Such unexpected words—completely unrelated to the conversation before—left even Ophis momentarily speechless.
She closed her eyes softly.
For a while, the air grew still.
Only after a long silence did Ophis open her eyes again and meet Enkidu's gaze.
Then, so suddenly that even Enkidu couldn't have foreseen it, Ophis smiled.
It was the first time Enkidu had ever seen her smile.
In fact, it was the very first smile since Ophis's birth.
At first glance, that smile seemed serene and lovely… yet, the longer one looked, the more one sensed a faint, quiet detachment within it.
"Independent and untouchable." Just as Ophis herself had described, her smile—unlike Enkidu's sacred and gentle warmth—felt distant, as though separated by an invisible boundary.
And yet, strangely enough, Enkidu understood that distant smile completely.
It wasn't a smile Ophis had learned to create. Rather, it seemed shaped by her very nature—by the way she had always existed. Perhaps it was meant to express closeness… or maybe it was her attempt to imitate Enkidu's own smile.
Enkidu couldn't be sure which. But it had to be one of the two.
And with that smile, Ophis looked all the more endearing.
"Enkidu… you're truly unfair."
Ophis's voice was quiet, almost amused.
She had always been apart from the world, drawing a clear boundary between herself and all of existence.
Yet now, Enkidu had asked her to love everything she herself had loved—to love the world, and humanity.
In doing so, Enkidu had broken through the wall Ophis had built.
To love the world meant inevitably touching it.
To love nature meant inevitably protecting its balance when needed.
To love humanity meant inevitably watching over them—or even stepping in to help.
That love had once belonged only to Enkidu. But now, it had become the chains she sought to place around Ophis.
Ophis knew this perfectly well.
Even so—
"I… promise."
She was still smiling.
"Because Enkidu is my friend."
As she said it, Ophis gently pressed Enkidu's hand to her cheek.
"Yes… someone loved by me—my dearest and closest friend."
Enkidu was left speechless.
She had believed she understood Ophis completely, yet never imagined Ophis could show such warmth, such initiative.
Then, the next moment, Enkidu smiled again—more sacred, more beautiful than ever before.
"That… makes me so glad."
She was a weapon—nothing more than a weapon.
And a weapon, by nature, would one day be replaced.
But Ophis had given her a value far beyond that of any weapon.
That was what solidified Enkidu's resolve:
To become the chain that would bind Ophis.
From the moment they met, Enkidu had sensed the hidden loneliness within Ophis's heart.
Yet she also understood her own limits. As a "construct" born with a different purpose, she neither had the right nor the ability to remain by Ophis's side forever.
She couldn't stay with her eternally—but she also couldn't bear the thought of Ophis remaining alone for eternity.
So she chose to turn her own death into chains—chains that would connect Ophis to the mortal world.
That way, perhaps Ophis might one day find companions who could, in some way, walk alongside her through her endless existence.
Even if they couldn't stay forever, at least she wouldn't always be alone.
That was Enkidu's wish.
In truth, Enkidu knew very well—
The being known as Enkidu was, in truth, incredibly selfish.
She would arbitrarily call others her friends.
She would arbitrarily impose her own goodwill on those she called such.
By all accounts, that was a kind of selfishness, wasn't it?
And yet—that was precisely what made her Enkidu, the Chains of Heaven.
She knew how selfish she was, and still, she never wavered from her convictions.
Ophis understood Enkidu's intentions completely.
Even so, she chose to accept them—to be bound.
Ophis was capable of shutting out anything unrelated to herself, existing in perfect isolation.
But once someone entered her world, Ophis could give them everything.
And so, she accepted Enkidu's chains, letting her heart open to the world beyond herself.
Reaching into her chest with her left hand, Enkidu drew out a single rib.
"The flower crown… it was destroyed in the battle, wasn't it? Then… let this take its place. Let it protect you for me—and bind you as well."
Ophis looked at the rib, nodded once, and reached out without hesitation.
The moment she received it, the rib turned into a golden chain, coiling gently around her body.
"Please don't ever forget… to carry this love that once belonged to Enkidu—and these chains, the Chains of Heaven."
Perhaps, someday, someone else might break those chains.
But when that day came, Enkidu would feel no anger, no sorrow—only joy.
Because that would mean Ophis had finally found someone truly worthy of both loving and being loved by her.
A love strong enough to shatter those chains.
Yet even then, the love Enkidu had given her—Enkidu's own love—would remain forever intertwined with Ophis, never fading away.
You understand, don't you? You'll keep on loving, won't you?
The one existence that Enkidu cherished above all else, the one she was willing to sacrifice everything for…
It was never the world itself.
Ah… it seems I've finally reached my limit.
Her body began to crumble, returning to its original form—earth and dust, indistinguishable from the land.
But before that, there was still one last thing she needed to do.
Standing up—something that should have been so simple—now required every ounce of her strength.
"Say… Ophis."
"Hm?"
With the last of her strength, Enkidu leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Ophis's forehead.
Just a fleeting touch.
Meeting Ophis's eyes, Enkidu smiled once more—that same gentle, familiar smile.
"Ophis… you really love my smile, don't you? But maybe you don't realize… your smile is beautiful too. From now on… could you smile more often?"
Ophis's smile was faint, delicate—far from Enkidu's radiant one. And yet, in Enkidu's eyes, that faint smile was the most beautiful thing in existence.
"Yes. I promise."
Naturally, there was only one possible answer Ophis could give.
"That's… truly wonderful…"
Please, always cherish and protect… that adorable little Ophis I love more than anything else…
A gentle breeze passed. Ophis rose to her feet, gazing silently at the sky.
For her, death was not an end but a new beginning. Enkidu would ascend into something purer, more complete. There was no need to mourn—only to send her off with a smile.
…And yet… why did it still feel so empty?
How strange, this thing called emotion…
"A dragon's tears… are salty after all?"
Upon that hill filled with memories, no figures remained.
Only a quiet whisper lingered—a voice no living being would ever hear—drifting softly away with the wind.