Chapter 55: The Awakening of Leviathan

Rebecca felt as though she had been living in a dream, one that was completely detached from reality. She was still happily living in the little castle, with her father and older brother busy at work, and her mother and siblings taking care of her as she fell asleep. Everything seemed the same, just as it had always been.

When she finally opened her eyes and saw Ian's face, she truly felt like she was still in that dream.

"You're awake. You've been asleep the whole day. Let me call Aunt Anna up to help you freshen up," Ian said, gently brushing her dry hair.

By this time, it was already nearing dusk. Leviathan had been anchored in the calm, sheltered bay for several hours.

Rebecca clung tightly to Ian, her voice trembling with tears. She mumbled through her emotions, "Mom and everyone... they're all dead... They couldn't find you, but they said you were dead too. I didn't believe it. I didn't believe it…"

Ian did his best to comfort her. She had been through so much that day, caught between intense joy and sorrow, and she hadn't eaten anything. It was no wonder she was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.

Gently, Ian sat Rebecca down in front of the mirror. She looked haggard, but there was a subtle improvement in her spirit.

"Alright, I'll go prepare dinner. Let Aunt Anna help you clean up. How about after that, we introduce you to some new friends?"

Rebecca reluctantly let go of Ian's hand, asking with a faint voice, "Has Uncle Luca and the others arrived?"

"Of course. Not a single person is missing."

At that moment, Anna and Luca were gathered on the main deck, chatting. As Ian opened the door, they looked over.

Ian waved at Anna, who visibly relaxed and quickly made her way over.

As the castle's head maid, Anna had taken care of Ian since he was a child, and they shared a bond deeper than with anyone else.

Ian looked at Anna, who appeared much older than before. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. He stepped forward and gave her a big hug.

"Aunt Anna, thank you…"

Anna's eyes welled with tears, and for a moment, she couldn't speak. Ian had changed so much. The reserved, introverted boy she once knew seemed to have suddenly grown up.

"Aunt Anna, please help this little lazy cat tidy up. I'll go get something to eat. Let's meet in the dining room in a bit," Ian said with a smile, reassuring Rebecca. He closed the door behind him, grabbing the cold, untouched lunch that had been left from earlier, and headed straight for the dining room.

In the kitchen, Mirtel and Lia were preparing dinner. By now, there weren't many fresh vegetables or meats left. They had to make do with dried vegetables and fruits to make a simple soup.

In this era, ships rarely made soup due to the lack of fresh ingredients and the waste of fuel and freshwater. The most common drink was water mixed with alcohol and lemon.

However, on Leviathan, soup was served at nearly every meal, usually vegetable soup. Boiling the soup not only sterilized it but also helped provide some vitamins and substitute for drinking water, preventing infections like septicemia. In an age without the habit of drinking boiled water, this was essential. Of course, the consumption of fuel and freshwater was not insignificant.

With the current smaller crew and sufficient reserves, Leviathan could sustain this level of consumption.

Ian had heard of ships sprouting bean sprouts to provide vitamins, but Paradise Harbor had beans, so why didn't most ships do this? Growing sprouts with soybeans and mung beans was possible, but it required a lot of freshwater and cleanliness—resources that were far too precious to waste at sea.

Similar methods, like growing fruits and vegetables in pots on board, also had low feasibility, with only captains or senior crew members trying it on a small scale.

...

With Ian's help, dinner was quickly prepared. Anna and Rebecca arrived shortly after, and everyone pitched in to divide the food and set the table.

Ian smiled and called Luca and the others, who had been about to head to the deck for their watch, and gently urged them to sit down.

With the increase in the crew size, seating arrangements had shifted slightly. Ian remained in his usual seat, with Rebecca, Anna, Luca, Geldo, and Quincy on his left side, while Lia and Mirtel sat on his right.

Ian's expression grew serious as he surveyed the room. These were people he could trust.

Mirtel was a true ally, and Anna, Luca, and the others had all survived life-and-death situations and still chose to stay by his side. Ian was also impressed by Lia, who had followed through with what seemed like an outrageous order without hesitation.

"I'll introduce everyone," Ian said with a smile, turning to Rebecca. "This is my younger sister, Rebecca Calvin."

Lia nodded in understanding; she had guessed as much. Mirtel, however, had never heard of the Calvin family. He did his best to offer a friendly smile, welcoming Rebecca.

Rebecca politely stood up and curtsied, smiling at Lia and Mirtel. Lia returned the gesture with grace, but Mirtel, unsure of the proper protocol, awkwardly gave a bow.

Ian chuckled softly. "There's no need for formalities, this isn't a banquet. Just a nod will do."

He continued, "This is the head maid, Aunt Anna."

Anna had clearly taken the time to tidy herself up. Despite her tired face, she looked much better now, a bit more presentable than earlier. While she didn't care about her own appearance, she couldn't let her master look bad.

"This is the captain of the guard, Luca." Luca sat up straight, his posture perfect. He smiled and nodded at the group.

Luca, forty years old, was a captain in the castle's guard. He had a stern demeanor, was strict with himself, but very tolerant of his subordinates, earning him great favor among the castle staff.

"This is Geldo," Ian continued. Geldo was in his thirties, with brown hair and blue eyes, tall but not particularly handsome. He was a young scholar recognized by the Scholar's Tower. Both of his parents were from Storm Island.

"This is Quincy," Ian said, gesturing to the twenty-year-old with a few faint freckles on his face. Quincy was lively and cheerful, an apprentice knight-in-training from a family that was grooming him to serve.

Next, Ian briefly introduced Lia and Mirtel, omitting their backgrounds and emphasizing their roles aboard the ship and as awakened beings.

None of Anna and the others were awakened, and hearing that Lia and Mirtel were made Ian's subordinates as awakened beings left them a bit stunned.

Luca, despite his stoic nature, couldn't help but smile with pride. In just a month, Ian had managed to secure such a special ship and two awakened subordinates, filling him with hope for the revival of their family.

Once the introductions were complete, Ian cleared his throat. "Now, let me introduce our next major member!"

He gently tapped the table. "Come out now, Leviathan."

The creature, who had been silently listening in, poked its two small, green-bean-sized eyes out from the top of the ship.

Everyone, including Rebecca, stared up in shock, their movements synchronized as they looked toward the ceiling.

"This is Leviathan, the ship you're sitting on. It's a magical creature, still growing. If you notice any changes in the ship's structure later, don't be alarmed…" Ian explained.

Leviathan had already reached a length of nearly 27 meters and was growing rapidly. Of course, this came at a great cost—the materials it consumed were running low. This kind of consumption would continue for a while until it matured, at which point its "appetite" would lessen.

The room fell into an eerie silence. Rebecca turned to Ian, her curiosity piqued. "Can it talk?"

Ian smiled gently. "It can't speak, but once you awaken your own abilities, you'll be able to communicate with it."

While two people who couldn't speak the same language could theoretically communicate through spiritual connection, this was usually reserved for contracted creatures or those with extreme trust. It was rare for normal people to use spiritual communication, and attempting to do so with someone unprepared could be harmful, as the fragile human soul couldn't withstand such invasive methods.

"I also have a few crow familiars who haven't returned yet. The seabirds causing the chaos in the harbor today were under their control," Ian added.

"Alright," Ian said, eager to finish the introductions so they could move on. "Let's eat before anyone starves."