When facing the Bull of Heaven, Rovi had shut off the protection Eresh gave him.
If not for that, he never could have died.
Even if, after exhausting himself, he had taken a furious blow from the Bull of Heaven—so long as his body still retained some degree of integrity, at most he would only have fallen unconscious for a while.
But now—after death?
At least this very moment, what he saw before his eyes made him feel a little like laughing and crying both.
Even though he had long guessed something like this might happen…
"Why… why aren't you saying anything?"
Seeing Rovi remain silent, only staring fixedly at her, the goddess named Ereshkigal suddenly felt a strange flush of embarrassment.
He couldn't have realized… that she had been staring at him all this time, right?
Eresh, who had already met Rovi once before, had actually been looking forward to meeting him again.
Constant contact with the souls of the dead often let her touch the purest place within a person's heart after death. Because of this, she was the divinity closest to human, and in some sense, Eresh was also just a lonely girl.
Quick to be moved, and even quicker, from a single moment of being moved, to be seized by attachment.
The moment she thought of what she had done last time—that skin-to-skin closeness so near it made her tremble—the mistress of the Netherworld could not stop her heart from once more beating violently.
Anxious, afraid, shy, uneasy… and along with them, the sudden impulse to want it once again.
Only, even though she already knew Rovi's feelings, she still worried—whether what she had done last time might have caused him to feel aversion.
That was why, until now, Eresh had not once shown herself openly before Rovi again.
But she had always been secretly watching him.
In the deepest place of this Netherworld.
Within the temple that was hers alone…
If not, how could she have pulled him over the instant Rovi "died"?
Surely it was because he wanted to see her—that was why he chose to "die," wasn't it?
Otherwise, why not use the undying protection she had given him?
Even though she knew thinking like that might seem a little conceited, a maiden's heart always loves to drift into daydreams…
"That's right." Rovi had seen through what she was thinking.
"Eh!?" Eresh froze, then her face instantly turned crimson to the very extreme.
"I'm here to invite you, Eresh."
Anyway, dead was dead; there was no way he could tell Eresh to just let him go die.
That would surely be noticed as abnormal by the Counter Force.
He could only wait for another chance.
Or perhaps he should start considering a way to die without entering the Netherworld?
But right now—
"Come with me, once more, to the human world!" Rovi smiled.
Take this chance, and go do something else!
...
The present world.
Rovi opened his eyes—and couldn't help being stunned.
Without a doubt, he was still in the same place—still at the spot where, after clashing with the Bull of Heaven, his "corpse" had fallen.
The land, once scorched by drought, now surged in an instant with boundless vitality; verdant green once more covered this earth.
Time in the Netherworld and time in the living world did not flow the same.
When he had "died," it was at the fall of a dusky sunset.
Now, before his eyes, was the light of morning sun.
Before him—countless pairs of eyes.
Countless people surrounding him, kneeling as though in pilgrimage.
This is…
"Lord Rovi, you're awake?" His opening eyes immediately drew their attention—someone cried out.
As though a boulder had been thrown into shallow water, in an instant great waves spread through the gathered crowd.
"To think it's true—the old man's words weren't wrong!"
People cried out in excitement.
"Lord Rovi, thank you for giving your life to save us!" An old man, trembling all over, was hurriedly supported upright by Rovi.
"Lord Rovi, please accept our thanks…" Uh, but this cow I'm leading, I really don't know where to put it…
Back and forth like this, Rovi finally pieced the situation together.
These people, without doubt, were the ones who had suffered disaster from the Bull of Heaven upon this land.
Perhaps they had witnessed that last moment before his death, and had come rushing from all directions.
As for that "the old man's words weren't wrong"…
"It was the old man who was with you that said it." One of the younger men explained: "He said, your 'death' was only temporary—that you are the hero sheltered by the gentle goddess of the Netherworld, light that even death itself will not accept."
"You would return from the Netherworld with the next day's rising sun—"
"Oh right, that old man also asked me to pass you a message: he said he'll make his move at the right time, so you needn't worry."
…Right, that was Ziusudra, no question.
That old man must have seen through the Netherworld's blessing upon him, must have known he absolutely wouldn't die, and so simply folded his arms and watched.
Rovi didn't think much of it.
"You don't need to thank me so much." He waved his hand. "If not for the protection of the goddess of the Netherworld, Ereshkigal, I wouldn't have dared do this."
Neatly, Rovi shifted the credit of this time's deed onto the Eresh he had just met.
The people still thanked Rovi.
But in this instant, from their hearts, they also gave thanks to that forgotten goddess.
Rovi lifted his gaze.
You can come now…
He did not speak, but that voice, through the "key" he had once given to the goddess of the Netherworld, fell into Eresh's ears.
Then, through that same key, he opened the Netherworld, a fissure leading into the world of the living.
The breath of the underworld blew forth from it.
As it drifted…
A figure clad in scarlet robes slowly emerged.
The goddess of the Netherworld would descend with her own self—
Something, in the past, she would never even dare imagine, let alone accomplish.
