Before this, Rovi had spent some time traveling abroad and had not returned to Uruk.
Yet what he had done had long made him another symbolic banner of Uruk, aside from Gilgamesh himself.
The king, the sage, and the Divine Construct Soldier.
Though on the surface, Uruk remained a nation ruled by one person, anyone walking through this land knew that the throne had effectively gained three seats.
Much like the separation of powers that would emerge in later ages.
The king held the center, overseeing the whole situation and governing the nation through his prestige. The sage traveled abroad, handling diplomacy and intimidating other nations with his wisdom and strength. The Divine Construct Soldier oversaw warfare and, during these seven days since the great wall had been raised, had guarded the front lines with her overwhelming martial power.
And now, with the return of Rovi, the sage, Uruk's three "kings" had gathered once more. The impact this brought to the nation—or more precisely, to this vast settlement that had already united all humanity—was obvious.
Morale, stability, order... everything could be felt more clearly than before.
That night.
The vast starry sky shone down upon an Uruk far grander in scale than it had once been.
In a quiet courtyard near the royal palace, moonlight spilled down upon the three figures within.
"Hum hahaha... Barking mongrels, don't let yourselves be frightened by the fine wine this king has collected!" The golden-haired king laughed heartily.
"Little En brought it. You really have no shame," Rovi snorted, picking up the golden cup from the stone table before him.
"Everything in heaven and earth flows forth from this king's hands..."
"Does that include every pile of shit on the ground?"
"..."
Damn it, this guy never follows the script...
Little En held her cup in both hands and took a small sip. Looking at Rovi, she tilted her head, a smile appearing on her serene face.
"Hmph, this king is in a good mood today, so I shall not argue with you!" After a brief silence, Gilgamesh drained his wine in one gulp.
"Good. I don't feel like arguing with you either. Aren't you too old to be acting like a child?" Rovi shook his head.
Gilgamesh glared.
Hadn't this guy been the one to start things most of the time?
Then he laughed as well.
"Come to think of it, it has been a while since the three of us gathered like this." Rovi swirled his cup and raised it toward the bright moon in the night sky.
"From here on... we all have to stay alive!"
He said it for no apparent reason.
Gilgamesh paused. Seeing the serious expression on the man before him, he too rarely revealed a calm look.
"Of course—those pieces of trash cannot harm this king, who rules over all creation!" He remained as confident as ever, yet he raised his cup as well.
"Mm, I'll stay alive... Wherever Rovi is, I'll be there too. I won't leave!" Little En licked her red lips, wet with wine, and raised her cup. A faint blush colored her delicate, fair face.
Their cups clinked, scattering droplets.
A satisfied smile appeared on Rovi's face.
At this moment, everyone knew that their plan to oppose the gods in the heavens had reached its most crucial stage.
To make such a gesture before a great battle...
For him, the one who had proposed it, it was undoubtedly an omen of death!
"I'm a little sleepy... Mm... Rovi, Gil, I'm going to sleep first..." Before long, Enkidu swayed and collapsed.
"Hum hahaha, you can't even hold on any longer? Clay doll, as this king's friend, your drinking capacity is far too lacking..." Gilgamesh burst into laughter.
"Stop forcing yourself." Rovi glanced at him expressionlessly. "Sleep if you want to sleep!"
"Trash, you dare look down on this king... Hic..." Gilgamesh glared and opened his mouth. Then he swayed too, drunkenly collapsing to the ground.
It had to be said that the wine Enkidu had obtained from Humbaba was indeed delicious—and indeed strong. It was probably a divine brew.
Even Gilgamesh and Enkidu's constitutions could not withstand it.
As for Rovi, as the Key of Heaven, he could pour the alcohol in his body through the "Gate" and into somewhere else, so he was only slightly drunk.
But he was not drunk, nor did he want to be.
Because he was waiting for someone—
Waiting to raise an even greater "flag" that foretold death.
"Hmm hmm hmm, are you all sleeping like dead pigs? To greet this great goddess in such a state is truly rude!" A crisp voice arrived with the evening breeze. Rovi raised his eyes and immediately spotted the figure standing atop the courtyard wall.
Ishtar Rin wore a crimson coat whose hem fell below her thighs, leaving only her pale calves exposed.
