[…Your emotions are pretty unstable right now.]
"..."
Ophis didn't answer.
She knew it herself—her emotions had already fluctuated enough to risk clouding her judgment.
After all, she'd only lived a little over a century, and those hundred-odd years had been spent entirely in the Dimensional Gap, where nothing existed. Someone like her, ordinarily indifferent to everything, might seem composed at a glance, but when forced to accept external information, her feelings were bound to be shaken.
Having only a single year's experience interacting with the outside world, no matter how she usually behaved, her mental resilience couldn't match those ancient monsters who'd lived through countless ages.
…Especially after seeing her best friend's body occupied by an unknown entity.
She'd foreseen this through fate, but seeing it with her own eyes was different. The memory alone made the great energy inside Ophis churn uneasily, stirring even the nearby Great Source mana.
Still, she calmed herself.
Emotions wouldn't help here. Ophis knew how to weigh priorities.
Do only what needs doing—her rule. Acting on impulse was not an option.
[There are problems even absolute power can't fix… unless you're truly omniscient and omnipotent. Does such a realm even exist?]
"Does Inori know?"
[Hah. Even if someone thinks they've reached omniscience and omnipotence, how can they be certain it's absolute? These are just unsolvable paradoxes. Thinking about them is pointless.]
"..."
After a moment, Ophis realized Inori had raised the topic first.
[So then, what now? Will you kill that 'Enkidu'?]
"No… as long as she doesn't cross the line, I won't move against her."
Ophis shook her head.
She could tell that the body Enkidu currently used was indeed the original's true frame. Though that body had dissolved into earth before her eyes, reconstructing it wasn't impossible—if one had sufficient authority.
Enkidu was a weapon. A weapon's most critical component was its frame—its physical body. From a weapon's perspective, even if the soul within changed, provided the substitute soul reached a certain strength, the frame's capabilities remained intact.
Ophis valued Enkidu as a friend and as a weapon, but she wouldn't deny the intrinsic worth of the frame itself.
To Ophis, treating something created as a weapon like a human or a companion was foolish. If it's a weapon, using it fully and effectively is the truest respect. Unless Enkidu herself rejected that nature, Ophis would hold to that principle.
So she would not proactively destroy the frame.
If she did, Enkidu would lose her value as a weapon.
[So that's your choice, huh? Not surprising. I can't say I dislike it though. Besides, didn't you say it yourself? Like the Enkidu of the past, this Enkidu is an unqualified weapon.]
"But at least for now, she remains a weapon wielded by others."
Ophis shook her head again.
"Enough about that… What does Inori think about the Singularity and Chaldea?"
[Hmm. No need to explain the Singularity—it's probably the work of someone with way too much free time and a grudge against humanity. A fate deviation like this could've been fixed by someone like me in my prime with a flick of the wrist. Still, I must admit—the method is clever.]
"Not only clever. Their technical skill is extraordinary."
[Indeed. Manipulating up to seven distinct historical points—both their knowledge and their ability must be near flawless.]
If Ophis tried, she could probably only manage something crude—charging Enki, the Sword of the End, for seven days straight. The most likely result would be her flood being repelled by a barrage of magical beams from an entire army.
[In any case, focus on immediate problems first. The hand behind this isn't easy to reach.]
"Then what about Chaldea?"
[Extra info… You might not be interested. But my infallible intuition says it's an organization worth trusting. Whether they'll be useful, you'll have to see.]
"Hm…"
"My King!"
Siduri hurried up just then.
"You've already finished your tasks?"
Ophis frowned. Conveying orders was one thing, but she'd also sent Siduri to investigate the priestesses. Siduri's quick return seemed suspicious.
"My King, forgive my rudeness. A rather grave situation has arisen."
In some sense—was this expected?
"…Speak."
"A report came in from Kutha. Apparently… everyone in the city died overnight, silently. No prior warnings or anomalies were observed. The deceased looked completely peaceful; at first glance, you'd think they were merely sleeping."
Ophis rubbed her forehead again.
"I understand. Continue your previous assignment—I'll handle this personally."
"Yes!"
Siduri hurried off.
[Looking at your reaction, you don't seem too surprised.]
"Mm. I saw this once before."
[…Oh, really?]
"Does Inori have any clues?"
[Not enough information yet.]
Faced with that answer, Ophis could only sigh.
[However, even if Kutha itself wasn't particularly powerful overall, it still had several strong individuals holding the city together. If everyone's dead overnight without a ripple, and it's not some new demonic beast with strange abilities, the only other explanation is a god.]
"A god, huh…?"
Things were getting worse by the minute.
"Could such an ability infiltrate Uruk?"
[I can't say for certain. Prepare for the worst.]
Ophis sighed again.
What else could she do? She would arrange defenses.
Preparing countermeasures against a god's authority—now that was a massive project.
Might as well make some trivial preparations for the end of the world while she was at it…
---
T/N: ereshkigal...