But just now, after Rovi's invitation within the Netherworld, through their brief exchange, she realized—she could do it.
Because of the "key" Rovi had given her.
The [Key of Heaven]'s ability was a "door."
And Eresh, by means of it, could take the breath of the Netherworld flowing into the human realm… and briefly turn it into a door joining Netherworld and living world.
She would descend into the present world, yet not be severed from the domain of the Netherworld.
Otherwise, why would Rovi have suddenly invited her into the living world?
And now, the goddess of the Netherworld came as well, full of expectation.
Full of expectation—only to crash directly into his arms.
Wait—his arms?
Eresh froze.
Golden hair scattered in the air, pale body pressed close, writhing lightly against him.
The soft, warm sensation brushed against him; the crown of thorns atop her head trembled, strands of hair falling across her eyes widening slightly, as though suddenly jolted awake…
And then came the flush, her heart hammering wildly in an instant.
She had indeed longed, deep down, to once again press close and feel Rovi's breath—yet she had never thought it would be this direct—
Who knew he'd open the "door" right on her body!
No, no one knew.
Because even she, the goddess of the Netherworld, hadn't known…
Thump, thump, thump!
The violent heartbeat, pressed tight between them, passed through to Rovi, making him freeze for a moment.
He hadn't done it on purpose, really.
After all, he himself was the Key of Heaven—when his ability unfolded, the "door" that opened naturally was his own self.
Just like how people are used to using their right hand: when the time comes, the hand lifts instinctively.
And there's no thought spared for anything else.
Still…
"Don't move around like that!" Rovi said, a little helpless.
Eresh's breath hitched sharply.
Because of her shyness, her body squirmed without control; her slim waist twisting, and beneath the black fabric, the curve of her hips shifted downward ever so slightly—almost as though pressing against something.
And Rovi, for all that he was "the Key of Heaven," was still a man… some things simply couldn't be suppressed!
"You… you. Shameless… wah—!"
She had wanted to scold him, but she didn't dare raise her voice; and so the goddess bit her tongue, cheeks ballooning up at once, flushing a shade far too enticing.
Which made Rovi break into laughter again, unable to hold back.
"Bwaha—cough, no, wait, that's not the laugh." Almost led astray by that bastard Gilgamesh… Rovi choked on his own voice.
And then it was Eresh's turn to laugh.
"Rovi… you're very funny." She finally relaxed, finally found the courage to lift her head. Her jewel-like eyes fixed on his face, shining wet with red light, flowing with brilliance.
"Lord Rovi's arms… is there something there?"
"It looks like there is, but I can't quite see… it seems like… a god?"
"Wait—Lord Rovi just returned from the Netherworld. Could that be—the goddess of the Netherworld, Ereshkigal!"
Gods cannot be looked upon directly by mortals.
So to those around them, what had crashed into Rovi's arms was only a blurred silhouette.
But in this world where faith in the divine still lingered, there were always those who could perceive it from the faintest threads.
Yet those voices startled Eresh; at once she shrank back into Rovi's arms, instinctively trying to flee.
But Rovi caught her hand.
"Look at them!" he said. "Don't be afraid—they won't fear you either."
After all, death was no longer an option for him anyway.
Better to let things flow as they would—and if he could nudge Ereshkigal, push her to step out from her own shadow, that was a good thing.
Not afraid?
Indeed… there were none of the old words of fear or disgust.
Eresh turned her head instinctively toward the crowd.
What met her gaze were faces no longer yellowed and withered, but alive.
They looked at her, and in their eyes was gratitude.
Death was not something to fear.
Because just now—through the protection of the goddess of the Netherworld—Rovi had saved them.
"Goddess of the Netherworld, Ereshkigal—you are a great and merciful deity. You saved our lives. We are willing to offer up our faith to you—"
Eresh froze.
Once, she had been nothing but a figure all hated, one who could never leave that deep and lightless world, a lonely existence.
Once, she had been but one forgotten, remembered by no one, worshiped by no one.
But now.
There were people thanking her.
There were people believing in her.
Because death was never merely the cold horror of silence.
Because the Netherworld did not need the sun in order to be warm.
Death, when lifted in gentle hands, could also bring hope.
"…Thank you." Eresh murmured softly.
She slipped free from Rovi's embrace, and faced the people directly.
Rovi folded his arms, watching. A little regretful at the warmth gone, the fragrance no longer there—but also thinking, this was good.
A fine scene indeed…
"Rovi." Eresh turned back to him. "You… you believe in me, as a goddess too, don't you?"
Rovi nodded on reflex.
Of course he couldn't say otherwise… though he didn't know why, at this very moment, Eresh seemed to have undergone a great change.
She looked… confident.
And aggressive—!?
"Then, in the name of the goddess, Ereshkigal, I command you—Rovi, my believer."
Once more she stepped close, golden hair scattering, red robe flaring and falling through the air.
Her pale legs held her body tall and graceful; her upturned face was delicate, flawless. Those crimson eyes shone, reflecting his figure.
She stepped forward—took Rovi's hand herself:
"I want you…"
"…to go on a date with me!"