With both hands in her pockets, she flicked her long black hair and leaped down from above.
The goddess looked at the unconscious Gilgamesh and Enkidu, then at Rovi, the only one still composed, and snorted.
"Someone wants to see you—" There was no need to guess who.
As though reality had blurred for an instant, the person before Rovi changed in the blink of an eye.
Her black hair turned pure gold.
Her red coat became a crimson cape.
Her fair legs remained, while the full curves extending upward disappeared into a shadowy, profound place. Her rounded hips swayed, and the movement of her chest seemed even more pronounced.
"Rovi." The visitor opened her crimson eyes, her red lips curling into a smile.
Ishtar and Ereshkigal had switched places in an instant.
Though Ishtar had been somewhat unwilling, she also knew that the great battle was at hand.
When no one knew who would live or die, they should at least be allowed to meet once.
"I told you, I'd come see you again!"
The Underworld Goddess waved her hand.
Rovi nodded and rose to his feet, just about to step forward... when he saw Ereshkigal suddenly stumble and pitch forward uncontrollably.
"Eh—!?" The goddess let out a startled cry.
He looked at what had tripped her.
A wine cup rolling across the ground.
And... the hand that had thrown it.
"Hum hahaha... A mere god wants to pass through the courtyard governed by this king? Dream on..." Gilgamesh laughed loudly with his eyes shut.
Rovi: "..."
This guy was impressive, acting so arrogantly even in his dreams.
At this moment, he only wanted to say...
Well done.
Rovi conveniently opened his arms, and Ereshkigal, stumbling forward, conveniently crashed into his embrace.
"Mm?" The goddess opened her eyes groggily, and her face instantly turned crimson.
To catch her properly, Rovi's hands were resting on the goddess's slender waist. The warmth through the black fabric made Ereshkigal feel as though she could barely breathe.
"Im... improper..." Ereshkigal stammered shyly.
"Who's being improper?"
"You are!"
"Then I'll let go..."
"Eh—!?"
The moment he said he would let go, he did. Still leaning forward, Ereshkigal instinctively fell toward him again. The small distance that had remained between them vanished completely, and the goddess rested against Rovi's chest. The powerful beat of his heart left Ereshkigal unable to speak.
"You're the one who told me to let go..." Rovi smiled happily.
Damn it... Ereshkigal said nothing.
Yet after a moment of silence, the Goddess of the Underworld realized that not only had she failed to calm down, her heart was beating even faster.
This posture, this posture of holding each other... was far too embarrassing...
"Ereshkigal." Fortunately, Rovi spoke first, breaking the silence. "You know what we're going to do next, right?"
Ereshkigal froze. After a moment of silence, she finally replied, "Mm."
Her mosquito-soft response reached Rovi's ears.
Rovi wanted to say something else, but the figure in his arms shifted. The goddess raised her delicate face from beneath her golden hair.
"That's why I came." Ishtar had told her about it long ago.
"No matter what... I'll stand with you." Ereshkigal smiled.
Though her cheeks were slightly red, her expression was incredibly firm. "I'll help you."
"I hope that when we meet from now on, it will be beneath this sky, not in the Underworld."
The Goddess of the Underworld slowly raised her hand and intertwined her fingers with Rovi's.
"And I hope... that we can keep seeing each other."
"Don't worry." Rovi nodded. "We will definitely win, too."
"I will definitely stay alive and meet you again."
A new flag had been successfully raised.
Rovi had lied, but it was not entirely a lie.
Because for him, death had never been a true ending.
The night was long, yet it passed in an instant.
Very soon,
Ereshkigal returned to the Underworld, and Ishtar left as well.
And very soon after,
The sky gradually brightened. Rovi sat alone in the courtyard. Enkidu slept peacefully on the table, while Gilgamesh lay on the ground, snoring loudly and occasionally bursting into wild laughter.
Rovi raised his eyes and looked toward the lofty sky.
There—
Thunder roared and flashed before crashing down in an instant.
The furious decree of the god Anu had finally taken effect.
Gilgamesh opened his eyes.
Enkidu sat up as well.
"So it's finally here..." Rovi set down his wine cup and smiled lightly.
Before you continue