Standing atop the highest point of the palace, Ophis quietly gazed down at Uruk below, her thoughts adrift.
Enkidu's death had been her own choice—but it was also something fated.
If I had truly given everything… could I have helped Enkidu defy that fate?
She didn't know. Perhaps failure would have been more likely—but there had, without doubt, been a chance. And yet, knowing this, Ophis had never truly tried.
Excuses like "Enkidu's life will ascend to a higher existence," "It was Enkidu's own decision," or "The gods' power was too great"—all of these had become the reasons she told herself.
But no matter how many excuses she made, the truth remained: she had watched her friend fade into nothingness, and done nothing to stop it.
[Never struggling, never defying—merely accepting such an ending. Have you truly never regretted it?]
Inori had awakened. Ophis had sensed her presence even as she said her final farewell to Enkidu, though Inori had remained silent then.
Now, at last, she spoke.
"This… is fine."
In the end, Ophis could only answer that much.
[You're a little pathetic, aren't you?]
Using the excuse "it's better this way" to justify refusing to fight against a tragic fate—
That was the inertia, the sorrow, of an Ouroboros forever isolated from the world.
Ophis embodied it more deeply than any other.
Inori knew well how Ophis had cut herself off—refusing to intervene, refusing to resist—and how, because of that, she had become completely bound by the very chains of fate she once ignored.
Even now, Ophis didn't truly believe she could defeat Great Red and reclaim her silence.
Because, in the original destiny, she had failed.
Yet even knowing that, she still continued to struggle. Because deep inside, that stubborn wish was all she had left.
If she abandoned even that… she wouldn't know what else remained.
That was why, when Enkidu first met her, she had felt that Ophis was chasing a goal she didn't truly believe in.
Originally, Inori had planned to use the goal of defeating Great Red to change Ophis's perspective.
But now—
[Though I hate to admit it… that girl actually managed to do what I always wanted to.]
There was no need to defeat Great Red at all. As long as Ophis formed even a small connection with the world, she would inevitably begin to change.
Now, Ophis had found a real purpose beyond vague persistence. It might have been something given to her by another, but even a borrowed purpose could take root—could grow.
"I don't understand. An Ouroboros is supposed to be a 'perfect' being—completely independent, untouched by outside interference. Why do both you and Enkidu want me to change?"
[Hah… While that's true in a biological sense, it doesn't mean every Ouroboros must live in isolation. Our race's traits describe ability, not destiny. Each individual's true desires are their own.]
"…Then, what is it that I truly desire?"
[That's something only you can answer. Even if I could read minds—which I can't—it wouldn't be easy to uncover something buried that deeply in your heart.]
"I see…"
[As for why I wanted to change you… wasn't that clear from the start? My goal was always to help you grow stronger. But if you can't even understand your own heart, you'll end up a puppet—wielding power without will. Or worse, being ruled by that power. That's not what I call true strength.]
"…Thank you."
[Mhm. Still, self-reflection can wait. You've got more pressing matters right now, don't you?]
"Yes."
Ophis looked down at Uruk once more, a faint smile still on her face.
Since the moment Enkidu had departed, that smile had never left her.
Because it had been Enkidu's final request.
"Uruk…"
That city had been Enkidu's beloved; Ophis loved it for the same reason.
At the same time, she was its king.
[You should already know this. You're not fit to be a king. Your view of things is closer to a god's. What you ought to do is exactly what a god would do.]
Inori spoke up again.
Ophis wasn't human. She couldn't see from humanity's vantage or make judgments as they would. Acting as a human king was less fitting for her than sheltering humanity from a godlike perspective—one fundamentally above people.
This wasn't arrogance masquerading as divinity; it was simply a flaw in Ophis—an absence of human traits.
The "god" Inori described wasn't truly divine so much as an existence above humanity, stripped of human sensibilities: not guiding people as a king would, but protecting them as a non-human guardian. Maintaining the world's balance, steering humanity onto the right path at the right time, giving them a future—and when necessary, destroying some to preserve that balance.
Unable to grasp human nature, Ophis could only judge right and wrong at a macro scale, loving the world and its people in that manner.
"Perhaps you're right."
Ophis accepted Inori's words plainly.
But…
"For now—while Uruk endures—I want to rule as its king. I will fulfill that duty."
[Oh? Why? Because of Enkidu's request?]
Ophis nodded, then shook her head.
"Enkidu told me never to run from responsibility."
She reached out her hand toward Uruk below.
"I accepted the fate of a king. So ruling Uruk is my responsibility."
[…Is that so? I didn't expect you to have such resolve. Since you've made your decision, I have no grounds to object… but I do have unfortunate news. It's why I awakened this time.]
"What is it?"
[In the future—not far off—Uruk will be destroyed.]
A short silence followed. Ophis showed no visible reaction; Inori continued.
[It's inevitable. No escape, no loophole. A calamity that cannot be resisted even if this entire age threw everything at it.]
[So—what will you choose? What will you do, King of Uruk?]
---
T/N:
"Mm. If you've read this far, I suppose you're at least a little invested."
"If you want to support the translator, there's a Patreon here: patreon.com/wisetl. It's optional—think of it as tossing a few extra coins on the counter. Early chapters are just a bonus side-effect of that support."
"This place also has its own strange currency… Powerstones. For every 100 Powerstones the story gets, you'll receive 1 bonus chapter. 100ps = 1 chp, 200ps = 2 chp, 300ps = 3 chp… you can do the math."
"If you'd rather talk than throw money or stones, there's a Discord: discord.gg/wisetl. Go there if you want to complain, theorize, or poke the translator for more updates. Just don't expect me to mediate your arguments."
Say thank you to Maomao guys