"King Gilgamesh, you called for me?"
Led by Merlin, Castorice once again found herself in Gilgamesh's palace. The king sat upon his throne, cheek resting against his hand as if he'd been dozing.
Yet the moment her footsteps echoed through the hall, his eyes opened, sharp and focused, settling on Castorice and her companions. She spoke up at once.
"Should I not summon you? If you hold value, this king naturally will call upon you." Gilgamesh's voice was languid, but his gaze was intent.
"I've already heard what transpired outside. Therefore, for the time being, you are not to go to the front lines. After this failure, our enemies will undoubtedly employ even more ruthless methods to hunt you down."
He gave a slight nod, watching her.
"But..." Castorice furrowed her brow, beginning to object, only to be cut off.
"However," Gilgamesh continued, "this king has no intention of letting a powerful combat asset go to waste. Keeping you from the front does not mean you shall cower within the city walls—that would be pointless. Go to Ur. Investigate what has happened there."
"Ur lost contact quite some time ago," Siduri added with a gentle smile. "Not a single survivor has escaped. Even the Servants his majesty dispatched lost all communication after entering the forests surrounding Ur. Therefore, we can only entrust this matter to you, the powerful Miss Castorice."
"...I see. Leave it to me," Castorice agreed with a nod.
This was a good opportunity, she thought. A chance to travel and gather information.
During her days in Uruk, she had continuously searched for traces of her other half, but so far, nothing had turned up. Uruk yielded no clues; perhaps other places would. After all, it was difficult to commune with other gods here.
Her last conversation with Ereshkigal had been far too brief, leaving many questions unasked.
Logically, if her other half was anywhere, the most likely place was the Underworld. As its ruler, Ereshkigal might know something.
After accepting the mission, Castorice took her leave.
"Could you wait for me for a moment?" Ana asked once they were outside, as if suddenly remembering something. "Going to Ur will take some time. I need to let someone know."
"I'll wait," Castorice said.
She watched as Ana ran toward a distant flower shop, approaching an elderly woman and speaking to her.
Upon hearing that Ana would be traveling far, the old woman stopped her, pressing a small cloth bundle into her hands before letting her go.
Though Ana refused several times, she was no match for the elderly lady's insistence and finally accepted with reluctant gratitude.
'Reluctant' might be the word, but the faint smile on her face was unmistakable.
With that soft smile still gracing her lips, Ana returned to Castorice and Merlin. Seeing her expression, both of them unconsciously broke into fond, almost matronly grins.
Ahem, ahem. "Let's go," Ana said, lightly clearing her throat at their teasing smiles and quickly striding ahead.
If not for the hood covering the back of her neck, Castorice was sure she would have seen Ana's earlobes tinged with red.
Of course, while they were prepared to depart, they wouldn't be leaving immediately. Having just endured a major battle, Castorice needed rest. Their planned departure was set for the next morning.
That night, in the living area of their quarters, Ana's little cloth bundle lay on the table. She herself sat staring at it, lost in thought.
"Aren't you going to open it?" Castorice's voice came from nearby.
She had just bathed and was wearing a simple white gown. Moonlight silvered the ends of her hair, making her look like a divine maiden.
Damp strands still dripped with water as she toweled her hair dry, a playful smile on her face.
Having been in this world for some time now, Castorice had grown accustomed to this body.
When she'd first arrived and seen her form, she'd felt a thrill of excitement, but after so many days, even that initial fervor had settled into a steady familiarity.
"No need to open it. They're cookies," Ana said softly, shaking her head.
"The granny gave me some last time I helped at the flower shop. She bakes them herself. I think she noticed I liked them, so now every time I visit, she brings some out for me."
"Ana, it seems you're fitting in quite well," Castorice said gently, watching the faint curve of Ana's smile.
From their first meeting, Castorice had felt concern for Ana. Back then, she had been like a lonely, wary creature—nervous, suspicious, and distrustful of everything around her.
Castorice had managed to earn her trust, to ease that vigilance toward herself, but she hadn't been able to overturn the deep-seated views Ana held.
Now, however, it seemed time was a potent remedy. After a month of contact, Ana's perspective on the humans of this era might be softening.
"Why?" Ana looked at Castorice, perplexed. "Why do you go out of your way to get close to the humans of this time?"
As a traveler from beyond this world, she should understand its true nature all the more.
"Since all humans are destined to die, does that mean their lives are meaningless?"
In response to Ana's question, Castorice posed one of those ancient, perpetually unanswered questions.
"I... I don't know," Ana admitted honestly, shaking her head.
"The answer is that it is meaningful. Existence itself is the meaning," Castorice said. "Even if the ending is predetermined, every choice you make can influence what happens next."
"So, when you have the chance to choose, don't let yourself feel regret. The final outcome might be the same, but when you stand before that end and look back, I hope you see a path strewn with flowers and fragrance, not one of resentment and ruin."
"Ana, you live in this era. Do you truly believe every human in this time is as hateful as you once thought?"
Castorice gently tucked her hair behind an ear, revealing the smooth line of her neck. She sat down before Ana, her smile serene.
"They're... a little different, I suppose... I still don't really understand," Ana murmured, confusion clouding her eyes.
"Then let me put it another way," Castorice said, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she leaned forward, her gaze fixed on Ana.
"Earlier today, when I was ambushed, you reacted instantly and rushed to my side. Ana, do you care about me?"
Ana: "?!"
A visible blush spread across Ana's cheeks.
"I-It's just that losing you would mean losing an important combat asset! Don't flatter yourself! I'm going to bed now. We should leave early tomorrow!"
With that, Ana shot to her feet and hurried toward her room, her steps noticeably quicker than usual.
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.