[In the world of light! You evil spirits have no home!! Neither hunger nor thirst! Return to nothingness—!!!]
Rikka shouted as she exorcised the spirits swarming the roof of the flower shop. Mainly with her fists.
"...Thank you. But you're being noisy." Ana sheathed her chain and sickle and bowed.
"It's fine! Master and Servant look out for each other, right?" Rikka laughed and met Ana's eyes.
『In the Age of Gods, death isn't the end. A soul being taken to the Underworld is like a disease. If you take the soul back, the dead body lives again. It's a form of medical treatment!』
"Yes. They were spirits that slipped through the barriers set by the club members, so this should be enough."
"Good, good! Nice work, Ana... whoops." Rikka remembered Ana's words and made sure to keep her distance. "Thanks for talking to me. Well, see ya—"
"Um." Ana called out to Rikka as she turned to run. "...There was a reason I said I was afraid of you. ...Part of it is because you are an Evil of Humanity, but..."
"...Go on." Rikka urged gently, crouching down to her level.
"...You are in tatters. You've been betrayed, hurt... you're so covered in wounds I can hardly stand to look at you. After all the groundless persecution and attacks... why do you still protect people?"
"——..."
"Have you never... been disappointed in humanity?"
Ana simply couldn't understand Rikka. How could she protect people while being a "Human Evil"? How could she remain "Human" while being persecuted? Because she didn't understand, everything Rikka did was terrifying.
Rikka answered with a smile. "Because humans have both good and bad parts. Even if there's a lot of bad, there's just as much good! That's what it means to be human!"
"...Eh?"
"Sure, I've had a bit of a hard time, but I'm not the only one. Humans aren't just made of bad parts! I believe in the good in people!"
"...Because you believe, you can protect them?"
"Bingo! I like both the bad and the good, so I like the humans who have both! And—I'm fighting because I want a future. That's it!"
Rikka laughed brightly. She wanted a future, so she fought. She liked humans, so she protected them. There was no need to overthink it. She told Ana exactly how she felt.
"...I see." Ana blinked, then... she smiled. "You really are a fool, aren't you?"
"Yep! The biggest fool around! Hahaha!"
"Fufu... I'll go report this. Well then... see you later."
Ana bowed and leaped from roof to roof, heading toward the Ziggurat.
"My life is simple. —I'm not socially awkward; I'm a social idiot! I think that's a lovely name! Yep!"
As Rikka nodded to herself and prepared to head back to the Embassy...
[————Listen well.]
"!?"
A voice that sent a chill down her spine, yet felt strangely considerate, pierced her heart.
[—Do not show understanding to hatred. Do not show agreement to joy. Do not show praise to labor.]
It was a warning. A warning to the Master who was about to challenge the storm.
[Even if these acts are contrary to humanity, it is foolish to speak of humanity to a God. —Do not forget, Rikka Fujimaru. If you truly wish to understand a God, do not succumb to easy empathy—]
The voice faded, disappearing into the darkness.
"—Gramps...?"
Rikka carved those harsh yet kind words—which she could never misidentify—deep into her heart.
[Quest: Exorcise Evil Spirits – CLEAR!]
[Reward: Seven Silver coins, a mysterious warning]
Work Log: Quest 10 – Settle the Pointless Dispute!
"Mutton! Mutton is the best! It goes with everything!"
"No! Chicken! Chicken is the tastiest! And it's healthy!"
A dispute over "Lamb or Chicken" was erupting in the marketplace. As the two men squared off, a figure appeared to stop them—
"MASQUE DE LAMASSU~~!!"
The hero of the people appeared with a dramatic pose.
"Oh! Masque de Lamassu!"
"Listen to this! Which one is—"
Fou stepped forward, raising a paw to silence the argument.
（...）
"You're... the Masque de Lamassu's attendant..."
Fou produced the optimal solution.
"BEANS."
Fou handed over some ale and edamame.
"This is...!"
"Oh...!"
The dispute was settled. Ale and snacks go perfectly with any kind of meat.
[Quest: Settle a Dispute – CLEAR!]
[Reward: High-quality snacks, three Silver coins]
Work Log: Quest 11 – Massage the King!
"Masque de Lamassu! At your ser—"
"You're quite into the role, aren't you, Air? You must be enjoying yourself, buhaha!"
Air stepped into the King's private chambers only to find the Wise King lying face-down on his bed.
"Hmph. I can see the contents of this request. It's an issue my living self simply cannot separate himself from."
"Umu. As my foolish self says. —The duties of a King take a heavy toll on the body. My shoulders, my back... because I sit so often, fatigue builds up. ...Uruk is currently in a state of emergency. I cannot afford to collapse. —Therefore, Air. My request to you is—"
With a snap of his fingers, he summoned oils and tools from his treasury.
"A total-body massage for the King! Rejoice! I permit you the honor of touching the royal body! With your consideration and delicate fingers, heal my flesh!"
"W-Whaaaaaat—?!"
Air shouted in surprise. It was only natural. To be asked to massage Gilgamesh's body—it was an overwhelming honor.
"He specifically nominated Air as his therapist; he certainly knows what he's doing. It smells like an abuse of authority, but I suppose it can't be helped!"
