How could he dismantle the Triple Goddess Alliance and secure the greatest possible benefit for the Goddess Tiamat behind him?
Samael tilted his head back, closed his eyes in thought, and rhythmically tapped the clay tablet with the carving knife in his hand.
After an unknown amount of time, his vertical serpentine pupils slowly opened, glimmering faintly in the darkness. Beneath the various Divine Names and factions, he wrote down keywords that organized his thoughts.
Unite, bribe, divide, win over, strike...
First, unite naturally referred to humanity's side.
Taking Uruk's side was already inevitable. If he could ensure the continuation of Sumerian civilization, then Tiamat, who played an immensely positive role in this war, might be able to reshape her image, be accepted by this land, and thus gain a chance to return.
But the prerequisite was earning that proud king's recognition.
With the future of all Uruk, even the entire Mesopotamian world, at stake, Gilgamesh would not easily trust anyone.
Second, bribery clearly targeted the weakness of a certain money-loving goddess, drawing her into humanity's camp.
She was not part of the Triple Goddess Alliance. Like dangling a carrot before a donkey, all it took was spending some Babylonian gems to lure in a bodyguard. Why not?
Of course, the important part was spending Gilgamesh's money.
Then, division was aimed at Feathered Serpent God Kukulkan.
This goddess had invented writing, established laws, opposed human sacrifice, brought corn to humanity, and served as the protector of priests.
Although changes in the Mayan World had forced her to leave her homeland, she was fundamentally still a Good God.
The Feathered Serpent God had always held great affection for humans, those creatures who had replaced gods upon the earth.
Besides, this divine power struggle of trampling the weak and seizing land did not suit her aesthetic of violence.
If you were strong, you should fuck the strong!
Choose an evenly matched opponent, or even one stronger than yourself, and trade blow for blow! That was Kukulkan's definition of divine warfare.
Therefore, sowing discord was undoubtedly an effective strategy.
Mm, he was familiar with that.
The ancient serpent curled his lips into a sinister smile.
Winning over, then, was the strategy aimed at his master, Ereshkigal.
She had always been a pessimist. That was why she obeyed the prophecy of the Fate Tablet, choosing to follow fate and destroy Uruk, ravaging Mesopotamia.
But this tsundere goddess was not blindly obedient to the Fate Tablet's answer. She had also played a little trick.
Only their bodies would be destroyed. She intended to gather these humans' souls and, once the new age began, seek a chance for them to live.
Unfortunately, in the Mesopotamian world, death was eternal.
Trying to grant so many Sumerians rebirth in the new age from the side of "death" was nearly impossible, even for the God of the Underworld.
And besides, first bowing their heads and admitting guilt, then waiting for Mesopotamia to be purged before having human souls kneel and grovel before those lofty punishers to earn the right to continue their civilization... wasn't that path far too absurd?
If humanity took one step back now, it would be equivalent to relinquishing its choice to defy fate.
So long as he explained things clearly, changed Ereshkigal's pessimistic outlook, and had this compassionate God of Death return the right of choice to humanity itself...
Then the God of the Underworld, who deeply loved this land, would naturally stand on humanity's side.
However, if he wanted to persuade a tsundere, he had to stroke her fur the right way.
Trying to reason and argue with her without the right opportunity could easily corner the God of the Underworld and make her bristle and bite.
Finally, the word strike was aimed at Gorgon the Beast Goddess, who harbored a deep resentment toward humanity.
Unlike the other three goddesses, her hands were already stained with human blood. The conflict between both sides could not be reconciled.
Slaughtering all humanity, ending Sumerian civilization, and destroying herself—that was her mad and twisted revenge!
A monster ruthless enough to kill even herself could only be reasoned with using fists.
But even against an enemy, strategy mattered.
If Gorgon the Beast Goddess was resentment and beastliness driven to the extreme of madness, then according to Samael's past memories, Anna, who had appeared in the Fir Forest, was the innocent self she had expelled from her body.
Therefore, that goddess's younger form was Gorgon's nemesis.
Just as the ancient serpent was deep in thought, a soft creaking sound came from next door.
A petite figure, concealed by the tranquil night, furtively slipped back along the corridor.
Anna sensed that faint, almost imperceptible gaze. She warily looked up and nearly collided with Samael at the window.
The little girl jumped in fright, immediately straightened her back, clasped her hands behind her, and stammered a greeting.
"Y-You're still awake?"
"Aren't you too?"
Samael pursed his lips and countered, a trace of amusement brewing in his eyes.
"I sobered up, so I couldn't really sleep..."
As the little girl spoke, her gaze wandered. Her sentences had obvious pauses, and her voice shifted emotionally. Those were clear signs of lying.
"Because you were made drunk, you didn't eat your fill?"
"Then after waking up at night, you got hungry again and secretly ran to the kitchen to look for snacks?"
With a single sentence, Samael exposed the little girl's nighttime route, his expression slightly teasing.
Anna's pretty face reddened. After struggling internally for a while, she finally dared to lift her small face, meet Samael's eyes, and respond.
"I saw the clay tablet you hung in the kitchen..."
"The butter cake kept warm in the stove's embers still tasted really good. Thank you..."
As someone feared and hated in her homeland, she had never imagined that she would receive so much kindness in this new world.
Yet even so, her other half had become pain and disaster to this world.
The girl looked up at the trail of destruction left when she drunkenly chased Merlin around with a weapon during dinner. Her mood gradually sank, and she murmured softly.
"I'm sorry about the banquet..."
"You don't need to accommodate me, because I always bring disasters and trouble..."
Samael raised a hand and solemnly placed it on Anna's thin shoulder. Meeting her gaze, he spoke gravely.
"What nonsense are you saying? You saved me twice!"
"If you're trouble, then what is Ishtar, robbing the shepherds outside? What is that city-state guardian who abandoned us?"
"Besides, this banquet was specially prepared for you! There's no question of accommodating anyone!"
"As long as little Anna likes it, that means I can do something for you. That is the honor of one who has been saved."
"If that guy hadn't ruined things, we could have tried other snacks too."
"A perfectly good banquet was completely ruined by him!"
"It's all Merlin's fault!"
As the ancient serpent spoke, Anna's low spirits gradually lifted. That final touch redirected the little girl's attention and stirred her shared indignation.
The Purple Haired Girl scrunched up her little face with deep resentment, waved her tiny fists, and joined the condemnation.
"That's right! It's all Merlin's fault!"
"If he dares cause trouble again next time..."
"Smash his stupid head!"
"Smash his stupid head!"
"Merlin, go die!"
"Merlin, go die!"
The two figures, one large and one small, roared into the deep night, venting their emotions.
That sense of safety and delight from standing back-to-back against a common enemy gradually drew them closer, making the atmosphere warmer.
When they finally parted, Samael watched the little girl return to her room, while two coarse wheat pastries appeared in his own hand.
Anna had sneaked to his door precisely to give him these.
They were the only gift of kindness she possessed, and the one she treasured most.
Crunch...
Leaning by the window, the ancient serpent placed a coarse wheat pastry between his lips and teeth, took a small bite, and closed his eyes to savor the wheat fragrance blooming across his taste buds.
After a long while, Samael emerged from the lingering aftertaste and lowered his carving knife onto the clay tablet.
"Anna is Anna..."
"Gorgon is Gorgon..."
"Good and evil have already been separated. Sin and punishment should naturally be directed accordingly..."
Before you continue