When Ritsuka Fujimaru, Mash Kyrielight, and Alaric left the Underworld, Gilgamesh's soul, under the rules of the Underworld, returned to his body in Uruk, awaiting their return.
"Let's go!"
After successfully resolving the trouble caused by her other half, Ereshkigal, the Mistress of the Heavens, Ishtar, eagerly anticipated her well-deserved reward.
Not giving Alaric, Fujimaru, and Mash any time to rest, Ishtar grabbed them and insisted on a swift return to Uruk, aiming to confront the recently revived Gilgamesh.
Riding the Heavenly Vessel at Ishtar's breakneck speed, they raced through the blue skies, the brilliance of the light resembling the stars themselves.
In just over ten minutes, the group returned to Uruk at full speed. Without even a moment to catch their breath, they followed Ishtar straight into the ziggurat.
Outside the ziggurat, Merlin raised a hand to shade his eyes and smiled lightly.
"Well, it seems everything went smoothly. Solving it in half a day, impressive."
Beside him, Ana remained silent, merely watching the black streak of light as it descended straight into the ziggurat. Having done nothing since parting with Alaric, the two exchanged a glance and soon made their way toward the ziggurat as well.
...
Inside the ziggurat, Gilgamesh, freshly revived but not yet fully recovered, gazed at the uninvited guests. Or rather, at one particularly assertive guest.
The Goddess of the Heavens, Ishtar, stormed into the ziggurat without a word of pleasantries, cutting straight to the point:
"Goldy, you owe me a reward! A reward for saving you!"
"Hmm?"
At her words, Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. Then, noticing the exasperated expression on Alaric's face behind her, he immediately understood the situation.
"Ishtar... Fine. I have no time to argue with you. Listen carefully—
I will grant you 20% of the gems stored in the Babylonian Treasury as payment, on the condition that you formally join our side. This also includes your reward for entering the Underworld."
"...Eh?"
The once aggressive Ishtar froze at Gilgamesh's undeniable tone.
"The Babylonian Treasury? The treasury was built to encompass the world's treasures, designed to represent the wealth of all humanity in the future.
And you're offering me 20% of its gemstone reserves???"
Ishtar's voice trembled, her eyes spinning in disbelief.
The sheer scale of the fortune was overwhelming, not only for Ishtar herself but also for the host body she had merged with—a self-proclaimed hoarder with an uncontrollable obsession for gemstones.
"Indeed."
Gilgamesh snapped his fingers with a casual air.
Snap.
With the crisp sound, a golden portal unfolded before Ishtar, and an endless stream of dazzling gemstones spilled forth, their radiant glow captivating her completely.
"So many gemstones..."
The sheer number left her dazed. How many protection fees would she have to collect to even come close to this amount?
"If you agree, 20% of the gemstones will belong to you, Ishtar. If you refuse, the matter ends here."
Gilgamesh's tone was cold and left no room for negotiation.
But his indifference snapped Ishtar out of her gemstone-induced trance. Just as she was about to explode in frustration—
"Ishtar, gemstones. What's more important—gemstones or pride?"
A devilish whisper echoed in her ear, striking directly at her inner conflict.
Alaric had quietly approached her side, leaning in to whisper:
"These are gemstones—endless gemstones.
If you refuse, they'll be gone forever..."
"Ahhhhhh! Fine, I agree! Don't take the gemstones away from me!"
Clutching her head in dramatic agony, Ishtar struggled briefly before breaking into an ecstatic grin upon receiving the gemstones. It was as though becoming an ally to Alaric and the others no longer bothered her in the slightest.
Seeing how easily Ishtar had been bribed, Alaric turned to Gilgamesh, who sat on his throne and asked:
"King Gilgamesh, was this your plan all along?"
"Indeed, though the timing was off."
The weakened Gilgamesh rubbed his forehead, gesturing for Siduri to remain calm. He continued:
"After dealing with the Sun Goddess, the Underworld Goddess, and the Sky Goddess, only one pillar of divinity remains before us.
But the final battle lies far in the future. Alaric, for the next month, you are free to act as you please—just do not approach the Northern Wall.
No matter what casualties occur at the Northern Wall, you must not go. Even if Gorgon attacks, the Six Servants stationed there will be sufficient to hold her back."
Alaric paused, unable to fully grasp Gilgamesh's intentions. Was this simply to prevent him from disrupting the king's plans by acting too quickly?
Before Alaric could ask, Gilgamesh, as though anticipating his questions, cut him off.
"The reason is irrelevant. It is the king's decree. You need only obey.
Now, Siduri, escort them out. I must rest for the time being."
With a wave of his hand, the visibly fatigued Gilgamesh dismissed them. Siduri led Alaric, Fujimaru, and the others out of the ziggurat, dragging along even the gemstone-clutching Ishtar.
Left alone in the ziggurat, Gilgamesh sat back on his throne and once again fell into a deep sleep.
...
...
...
Outside the ziggurat, just as Alaric exited, he ran into Merlin and Ana.
"Hey, Merlin!"
With his usual cheerful demeanor, Alaric greeted Merlin with a bright smile.
A month isn't long, but it isn't short either.
In a flash, over ten days passed. Gorgon's demonic beasts launched another assault on the Northern Wall, this time more ferocious than ever. Even with the presence of the Six Servants, the casualties at the wall rose significantly.
During this time, Gilgamesh worked tirelessly, pushing himself to design and deploy secret weapons around the outskirts of Uruk.
Not only was Gilgamesh fully committed, but even Alaric, despite being forbidden from going to the Northern Wall, never stopped honing himself.
One of his most crucial tasks was mastering the skill of Independent Manifestation, a unique ability that normally couldn't be acquired or taught. Yet, under Merlin's guidance, Alaric successfully learned it.