird and a cow at the other two. As I surmised, that whale was this island whale, and there were two similar entities alongside it.
Moreover, this island whale proclaimed itself to be a pillar protecting Roygas.
‘The imperial family of the Trika Empire.’
Before the royal families of the Livnoman Empire and the Apels Empire, the Trika Imperial family once ruled. The family that led Trika but was stripped of its mandate by Apels.
I could be sure of it now. This must either be an artifact created by the Trika Empire or at the very least has a monumental connection with it. Even if Leviathan denies it, there was no reason I couldn’t believe it.
“But you say you safeguard Roygas?”
It seemed the Wise Duke shared the same thought, reaffirming Leviathan’s statement.
– Indeed. I was born as the king of the sea to defend the empire’s territorial waters, a shield graced by Roygas. It would not be an exaggeration to call me a pillar safeguarding the imperial family.
There was a prideful resonance to its robust answer.
– However, this Leviathan has been put to sleep under the orders of the solemn imperial family…
‘For a moment?’
I nearly blurted out, ‘Isn’t two thousand years a bit long for “a moment”?’ but I bit my tongue.
After calming the mood of the offended being, it wouldn’t be wise to provoke another conflict by interrupting its memories.
– It was a sad decree, but a pillar of Roygas cannot disobey Roygas’s command; it merely means I will awaken again in due time.
“Does that mean our visit is the time Roygas’s imperial family spoke of?”
I carefully opened my mouth after hearing Leviathan’s words. If I played my cards right, I might be able to enhance my favorability or make a faint connection.
– Your words have merit. When you first spoke of my demise, I was enraged, but upon knowing my majesty, you apologized. This serves as evidence that you are not an unwelcome guest but the ‘time’ mentioned by the imperial family.
Thus spoke Leviathan, followed by a faint chuckle.
– You are the fateful ones who have awakened me, benefactors of the imperial family! Now, go! Report my glorious resurrection to the imperial family! You shall be handsomely rewarded by the emperor!
‘Oh.’
In that moment, a solemn feeling pressed down on my shoulders. Not just me, but the Wise Duke, the knights, and the mages surely felt the same.
Leviathan had been asleep for maybe over a thousand years. The calculations based on the assumption it had been asleep since the end of the Trika period suggest it could be over two thousand years.
Yet now, to tell a whale that has been seeking its master for over two millennia that “your master is dead”?
‘What do I do?’
I glanced at the Wise Duke, who also seemed troubled, his eyes darting around as he wrestled with the situation.
I understood his dilemma. It was clear from its speech that Leviathan held considerable loyalty to the Roygas imperial family. It had fallen asleep under the family’s command and, upon waking, immediately sought them out. If we explained the imperial family’s fall from grace and absence to such a devoted subject, it might go wild.
– Why are you not going?
Leviathan questioned curiously as we maintained our silence.
“Uh, that’s…”
– Ah, I see. You assume you wouldn’t be met with the dignity of the imperial family if you just showed up? That’s indeed a valid concern.
It was hard to argue against that point and my mouth felt glued shut.
It’s true; it’s not like we would be able to meet them. They’re either dead and gone or reincarnated somewhere.
– Take my skin. That would be the most undeniable proof.
Its tone was filled with conviction and anticipation, causing me to glance again at the Wise Duke.
“Um, Leviathan?”
The knight and mages’ gazes turned to the Wise Duke, who seemed resigned and finally spoke.
“Do you know how long you’ve been asleep?”
– I’m not so sure. I just woke up. But I have a feeling it’s been about 200 years.
I nearly gasped at this astonishingly off calculation.
“Two thousand years.”
– …What?
“The Trika Empire, like the Muno Empire, fell after a thousand years.”
– …….
Leviathan was momentarily speechless.
…
For the time being, we returned to the duke’s residence.
– Leave… I want to be alone for now…
When the landowner directly ordered us to leave, there was no way we could stay any longer. We had to move out before it decided to unleash another torrent from the fountain.
The only silver lining was that Leviathan seemed more sorrowful than angry about the fall of Trika. It must have been able to accept Trika’s demise, having slept for over two thousand years and knowing it had lasted a millennium.
“Such a pain…”
After receiving Leviathan’s gloomy dismissal, the Wise Duke returned to his office while sipping on alcohol, deep in thought.
“It’s massive… but it’s just an animal… yet it has such intelligence…”
“Indeed.”
“Then it’s impossible to research it as an artifact!”
I nodded repeatedly at the Wise Duke’s grievances.
He was right. If Leviathan were just a giant whale, we could study it, but given it could converse smoothly with humans and appeared to have emotions, treating it like an artifact for research was out of the question.
If research was to happen, we would need Leviathan’s cooperation, but what could we say to a loyal subject that had just lost its nation? It might just as well shoot a hydro pump at us in anger.
“More importantly, about what Leviathan said…”
After wrestling with complicated feelings, I brought up another topic.
“It definitely said it was one of the three pillars, right?”
“Yep! That’s right!”
The prompt reply brightened the atmosphere, but my thoughts only became more convoluted.
If it is one of the three pillars, the other two must be similar in stature, which is terrifying to even consider.
What if the other two also had overwhelming loyalty to the Roygas imperial family? What if they refused to accept their fall, unlike Leviathan, and began rampaging? One of them could be soaring through the sky, while the other could be galloping on land!
“First off, let’s wait a bit! We should talk again when things calm down!”
“Yes, uh… that seems like a good plan.”
Nodding to the best course of action, I agreed once more.
Yeah. We should wait it out. At the very least, we need to have a calm discussion to gather more information.
“Alright! During that time, our cute little babies—”
– Knock, knock.
“Huh?”
Just when the Wise Duke was about to launch into a tangent, someone knocked on the door to the office.
Whoever it was, I’m grateful. You just saved our children.
“Your Grace, we have results from the rubbing interpretations.”
“Oh? Already? Come in!”
‘Oh.’
And the reason for their visit was good news, making me even happier.
The content of the interpretation wasn’t anything groundbreaking.
It simply detailed how Leviathan was crafted due to the pity felt for the citizens harmed by pirates and sea monsters, praises for the Roygas royal family that achieved this feat, and expectations for the successful birth of Leviathan.
Granted, it’s not too surprising. While we might have hoped for details on how they created Leviathan, spilling that kind of sensitive info on a whale’s back would be a breach of confidentiality.
‘…Huh?’
As I continued reading the interpretation for quite some time, I spotted a peculiar sentence.
[ …The Osiden family’s contribution was significant in the manufacturing of Leviathan; thus, His Imperial Majesty granted the leader of the Osiden family the rights to request Leviathan and board it. ]
‘What’s this about?’
Why mention the Osiden family here?
That’s the Gold Duke family!
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