I'm Sorry, You're a Good Person

As Gilgamesh reacted, a swirling golden vortex materialized behind him.

From it, blades, spears, and swords emerged inch by inch, their cold glint filling the grand hall with a fierce, murderous aura.

The chilling sensation stirred Anna's instincts, making her grip the divine vessel, Hecate, tighter and assume an offensive stance.

His surging purple-red mana blew open his hood, revealing narrow, vertical pupils of the same color that exuded an eerie beauty, captivating anyone who gazed upon them.

"It seems this King must slightly tarnish this throne!"

"King Gilgamesh, please recall your probing. This child meant no offense."

Just as battle was about to erupt, a figure stepped in front of Anna, speaking calmly.

Probing? The purple-haired girl blinked in surprise, her hostility gradually fading. Her gaze towards the figure's back held a new, unreadable meaning.

It felt... warm, like the older sisters who always stayed by her side.

Samael turned and offered a slight smile to the dazed Anna, a gesture of comfort. He then turned back to the Heroic King, who stood with arms crossed, his face tense, awaiting an explanation.

"My King, you must understand, this child simply wants to help."

Gilgamesh pursed his lips into a cold smile, his eyes filled with arrogance.

"Help requires knowing one's limits!"

"Uruk's survival doesn't depend on the meddling of a young girl. If it did, all the men who haven't died yet should just slit their own throats!"

"This is Sumer's destiny. If you wish to stand above all and speak of salvation, you have no reason, nor the right, to fight for Mesopotamia!"

Anna bit her lip, unable to resist leaning out from beside Samael.

"But... the Beast Goddess's appearance... that's my responsibility..."

Gilgamesh roughly interrupted Anna's brewing self-reproach with a cold, unfeeling snort.

"Enough! Don't you understand? You fool!"

"I don't care what connection you have with that thing in the Temple of Blood!"

"You are you! She is she!"

"If you want revenge, if you want to fill that pathetic void in your self-esteem, then show the resolve and fight for yourself!"

"To continue speaking of guilt or pity will only bring this King shame!"

Anna, caught in her own thoughts, tried to retort but was pulled back by Samael beside her.

"My King, if you have no further commands, may we be excused?"

"Be gone! Don't disturb this King until you've figured things out."

"This King is very busy and has no time to waste energy on such trivial matters!"

The Heroic King turned his body away and waved his hand dismissively, his back to the two.

Then, as he saw Samael and Anna gradually walking away, he beckoned the chief priest standing nearby.

"Siduri, prepare provisions for two more people and send them to the embassy."

"If there's anything they need that you can decide on, try to fulfill it."

"Uruk isn't so impoverished as to mistreat two foreigners who have pledged their allegiance!"

The chief priest bowed her head, a smile revealing itself from beneath her veil as she accepted the order and left.

With his right-hand aide gone, the royal palace's divine tower, which had been bustling with visitors, fell into a brief silence.

Gilgamesh, having resettled himself on the throne, glanced towards the white dream demon standing in the corner of the hall.

"Merlin! Have you watched enough? How long are you going to pretend to sleep?!"

"Huh? Is it all settled? The King's way of handling state affairs is truly swift!"

Merlin blinked and offered a perfunctory compliment.

Gilgamesh couldn't help but twitch his lips at the old fox, who feigned ignorance while clearly understanding everything, and snorted from his throne.

"Less nonsense! What do you think of those two?"

"Although Anna is the pure self expelled by that Beast Goddess, her nature is not bad. She just desperately wants to reclaim everything."

"It is truly magnanimous and wise of the King not to dwell on her past transgressions and instead guide this child!"

Merlin smiled slightly, nodding in admiration, and continued with a string of practiced flattery, exhibiting the demeanor of a sycophant.

Gilgamesh's expression darkened. After taking a deep breath, he managed to maintain his kingly composure and suppress the anger within him.

"Then, what about the other one?"

"Very ordinary, very common. A heroic soldier who escaped from the ruins of Babylon..."

"Is that all?"

"If I had to say, I can't quite see through him..."

"Even you feel that way? It seems it wasn't just my imagination..."

Gilgamesh finally managed to extract a few honest words from the old trickster, his brow furrowing as he leaned back on his throne in thought.

Since the appearance of that blank Fate Tablet, the originally clear lines of the future have become an intertwined, chaotic mist.

In this war that determines the survival of Sumerian civilization, his and Merlin's "Thousand Mile Eye" seem to have lost their effectiveness.

Without the advantage of foresight, every step must be carefully considered.

Gilgamesh fell into thought, a dim light flickering in his eyes.

Just as the Heroic King's brow furrowed with doubt, a lazy chuckle echoed through the hall.

"I heard he crossed Mount Epiph to avenge his comrade, making a great sacrifice to that war goddess."

"This feeling of uncertainty, perhaps it's because of—[Divine Favor]?"

Gilgamesh's expression gradually relaxed, the corner of his mouth turning up in a pleased curve.

"Oh? That certainly sounds like something that greedy goddess would do. That explains it."

"Don't you think so, Merlin?"

The white-haired incubus smiled subtly and bowed slightly.

"All choices, the King will acknowledge, the King will permit, the King will bear."

"It's too difficult for a half-baked magician like me to consider making decisions."

"However, how could Uruk, which preserves the fire of Sumer, possibly not accommodate a hero who desperately transmitted battle reports?"

"A... good person who guided that child..."

As Merlin's voice lowered, Gilgamesh's expression became subtle.

"A good person? I didn't expect you, you old fox, to actually put in a good word for him."

"Sire, you misunderstand. Good people don't live long in this world."

However, a hint of amusement flickered in the white-haired incubus's eyes.

"I'm quite sad that my role as a confidant has been snatched away."

Gilgamesh waved his hand dismissively, clearly not taking Merlin's exaggerated performance seriously.

"Get out! Immediately call in the soldier waiting outside for the message!"

"That woman Siduri is becoming more and more presumptuous!"

The white-haired incubus nodded and retreated. Just as he was about to exit the door, he paused slightly and whispered.

"My King, Siduri is also worried about your physical condition. If necessary, please rest."

Gilgamesh, who had picked up a clay tablet to continue reviewing reports, raised his brow slightly.

However, before he could reprimand him, a certain slippery old trickster had already made his escape, causing the exasperated Gilgamesh to twitch his mouth.

If it weren't for the war, such a slippery fellow should have his head chopped off!