"Should I be happy for the honor, or ask what on earth the Wise King is doing...? What will you do, Air?"
Air hesitated for a second, then steeled her resolve.
"—I'll do it! Masque de Lamassu is a handyman! Even if it's an overwhelming royal decree, if the King is in trouble, I will do it! That is my pride as a handyman!"
"Umu, well said! By the way, Air—a Lamassu has a human face, you know?"
The Wise King laughed and adjusted himself as Air approached. She bowed to him.
"Pardon me! —Wise King, thank you for your hard work!"
"Umu. Relax my body with both respect and reverence. —Given your relationship with my foolish self, you haven't had many opportunities for physical contact like this."
The Wise King smiled, clearly satisfied as Air began the massage.
"Hmph. I feel like he's stolen a march on me... but it wouldn't do to have the King reach the critical moment without ever having been touched."
"Fine, work is work. —I'll stay here as the background music. I'll tell stories about Air."
The Hero King laughed, Fou began to narrate, the Wise King basked in the relief, and Air performed the massage with deep respect.
"How is it, Air? Life among the people is a good thing, isn't it?"
"Yes! Very much so!"
"Hmph. —I must ensure my garden is taken back, no matter what—"
The days in Uruk passed by in a blur of activity...
"Air. Do you understand why I am pretending to be a mage?"
"Pretending? Even while you wield all those staves...?"
"It is a pretense. A magus reaches for the mysteries of the world to weave spells. They are different from writers who weave their own worlds through poetry or prose. They are mere counterfeits who rely on tools to make a show of it."
—"...Is it not... harder to fight? A King's strength is wielding human possibility as he sees fit. To choose to be a Caster of all things... it must be such a burden..."
"Indeed. I do this on purpose. —It is a slight. You could call it a mockery. I am laughing at the one who calls himself the Grand Caster."
—"...Goetia?"
"Goetia claims the rank of Grand Caster, yet he fuels all his magecraft with Solomon's corpse. His spells cannot activate unless they are used by humans. He claims the Crown, yet he performs no magecraft through his own power. As high-order lifeforms, they cannot exist without being summoned. If they aren't used by the humans they deemed worthless, they have no power. —Hah, talk about a counterfeit. He's just like that eccentric over there."
"Precisely. That is why I took this form. To laugh and say: 'Do not make me chuckle with your talk of the Crown. You are a counterfeit beneath even my whims.' Heh, it's pathetic."
（Honestly, for all his grand talk, Goetia's planning is shallow. ...'Overcoming death and sorrow'? Is he saying Lahmu are the ideal? That's why you can't laugh at the Seventh Singularity. Because That is the manifestation of their ideal.）
—"...Goetia..."
"When you finally face him, give him your words. The 'Conclusion of Life.' The truth that you have attained."
—"...Yes!"
"Leave the preparations to me. —In every sense, it will be a sight to behold. I suppose I'll have to find a... fitting crown for him—"
The Cedar Forest
"Ngh... hah!" Air bolted upright.
"You're awake. —Honestly. Talk about being unceremonious, Enkidu."
"Ahaha, sorry, sorry. Fou is here too. Look."
（I'm glad you're awake. —I was abducted by Enkidu. It's early morning, still.）
—"Where are we...?"
"The Cedar Forest. As I explained, my Uruk tends to be short on lumber. This is a sacred place where we source our wood."
"Yeah. —There's someone I want you to meet. Will you come with me? This way."
—"Ah, Enkidu-san!"
"—It matters not. Go with him, Air. You already know what lies ahead."
—"...—Yes!"
"Good. Watch your step, Air."
（Thank you, Fou.）
Humbaba's Grave
"...Hey, Humbaba. I've brought someone incredible today. A Princess who stays by her friend—someone I never had during my life."
The space was neatly kept, and a carefully woven flower wreath had been placed there.
"..."
—"That is..."
"...I'm sorry. Will you give me your time for today? I want you and Fou... to spend some time here in this place."
"...You truly are a failure as a weapon. You're far too considerate."
"Is that so? But this... this is my wish as well. ...Air, when I look at you, I remember. Her form was different—she was a monster—but the state of her heart... it was perhaps even more innocent than yours. I wanted to let you meet the girl who was a Beast."
Enkidu knelt down, his eyes fixed on the flowers and the headstone. Air didn't know if she could do what he hoped for. But one thing she did know: Enkidu was not a heartless weapon; he was a living being with a kind heart.
If so, then she...
—"Gil. Will you grant me my wish?"
"...I permit it. Speak."
—"Teach me how to make a crown of flowers. For me, and for Fou."
"—...It is a holiday, after all. To indulge in a bit of handiwork for once... I suppose it isn't bad."
—"Thank you! Fou, is that okay with you?"
（Of course. Even I have a heart, you know.）
And so, a new bond was added to the memory of the monster-girl.
A crown of flowers woven with care, a crown woven with simple honesty... and a crown woven with grand splendor.
"Thank you, everyone. ...I'm glad this place is safe."
Enkidu smiled gracefully. Air folded her hands, Fou let the flowers bloom, and Gil closed his eyes, his arms crossed.
The peaceful holiday of those at the center of the new epic passed quietly beside their friend sleeping in the earth of the Cedar Forest.
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