"I admire the spirit," the Hero King said. "Now, as to the feasibility. To bury your city takes six months. To expand a hole large enough to swallow Uruk—our greatest city—how long would it take?"
The room went silent as Ereshkigal fell into thought.
"A city this wide... normally, it would be tight even with ten years of preparation."
"Ten years...! That's... that's impossible..."
—If it takes that long, Goetia's plan will finish and the incineration of humanity will be complete!
"Indeed. We lack the time—it seems I must reveal my secret master plan!"
"Well, actually," Ereshkigal interjected, striking a victory pose as her eyes gleamed, "I've been plotting against Uruk for ages because I hated it so much, so I can have it ready in three days!"
"WHAT?! ...Ereshkigal! You are too competent for your own good! You've made a fool of me!"
Ea cheered as Ereshkigal's hidden "spite-prep" saved the day.
—Eresh-chan, you're amazing! So capable! Yes!
(Ereshkigal... truly a goddess among goddesses.)
(She's a girl who gets things done when it counts.)
"Nice! Eresh-chan is so nice!"
"Goo-jooooo—b!" Marduk's systems whirred with enough excitement to vent heat.
If this was true, they had a fighting chance. They would prep the Underworld, open the gate, and use Marduk to hammer Tiamat into the abyss!
"Hahaha! Splendid, Ereshkigal! But we are going to have a talk later about your 'plotting'!" the Sage King laughed.
"Hmph. Now that our victory is in sight... right, you Useless Goddess?"
"Why are you looking at me now?!" Ishtar huffed.
The Hero King spoke through stifled laughter. "Don't play dumb, you spendthrift. Why do you think we invited a creature as worthless as you into our ranks? It was for this very moment."
—Ah...
"Oh! In addition to Marduk, if we have Ishtar...!"
"Yes. Her divine warship, Maanna... and with Lady Ishtar's power..."
"With Ishtar, it's an easy win-desu!"
"I forgot... Ishtar... she's actually a genius, nya..."
"Everything is going according to plan! Really!"
"Ah, the people of Uruk will finally be rewarded in the truest sense! Tomoe is so moved...!"
"Indeed... she exists specifically for this purpose."
"I see! She was skilled with mounts, wasn't she? I'd love to see her take the head of that Bull."
"Now, now, Lady Ushiwakamaru. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
As the room erupted in cheers for Ishtar, the "Useless Goddess" herself stood frozen.
"...?" Ritsuka tilted her head, looking at Ishtar's bewildered face.
"Hahaha, look at her, trying to look humble to build suspense," the Sage King chuckled. "But enough dramatics. Come, summon Gugalanna!"
"Geh—"
"Ah, Gugalanna! The pride of Mesopotamia, the Divine Might of Ishtar!" Siduri wept with joy. "Its mountain-like majesty, its bones of gold—to think Gugalanna will stand side-by-side with Marduk to face Tiamat!"
"Ah... yeah... sure. My Gugalanna... in its prime, it could dry up the Tigris River with a breath."
"Yes! Gugalanna is a terrifying Divine Beast! And Lady Ishtar is even more magnificent for taming such a beast that even the gods couldn't handle, disciplining it so fiercely and commanding it at will!"
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