"So," the Heroic King mused, his voice dripping with dark amusement. "You suspect Ishtar is having… technical difficulties with Gugalanna?"
—Yes, Ea replied. The moment she heard the name, her face went pale. It's possible there was a flaw in the summoning, or perhaps some other mishap. Of course, now that the contract is signed, it doesn't change our objective, but…
"I thought as much. It wouldn't surprise me if that woman let Gugalanna slip right through her fingers."
—But why?
"Look at her. Currently, she is far too… slight… to handle a beast like that. In every sense of the word."
—Slight? What does her stature have to do with Gugalanna?
"Hahaha! You needn't understand. It's a matter of baser instincts. Listen, Ea—I threw away fifty percent of my treasury for 'Gugalanna.' That fact remains unchanged. Even if the beast itself has vanished into the ether."
—I… I see.
"Look at that snowy plaza. Ah, I see it now. It was taken from her—or perhaps she simply let go. She'll never admit to losing it, of course. Her pride is the only thing about her that's truly 'top-tier.' I've factored her deception into my plans."
The King laughed, a sound of genuine, predatory delight.
"I expect nothing from Ishtar. She is merely the entertainment I've paired with my wine. If Gugalanna exists, it serves as our strength; if it does not, that is fine too. I look forward to seeing how much of a fool she makes of herself before the fraud is exposed, and what pathetic excuses she'll spit out when it is. In the end, Ea… 'as long as I am amused, all is well.' If someone can truly entertain me, I'll hand over my treasures without a second thought."
—So this is… a King's pleasure…!
"Exactly. Don't mention this to my 'wise' self. His reaction will be half the fun. There's no need to look so worried. I told her: 'I want Gugalanna.' Whether she finds a new way to deliver or faces the judgment of the throne… let us enjoy the fallout together, Ea."
—I just hope Ishtar-sama survives your 'enjoyment,' my King!
Special Training! If Rikka Won't Do It, Who Will?
"FUHAHAHAHAHA! Welcome back, my brave heroes! I said three hours, but returning in thirty minutes? You've surprised me in more ways than one!"
The Wise King Gilgamesh was doubled over with laughter, unable to contain himself. Seeing the King so genuinely happy brought a small, relieved smile to Ea's face.
"He's at that age where even a rolling stone is a comedy riot," the Heroic King muttered from the shadows of his own mind. "Honestly, his bar for humor is embarrassingly low."
"Well?!" the Wise King shouted, leaning forward. "Speak, Goddess! How does it feel to have crawled back to our side, shamelessly defeated?"
"Who are you calling defeated?!" Ishtar snapped. "I'm the Goddess Ishtar, and I've signed a contract with Rikka here! I have the foresight to partner with a Master so incredible that… well, I feel like I might have met her once before, maybe! Just watch—she's going to be the greatest Master in history! And if she tries to blow herself up before then, I'll just keep bringing her back to life! It's obvious who the winner is here! You're the one who's going to say, 'Oh! Ishtar truly was the Goddess of Victory! What a tragedy! Guess I'll just die now!'"
"Who's going to die, you dunce?! I gave you access to my own chambers and you haven't learned a shred of humility!"
"That place was mine to begin with! Ugh, I'm getting angry all over again! Why did you just seize it like it was yours?! I'm livid! I'm absolutely fuming!"
The Ziggurat echoed with the high-decibel bickering of the King and the Goddess. Soldiers watched from a safe distance, long since used to the chaos.
（Should we stop them?） Fou wondered. （As a Gilgamesh, I mean.）
"I couldn't care less," the Heroic King replied. "Whether they be useful or rot in a ditch is up to them. However, if I have to watch this pathetic comedy routine much longer, our progress will stall."
The Heroic King gave Siduri a 'King's Hand Signal'—the kind one can perform while keeping one's arms firmly crossed—to move the conversation along.
"Please, both of you… that is quite enough," Siduri interjected smoothly. "As a priestess, it is a supreme honor for a patron deity to actually descend to us. Let us put the fact that she attacked the Chaldeans behind us and celebrate the return of the Goddess Ishtar."
"See? Even Siduri says so," the Wise King huffed. "Now quiet down, you slight little Goddess."
"Who are you calling slight?! …Urgh. I can't argue with Siduri. She's the model of a perfect, devout priestess… If I don't respect her, who can I respect?"
Peace finally returned to the Ziggurat as Ishtar simmered down.
"Fine," the Wise King said, his voice regaining its sovereign weight. "Your various punishments and purges are on hold for now. We move to the next objective, everyone."
Rikka raised her hand enthusiastically. "The Goddess of the South! The Big Sister of the Sun, right, King?!"
"Correct. Now that we know our ultimate foe is the Beast of Humanity, Tiamat, we have a very effective weapon at our disposal. Fortunately, we have the Heroic God who once wielded it right here."
（Wait, Mother Tiamat is a Beast of Humanity?! What does that mean?!）
（Just roll with it,） Ishtar whispered, only to be shooed away by the Heroic King like a bothersome fly.
"The hand-axe of the god Marduk—the weapon that once tore through Tiamat's throat—is kept in the city of Eridu to the south."
The legends of Marduk and Tiamat were many. In the common versions, Tiamat grew so massive she tried to swallow Marduk whole, only for him to drive a storm into her mouth and pierce her heart with an arrow. But it seemed the reality was far grislier: an axe to the throat.
—The scale of these stories is insane, Fou…
Ea stood with her mouth agape. Fou placed a soft paw on her neck to close it.
（Doing something so brutal to your own mother… Gods are terrifying creatures.）
"I see," Rikka nodded. "So the Heroic God Marduk will use Marduk's axe. A perfect fit."
『Eridu,』 Mash added. 『The city where kingship first descended from heaven in Sumerian myth. But now…』
"Yes," the King confirmed. "We must reclaim Eridu from the dense jungle. You already know who dwells there. The Goddess of the Sun and Venus. The feathered serpent…"
"Quetzalcoatl," Ishtar finished. "A Goddess of Venus, just like me."
Quetzalcoatl. The efficient, terrifying goddess who had targeted the Master first during the initial chaos. If Rikka hadn't been who she was, she would have died in that first encounter.
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