As Shiomi had said, the road from Uruk to Eridu posed little danger. The scattered wild Magical Beasts of the Age of Gods were no threat to beings like them.
They traveled slowly by carriage, at times surveying the wilderness, at times drawing water from a clear river, or foraging for edible animals and fruits.
The fertile plains of Mesopotamia yielded an abundance of resources. Even without supplies, one could survive for over a month on what the land provided.
Of course, they had no intention of taking that long.
"You're saying that neither Ereshkigal nor Quetzalcoatl truly wants to destroy humanity?"
On the third morning after departing Uruk, at a campsite just a short distance from the dense forest, Artoria sat on a rock by the river while Shiomi gently combed her hair with a wooden comb. During their idle chatter, she brought up her thoughts about the two goddesses.
"Do you remember the battle in Uruk the day before yesterday? Quetzalcoatl said, 'I was summoned by my mother to kill humans.' That means the order to kill came from the 'mother' who summoned her to this land—it wasn't her own desire," Artoria said.
"Killing soldiers and then reviving them instantly, recovering their seemingly lifeless bodies... That kind of possibility isn't out of the question." Shiomi paused. "Then what about Ereshkigal? She really did kill the people of Kutha and took their souls into the underworld..."
He trailed off, falling silent. His hand stopped moving. Then Artoria let out a helpless laugh.
"I've done something similar myself, so I understood her intention right away," Artoria said.
As the Lion King, she had once taken selected human souls, stored them as records within the Holy Lance, and preserved them for eternity. That was the plan she had carried out.
Ereshkigal was no different. She took the souls of all of Kutha's residents into the underworld for a similar reason.
This land would eventually face destruction. That's why she wanted to protect the people she cherished.
"I see," Shiomi said with understanding. "But even if neither of them truly intends to destroy humanity, and they've chosen such a roundabout way because of that... Quetzalcoatl won't be as easy to reason with as Ereshkigal. A fight is inevitable."
Artoria wasn't surprised. "Both Master and I are prepared for a fierce battle. Besides... besides..."
"Our Mana reserves are more than sufficient," Shiomi said, putting down the comb and using his hands to smooth her hair. "If necessary, I'll use a Command Spell."
"...Yes. I'll leave everything to you, Master."
Though his words had left her momentarily flustered, Shiomi's calm demeanor quickly helped her recover her usual composure.
Normally, Artoria's hair would be woven and held in place with her Mana, but when Shiomi saw her hair undone that morning, he had simply felt like doing it himself.
"Master's hands are so gentle. In private, you don't act like a warrior at all," Artoria said. "Even though these are the hands of a warrior, I can tell—you could live peacefully in a time without war."
"I see," Shiomi replied.
"In my era, there were men who respected and cherished women... but they were always bound by the times. Especially soldiers—those who fought on the battlefield could never completely rid themselves of the scent of iron and blood, even after leaving the war behind. They couldn't live peacefully," Artoria said.
"Isn't that ideal, though? For a king, people like that make the perfect soldiers."
"You're not wrong. But if you look past them as soldiers—just as people—they couldn't live well in times of peace. When I think of that, I often feel I failed as a king. I couldn't guide them to a future of lasting peace," Artoria said softly.
"Are you hoping I'll agree, or hoping I'll say, 'It's not your fault alone'?" Shiomi let out a sigh.
"Neither, Master… You're my only companion now. The fact that you understand everything about me without passing judgment is more than enough." Artoria gently held the hand Shiomi had placed near her temple.
"Mm." Shiomi nodded, then smirked over his shoulder. "You're up? I thought you'd sleep a bit longer."
Morgan leaned against the side of the carriage, draped casually in a blanket. Her pale arms glowed faintly in the twilight. "I was sleeping just fine, until I overheard someone saying something dumb. Couldn't help waking up to listen."
"Wow, that's a bit harsh, isn't it?" Shiomi looked genuinely exasperated.
"It was dumb. But it's the kind of dumb thing anyone might say." Morgan's voice was calm, a small smile on her face. "Go on, I won't make fun of you, Artoria."
A light breeze stirred. Shiomi withdrew his hand from Artoria's hair, and her Mana gently re-wove it into place.
"It was just idle talk. If you try to make it serious, it loses its meaning." Artoria brushed her fingers against her temple, still feeling the warmth that lingered.
Morgan's smile turned playful. "Oh? Am I getting in the way?"
"No one said that," Shiomi replied as he lifted the lid off the pot simmering over the fire. "Back when there wasn't a dense forest, we could reach Eridu from here in just two hours. Now, with potential obstacles, it'll probably take around four."
"Our opponent is a goddess of the sun and wind. What about attacking at night, instead of during the day?" Artoria asked.
"That's a solid plan... but even if we win, there's no guarantee she'll accept the result." Shiomi crossed his arms. "Since she's not an enemy we absolutely need to kill, it's better to have her willingly work with us to address the threat of this Singularity."
"Agreed," Morgan nodded. "Rather than paying the price to destroy her, bringing her to our side would be more advantageous for whatever lies ahead."
Artoria let out a soft, cheerful laugh.
"What's so funny?" Shiomi asked, one eye closed. "Don't tell me, Your Majesty the Lion King, you think my strategy of making more friends and fewer enemies is too naive?"
"No," Artoria said. "I just suddenly feel like I understand a little more about why you act the way you do."
Shiomi pulled a mock-hurt face. "And here I thought, after all the times we've shared a bed, we already understood each other completely..."
With Morgan's teasing smile hanging in the air, Artoria's face flushed red once again, and she fell silent.