Treatise Of A Failed Knight Chapter 15: Anastasia

’Where am I?’

With this thought igniting my consciousness, I slowly rise from the depths of darkness.

’What am I?’ I stare at my two hands, feeling a strange sensation envelop . ’Who... am I?’

Fog slowly swirls around , and my eyes begin to widen in recognition.

I know this place!

It only takes a mont for all my mories to return, and my gray eyes flicker with deep recall.

This world—the nightmare I had—it all cos rushing back.

In this vast, mist-covered hall that resembles a hybrid of a temple, mausoleum, and observatory, I slowly rise from my lying state and sit upright. The fog is thick, hiding many details from my observation, but I already understand its general layout.

Lights radiate above from fiery gemstones, and a sweet scent fills the expanse.

I didn’t notice any of these the last ti.

Does this also an—?

Before I can conclude my thoughts, I feel the fog around slowly part. It gives room for my imdiate surroundings, releasing from its blinding intensity. I can see everything around with absolute clarity.

However, anything beyond a few ters from is still obscured.

I attempt to rise on my feet, and find that there is no overpowering force stopping this ti.

A sigh of relief leaves my lips.

’What now?’ The mont I rise to my feet, I glance around and wonder what to do next.

Then, right in front of , the mist parts.

I can tell.

It’s inviting forward.

Filled with too many questions and the inability to resist, I have no choice but to walk forward and follow the cleared path. As I proceed, the mist covers everything behind , preventing from returning to my starting point.

Without the path being cleared for , it is certain that I will be lost.

Trapped in the fog.

Forever.

I listen to my instincts and obey the mist’s navigation.

Thick gray clouds surround from all sides like immovable walls, only leaving the path before as an option. It would be foolish to resist. I would be an even bigger fool if I try to escape since I already know what awaits beyond the safety of this place.

After treading on this path for a while, my feet moving along the smooth, shiny obsidian floor, I finally reach my destination—a dining area.

It is indeed a dining area!

I witness a large rectangular table set before , with only two chairs existing at both the head and tail of the furniture.

The chair at the head—the seat of honor—is already occupied.

I can see her silhouette.

The lady in the fog—the woman who saved from those horrors that exist beyond this sanctuary—sits in silence and glances at with quiet expectation.

I nod in understanding, walking to the far end of the table to take my seat.

Then, and only then, does the mist around us dissipate.

All the fog shrinks back for a few dozen ters, surrounding us in a wall of misty clouds.

However, I hardly notice any of it.

The only thing I can focus on is the lady who sits before .

Her dark veil is raised slightly, granting an exquisite view of her face—her pure, clear face.

She is dressed in a black-thed wedding dress practically made of darkness and the feathers of countless ravens. The gown flows as an embodint of night, and it contrasts with her pale, unblemished, and snow white skin.

I watch in stark admiration and an unfamiliar feeling of allure.

Her golden eyes radiate boundless wisdom, seemingly all-encompassing like the rays of the sun.

How absurd!

She is dressed like the night, yet her gaze radiates the wonders of day.

Glistening earrings dangle as she places her finger on her chin, revealing a golden ring that glimrs with unimaginable strength.

Every aspect of this woman oozes unmistakable power and authority.

Yet, I—a nobody—sit before such a presence.

I feel honored.

But—

"What am I doing in this place again? Why do I keep appearing here?"

—More than honor, I feel a sense of confusion.

I am utterly befuddled.

This is clearly not a dream, but it is also not an experience I have ever heard anyone have before.

Such a thing cannot be the cause of a Potion or Armant.

It is far too mystical.

’Could this be tied to my regression? Could this woman be—?’ My eyes widen as I stare at her with a renewed sense of wonder.

Just who is she?

"My na is Anastasia, and you are once again welco to my Observatory, Javier Aditi."

Before I can even ask, she answers my question.

I gawk, absolutely stunned.

She smiles.

"You don’t mind if I call you Javier, do you?"

"Not at all..." I mumble, barely getting my thoughts across to her.

Her smile grows deeper.

"You seem to have a lot of questions. Why don’t I answer a few of them?" Her words are calm and composed, with not even a trace of condescension in them.

She seems detached from all conventional logic, and despite her elevated status, I do not sense an ounce of arrogance from her visage.

This lady... Anastasia... is simply an embodint of glory.

Bright as the sun.

Serene as the night.

She embodies the beauty of the world with an effortless display of her existence.

"Are you God?" My first question leaks right out of my thoughts.

It is t with a laugh.

Not a mocking, condescending one.

Rather, it is filled with amusent... and also a hint of bitter sadness.

"I wish..." She mutters with a sigh. "... But you can consider sothing close. A Demigod, if you will."

"Demigod..." I mutter.

If a Demigod can radiate such imasurable divinity, just how grand must god be?

"I believe God doesn’t exist, so in his absence, I suppose my kind could be considered the closest to such an ideal." Almost like she can read my thoughts, Lady Anastasia speaks once more, her sonorous tone soothing my tumultuous mind.

Despite my initial shock at her lack of belief in a supre, unmistakable existence like God, I find another part of her statent far more compelling.

"Your... kind?"

She slowly raises her hand above the table, almost as if asking for an embrace.

Then, with a mysterious smile, she declares:

"Leviathans."

My brows arch up a little, and I find myself growing more curious and confused at the sa ti.

Leviathans? What are those?

My mind cannot comprehend such a word, but I feel a strange stirring within .

That word ans sothing!

