"So, have you really made up your mind, Ereshkigal? You're coming back to Uruk with us to meet the Moon King?"
As Shiomi asked, he handed the reins to Morgan.
Scáthach and Sakura were resting in the carriage behind them.
It was the early morning of the second day. They were gradually leaving Kutha behind, heading for the reed fields on the way back to Uruk, ready to report the results of their journey.
"It's already morning, but I can still feel Ishtar asleep... your seal is quite effective." Ereshkigal, riding Maanna, kept pace with the carriage. "Since you've fulfilled your initial promise, as a goddess, I should offer something in return."
As she had mentioned before, due to sharing divinity and the same body, the goddess of the underworld could freely wield all of Ishtar's powers.
"You really play by the rules," Scáthach said, leaning against the carriage window. "Much better than Ishtar, who does whatever she pleases."
"R-Really..." Ereshkigal lowered her altitude slightly, sounding a bit pleased.
She was honestly relieved to have encountered this group. Not only did they not fear her, they remained composed no matter what.
—Of course, when Ereshkigal suggested traveling with them instead of arriving at Uruk earlier or later, she noticed that Morgan and Scáthach were somewhat displeased.
"Let me confirm something. Even though you're gods, you and Ishtar are currently pseudo-servants based on human vessels, right?" Sakura asked.
"Yes. Gods like us can't become Servants normally. At best, we can only manifest as pseudo-servants," Ereshkigal nodded.
Sakura looked at the goddess of the underworld. "So what happened to the human you possessed? Are they... already dead?"
She had seen many similar cases—suitable bodies offered up, allowing the soul and mind of another to inhabit them. Some failed, some succeeded.
What made her particularly concerned this time was how much the body resembled her sister, Rin Tohsaka.
"I'm not entirely sure. I descended into this body sometime after Ishtar was summoned. The only thing I know is that the original owner isn't dead. But her personality can't surface. It's not like she's merely asleep, like Ishtar is." Ereshkigal spoke gently as she explained. "Just like Ishtar's personality merged with the body's owner, mine did too, the moment I descended. Originally... my personality was much gloomier, more negative... I probably wouldn't have been able to talk to you at all."
Her voice softened at the end.
In a way, for the current Ereshkigal, this state felt like an incredibly vivid dream.
"How deeply did the fusion go?" Morgan asked.
"The original owner makes up about thirty percent, while Ishtar and I each account for seventy percent, forming two separate personalities," Ereshkigal replied.
Sakura looked at her. "So... you don't have the original owner's memories?"
"Hmm... not really. Even if we call it a fusion, I, as the goddess, remained the dominant one," Ereshkigal said, having a good idea why Sakura was asking. "But it's strange. Even though this is our first meeting, I keep feeling a tickle at the back of my neck when I look at you. Who exactly are you, Sakura?"
Shiomi spoke calmly. "If the original owner of this body was Rin Tohsaka, then she's Sakura's biological sister. But if it's just a spiritual resemblance from a past life, then it's a connection that may only matter in some distant future."
"Sister?" Ereshkigal covered her mouth in surprise.
She and Ishtar were sisters too, but while their external appearances were somewhat alike, Sakura gave off a completely different feeling.
"I'm honestly not sure," Ereshkigal added, a bit awkward. "The priestesses who summoned me... when I descended, their souls were taken to the underworld."
Those priestesses had originally prayed for salvation, and the only way the goddess of the underworld could save them was by taking them with her.
"And besides, it's already been half a year. I really can't tell you who the original owner of this body was," Ereshkigal said apologetically.
"I see..."
Sakura leaned back into the carriage, no longer looking outside, deep in thought.
The air grew slightly heavy. It was clear to everyone that she was worried about her sister's fate—whether she had been caught in the incineration or somehow ended up in this Singularity. But for now, there were no leads.
Then, to break the silence—partly because the quiet was becoming uncomfortable—Ereshkigal decided to change the subject.
"Um... as a gesture of cooperation, while I don't fully understand the other two goddesses, I can at least share something useful with you."
"Go ahead," Shiomi nodded, indicating he was all ears.
"First, the magical beasts attacking Uruk's northern wall were all personally created by the Goddess of Demonic Beasts in the temple further north. But for reasons even I don't know, they haven't been able to sustain a non-stop assault. They can't continuously replenish the numbers lost to the city's defenses."
"That's what we suspected. Which is why the King of Magecraft dispatched Demon God Pillars—they've already started launching coordinated attacks with the magical beasts," Shiomi said.
"That sounds grim," Ereshkigal sighed. "In any case, I strongly suggest abandoning any idea of negotiating with the Goddess of Demonic Beasts. She hates and despises humans far more than I do. There's no chance she'll stop the slaughter."
Scáthach nodded. "Then what about the goddess ruling the southern forest? What do you know about her?"
"Based on what you told me during the journey, it sounds like you didn't encounter her when you entered the forest. I can only say this: she comes from a completely different cultural sphere than I do, so I can't judge her values or sense of morality. But her temple in Eridu holds the Axe of Marduk."
In certain Sumerian legends, the war god Marduk used that axe to slice open the throat of the primordial Mother Goddess Tiamat, killing her and splitting her body in two, forming the land of Mesopotamia.
"Marduk..." Shiomi raised his brows slightly.
"Is something on your mind?" Morgan asked.
"No. I just remembered—Marduk's worship lasted until around 700 BC. It wasn't until Babylon was conquered by Assyria that it gradually disappeared. After that, the god worshiped on this land... became the very god the Holy Church reveres today."
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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