Kingu, in sopotamian mythology, is the god who commands the children of Tiamat—and also her son.
That was the true na of the false Enkidu.
"Where's your proof?"
Ereshkigal challenged Shiomi's accusation.
The Three Goddess Alliance wasn't just a symbolic pact—forming it had bound them with a powerful "contract."
"The proof is in my mories." Shiomi looked toward Sakura. "Sakura, if you would."
"Understood." Sakura shifted her position, sitting between the goddess of the Underworld and Shiomi. She extended both hands, reaching toward their foreheads. "Pardon the intrusion, Goddess Ereshkigal."
A mory-sharing spell.
Falsifying mories wasn't difficult, but unlike illusions, they couldn't deceive the gods. Divine eyes could perceive the soul's essence.
No matter how flawless the lie, it couldn't hide the truth of the soul.
After she received the mory of their life-and-death battle with Kingu on the Persian Gulf a few days ago, Ereshkigal was enraged.
The Holy Grail of the King of Magecraft was inside Kingu's body, yet that man had shalessly insisted to them that in order to obtain it, they needed to destroy Uruk and seize the Great Cup from Gilgash.
"That bastard! He had us dancing in circles!" Ereshkigal was furious, itching to smash sothing.
But surrounded by flowers, she had nowhere to vent her anger.
"Calm down, mistress of the Underworld," Morgan said smoothly. "Instead of lashing out here, why not think about how to deal with the liar who dared deceive a goddess?"
"Then tell
what to do!" Ereshkigal snapped again, her composure crumbling. In her outburst, she resembled Rin Tohsaka—except with blonde hair.
"For example..." Shiomi grinned mischievously. "Withdraw from the Three Goddess Alliance and assist us in restoring the Human Order?"
Ereshkigal imdiately cooled down again. Her shoulders slumped as she gently caressed the flowers at her feet with a touch full of affection.
"That's impossible. When the alliance was ford, the three of us goddesses entered into a 'contract'—we are forbidden from attacking one another. If any of us violates it, we'll be punished by the heavens, stripped of our divinity, and vanish."
"A 'contract,' huh? Sounds like sothing a Magus would co up with," Scáthach remarked.
"So it's only about not attacking each other?" Shiomi narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, just that. Aside from that, no matter what thods or strategies we use, whoever destroys Uruk first wins the Holy Grail," Ereshkigal confird with a nod.
"And how do you plan to attack?"
"By personally launching assaults on each other's territories."
Shiomi chuckled. "Then just don't attack each other. As long as you agree to negotiate, refrain from attacking Uruk, and offer what help you can within the bounds of the contract, that's more than enough."
"Eh?" Ereshkigal froze.
"Don't be so surprised. My husband's goal isn't to kill the three goddesses in the alliance. He intends to break the alliance apart and reduce the pressure Uruk is under," Morgan added. "All you need to do is share the identities of the other two goddesses."
It was a reasonable request, and Ereshkigal found it acceptable. If she could, she'd drag Kingu into the Underworld this instant and put him through every punishnt she had.
Unfortunately, she couldn't leave the Underworld—so she had no way to do that herself.
"It sounds reasonable, but agreeing just like that doesn't seem to bring
any clear benefit." Ereshkigal tried to bargain.
Her request wasn't excessive—she only wanted the garden to remain in the Underworld until the Singularity was resolved.
"From what I understand of your mythology, you and your sister, the goddess Ishtar, are two sides of the sa coin. Right now, you're even sharing the sa divine essence, correct?" Shiomi said.
"That's right. When Ishtar was summoned, I was summoned as well."
"Then why is it that she can act in the outside world by possessing a human body, while you're confined to the Underworld?" Shiomi asked carefully.
"That's not entirely accurate. That human body belongs to Ishtar during the day, but at night, I can use it freely," Ereshkigal replied, still unsure why Shiomi was bringing this up. "It's just the nature of our respective divinities."
"Then how about this—if we can help you seal Ishtar's personality, allowing you to move freely in that body even during the day, would that be a fair trade?" Shiomi offered.
"Eh—?"
Ereshkigal hadn't expected such a tempting offer.
But this was Shiomi's strategy to kill two birds with one stone. Knowing the legend of Gilgash, he had little trust in Ishtar and remained on guard against her.
In contrast, Ereshkigal had far less notoriety. She seed like the more trustworthy one.
If she could suppress Ishtar's personality, it would also help mitigate the damage the latter might cause to Uruk.
"Can you really do that? You're just humans and fairies—how can you possibly seal a goddess?" Ereshkigal was excited, but still skeptical.
"If you cooperate while you're in that body, the seal can be completed smoothly," Morgan chid in. "As it happens, I do have so expertise in Magecraft that binds deities."
"And how do I know you won't seal
too while I'm asleep?"
Scáthach chuckled. "You're saying that while inhabiting that body—while your divine authority and powers are intact—you'd just stand there and let yourself be sealed?"
"…"
Ereshkigal fell completely silent.
Even if her powers in the outside world weren't as absolute as in the Underworld, they were still on par with Ishtar's.
"You still have ti to think it over. We're heading back to the surface to retrieve sothing," Shiomi said, standing up from the flower bed, his tone calm. "The terms of the deal are all on the table. The decision is yours. But if you refuse—then next ti, it really will be a battle to the death."
As the group turned to leave, Ereshkigal reached out to stop them. She hadn't gotten what she wanted yet.
"Um—"
"What is it?" Sakura asked, puzzled.
"These... flowers and plants... will they vanish once you're gone?" Ereshkigal asked shyly, fidgeting and pressing her index fingers together as she spoke in a quiet, roundabout way.
Shiomi brushed off the grass from his clothes. "It's not that simple. If I don't intervene, they'll last for about a year."
"A year?!"
Ereshkigal's mind went blank. She was honestly a bit relieved she hadn't tried to ask for more.
This whole breathtaking garden—was basically a free gift!
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