Gilgamesh walked out of the temple, and after confirming Manaka Sajyou's identity, even the Wise King found it unbelievable.
The difficulty of this Singularity had just gone up again. What in the world was going on? Tiamat alone was already enough of a headache, and now a Princess of the Root had shown up too.
There was no way to fight this head-on. Judging from the current situation, this Princess of the Root might even be standing on the opposing side.
If a battle broke out here in Uruk City, everyone in the city would die.
"Hero King Gilgamesh, disturbing Uruk is not my intention," Manaka Sajyou said with perfect courtesy.
If not for Arthur, she would never have come to a place like this.
"Princess of the Root, you may be powerful, but do not do anything here that you should not," Gilgamesh said.
If he drew Ea, even the Princess of the Root would have to think twice.
But unless it was absolutely necessary, he had no desire to bring out Ea.
"I know. I have no interest in Uruk," Manaka Sajyou said calmly.
"Prince, you do not mind if I stay here a little longer, do you? Once the matter here is settled, we still have things to do."
Arthur thought for a moment, then nodded.
Starting a fight with Manaka Sajyou here was better left off the table.
Manaka Sajyou nodded happily. She looked just like an innocent young girl in love.
But no one who knew her identity would think that way. The Princess of the Root was extremely dangerous.
"Ritsuka, I don't think you all coming back would help much," Romani said, troubled by the situation in Uruk.
There was simply no way to determine what side this Princess of the Root was on.
The danger level of this Singularity was probably far beyond any of the previous ones.
"Doctor, no need to panic. With a big shot like Koji here, it doesn't feel that bad."
At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka looked very calm. Even if the sky fell, there would still be someone taller to hold it up.
"I guess that's true."
Romani thought about it and realized it really was.
…
After Manaka Sajyou arrived, Arthur had a headache. He truly had no feelings for her whatsoever.
He did not understand it either. It was not as if there were no men more handsome than him, so why was she so fixated on him?
"Arthur, how about you just go with Manaka Sajyou?" Koji chuckled.
"Master, please don't joke about that," Arthur said with a bitter smile.
He genuinely had no thoughts at all about romance right now. There was never going to be any result between him and Manaka Sajyou.
Honestly, when Koji summoned him here, he had truly let out a sigh of relief.
"Prince, am I really that unlikeable?"
Manaka Sajyou appeared like a ghost and spoke in a faint, lingering voice.
She felt deeply hurt. She so obviously liked Arthur.
"Manaka?"
Arthur jumped in fright, then could not help showing an awkward expression.
"It is not that I hate you. It is just impossible for me to be with you. The kind of love you feel is not the kind of love one person should have for another."
Arthur chose to speak plainly.
Manaka Sajyou's love was simply too twisted. The reason she had fallen for him was probably because he was a variable that had never appeared in her future.
"Prince…"
Manaka Sajyou fell silent. Since childhood, she had seen every possible future, and everything had felt dull and meaningless to her. Only when Arthur, a variable who had never appeared before, showed up did her heart finally stir.
"This is bad! King Gilgamesh, he…"
Siduri looked panic-stricken, completely lacking her usual composure. Even her words came out in a frantic rush.
Koji smiled. He had already warned Gilgamesh to be careful not to work himself to death, yet his soul had still ended up in the Underworld.
He was definitely going to laugh at him properly this time.
"There's no need to worry, Siduri. Gilgamesh just went to the Underworld," Koji said calmly.
"The Underworld?"
The moment she heard that word, she felt her vision go dark and the sky seemed to collapse. Wasn't the Underworld the place the dead were supposed to go?
If he had gone there, didn't that mean he had passed away?
Worry made people lose their calm. Gilgamesh was Uruk's pillar. Siduri did not dare imagine what would become of Uruk if he truly died.
"Hahaha! Worked to death? That glittering show-off actually has a day like this too?" Ishtar laughed so hard she clutched her stomach.
She did not feel sad in the slightest. All she felt was gleeful schadenfreude.
This was the kind of thing she could laugh about for years.
Eula, meanwhile, thought of Mondstadt's god, the Anemo Archon. That one was probably never going to die from overwork. Jean, the Acting Grand Master, on the other hand, very well might.
"It was done by the mistress of the Underworld, Ereshkigal, wasn't it?" Quetzalcoatl said.
"Huh?"
The moment Ishtar heard that all-too-familiar name, her expression became hard to manage. How could it possibly be that…
Wait, actually, it was possible. After all, Ereshkigal and she shared a strange sort of connection.
"That woman used this body to act, didn't she?"
Koji looked at her somewhat unexpectedly and said, "Well now, I didn't think even you could have a smart moment, Ishtar."
Without anyone explaining it to her, she had figured it out on her own. That was honestly a little impressive.
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying I'm stupid?"
Ishtar glared at Koji in irritation. Did he really think she could not piece something like that together?
At that moment, the goddess felt thoroughly insulted and shot him an angry look.
She was not an idiot. Of course she could figure out something like that, especially with such obvious hints.
"Last night, Ereshkigal really did possess your body. I even talked with her. We got along quite well," Koji said.
"What kind of ridiculous nickname is 'Ereshkigal' shortened like that? And why would you two get along?"
Ishtar could not understand it at all. How could he get along with that gloomy goddess? Did they share some common misery or something?
"What's wrong with that? Her personality is great," Koji said.
"Hah. That gloomy, twisted woman has a good personality? Don't make me laugh," Ishtar said with a dismissive sneer.
As if she did not know what Ereshkigal was like.
A cute nickname like "Eresh" simply did not suit that goddess at all.
Meanwhile, inside the house—
Hearing Koji praise her made Ereshkigal happy.
But the moment she heard Ishtar's words, her mood darkened instantly.
Her fists started to itch. Have you ever even tried to understand me before talking about me like that?
That Ishtar was still as annoying as ever.
Fine. Just you wait. You had better not ever come down to the Underworld, or else I'll show you exactly how I can deal with you.
"?"
As Ereshkigal was thinking that, Ishtar seemed to sense something and suddenly shivered, looking thoroughly puzzled.
She was a goddess, so why would she have that kind of reaction?
It was probably just her imagination.
(End of Chapter)
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