But what?

"Leviathans can be considered many things. I could try explaining it to you, but you wouldn’t understand anyway..."

No! I don’t want her to stop telling about this.

I feel a strong resonance with the topic.

I want to know more!

"Please..." I speak softly, my earnest voice pleading for enlightennt. "... Try ."

"Oh?"

Her open lips curl up in excitent the mont she gazes into my eyes.

My sincere gaze greets hers.

Silence radiates between us for a mont.

Then—

"Fine. Why don’t I tell you this..."

—She nods in acknowledgnt.

I shift on my seat and await her impartation. My dry throat feels itchy, and I gulp out of instinct, feeling no saliva slide down the hatch. None of these things draws my attention, though.

My mind simply focuses on Lady Anastasia, and Lady Anastasia alone.

"Even though we are revered by normal people as supre beings akin to gods, Leviathans are actually nothing that special. We are simply those who are able to interact with the Temporal Layers of Existence through Aego, connecting with them and also linking the layers to each other to create desired effects that outsiders will deem as miraculous."

My mind draws a blank the mont I hear those words proceed from the Lady’s lips.

’E-eh?’

"Aego is simply the line that intersects with these Temporal Layers and links with all fras of existence. Leviathans can connect to Aego. Therefore, Leviathans have access to the Temporal Layers." She continues to explain. "The act is called ’Conception’."

I still nod, even though my mind has long given up on trying to comprehend such profundities.

None of what this Lady has said made any sense to .

Instead, I only grow more confused.

"See what I an? There’s no point in trying to teach you what you clearly cannot understand."

"I-I... I’ll try..." I stubbornly cling to hope, determination fueling my obstinacy. "Please proceed!"

"There exist Six Pathways for Leviathans and a total of nine Ranks..." She sighs and continues to explain, granting complex words that my mind struggles to consu, but cannot even process.

I suddenly feel like a blind man attempting to see.

It is impossible!

But, in order not to let the Lady down, I part my lips and let out a question to show I am diligently paying attention to everything.

"So what Pathway do you belong to?" I smile nervously and ask. "What Rank?"

She stares hard at and smiles.

Then, her pitch-black lips slowly open, ready to answer.

But—

RUMBLE!

Sudden tremors cause the entire hall to shake.

It feels like an earthquake is happening, as the world around vibrates with an intensity that I have never felt before. My vision blurs, severely impeding my perception of the world, but I try my best to maintain consciousness.

I look around in a panic, noticing as the fog around us quickly dissipates.

However, the mont I turn to Lady Anastasia, I witness a much more absurd sight.

—Fear!

Her expression pales, if such a thing could even be possible, and I see her brows crease in worry.

Her eyes dart around anxiously, and severe panic—far more than what I exhibited earlier—dots all her features.

Whatever is happening is evidently very serious.

Dangerous too.

"What’s going on?" I blurt out, now very nervous and frightened.

If sothing can scare such an existence as Lady Anastasia, then I can only imagine how grand such a disaster can be. Could it be related to those monstrosities I laid eyes on back then? The towering figures that resembled abominable absurdities—the likes of which should never exist?

If Lady Anastasia is the closest thing to God, then those things are most certainly Devils.

I am absolutely sure of that.

"Looks like we will have to end our eting early." Lady Anastasia ignores my question but returns her gaze to .

A small sigh leaves her lips, and she regains her composure.

Even despite the tremors.

"B-but—!"

"Our discussion will be postponed to another ti." She raises a hand to stop from speaking any further, already sensing my worries. "Don’t worry... I am certain we will et again."

My eyes widen—both in delight and a creeping terror.

"Will I rember any of this when I wake up?" I ask with earnest desperation.

I can already feel my existence fizzling out again.

My consciousness is bleeding away.

I am dying.

Lady Anastasia watches with serenity and shakes her head.

"This place... is the void beneath all the layers of existence, where ti does not exist, yet is in an endless flux. It is a contradiction, a paradox that lies between existence and nonexistence."

"What does that an?"

"It ans to you—the current you—this conversation hasn’t happened yet. Perhaps it will happen later. Perhaps it will never happen." She shrugs casually, a deep sigh leaving her lips.

How is any of this even possible?

My perception of the world is rapidly changing and shattering, but I still have no clue what it is all about. I am unable to piece everything together. And to think, when I wake up, none of these pieces will remain, but they return whenever I co back here.

Does that an the ’’ that exists in this place... can only exist here and nowhere else?

After asking this question, my consciousness bleeds out even more.

I have no ti left.

I will die.

"How can I rember? What do I need to do? There has to be a way!" I rise to my feet and slam the table in sheer desperation, my eyes bulging like a madman.

I don’t want this!

I want to rember! I don’t want to fizzle out of existence again.

The seated Lady stares at my powerless, pathetic figure and casually shrugs at the question.

"Forget about it and surrender to reality. You simply won’t rember anything... at least, not until you beco a Leviathan yourself."

"So how can I beco one? How can I beco a Leviathan?!"

My voice loudly echoes in the crumbling world, but all I can see is Lady Anastasia smiling at .

Her ethereal face displays a detached cruelty to my pain.

I grit my teeth and try to yell out once more, but I find myself unable to. No voice cos out, and everything rapidly turns numb again. I feel my body turn heavy once more as I lose connection with all my senses.

Once again, I am going to perish here.

Words slowly drift in the air, and so of them enter my mind right before I pass away.

"To beco a Leviathan... you will have to lose everything."