Chapter 511

During the days that Shirou settled in the bedroom (Eanna), Ishtar would come into his room every evening.

Although she usually appears with black hair and red eyes, there have been several times when she has appeared with blonde hair and red eyes, like tonight.

At first, Shirou was very confused, but he soon understood.

The goddess who sneaked into his room in the dead of night was not Ishtar, but Ereshkigal.

They were originally goddesses who shared the same Spirit Origin and vessel, and were summoned by the same ritual.

The goddess Ishtar, the mistress of heaven, and Ereshkigal, the mistress of the Land of the Dead — Rin Tohsaka —are both possessed by two goddesses at the same time.

Ishtar seemed completely unaware of this, because Ereshkigal only allowed her consciousness to surface after she fell asleep.

Although Ishtar was a clumsy and incompetent goddess, Ereshkigal, who proclaimed himself "the smartest man in Sumer," was hardly any better.

She would occasionally inadvertently reveal her true appearance (blonde hair and red eyes) in front of Shirou.

Shirou very considerately refrained from exposing her.

Alright... what should we talk about with the goddess (Ereshkigal) tonight?

"You've even recruited Quetzal Coatl as an ally, well done."

That girl... it's unbelievable, but she's really head over heels for you.

Ereshkigal sat by Shirou's bed, his tone somewhat sullen.

Alright... what should we talk about with the goddess (Ereshkigal) tonight?

"I feel a little uneasy... Come here, let me pinch your cheek."

"Hmph, you womanizer... Why is everyone so fascinated by you?"

The Queen the Underworld gently pinched Shirou's cheek.

"But I'm different from the frivolous Venus; I'm not so easily won over... I guess."

Ereshkigal put on a cute face, but his eyes hinted at "Come and win me over!"

After living together underground for three months, the goddess of the Underworld had long since fallen in love with Shirou.

This human boy gave her a warmth she had never experienced in the past tens of thousands of years.

So...

If Shirou just beckons, I'd definitely wag my tail and pounce on him happily...

Ereshkigal pondered to himself.

How much longer am I supposed to wait in the Underworld, you idiot Shirou?

Volume 7: Chapter 328 Mr. Jin is still dead.

Let's cheer each other on, Ana!

"... Um."

The hooded girl nodded slightly, then walked quickly forward.

While waiting for Axe of Marduk to be transported to Uruk, Shirou was not idle.

This afternoon's plan is to clear out the enemies that have appeared in the Uruk underground sewers.

Because it was a task forced upon me by Merlin, I wasn't really motivated at first, but after seeing Ana's small figure from behind, I was unconsciously inspired.

... Is it just my imagination?

I feel that Ana's attitude towards me has become much colder than before.

After asking indirectly --

"Shirou, you've been getting a bit cocky lately, lacking a sense of urgency... Gaining new power, plus the goddesses' admiration and adoration, must be making you feel great."

"... Gurgle!!"

Through her hood, the purple-haired loli glanced at the pale-faced boy beside her, whose secret had been exposed, and said calmly:

"I can understand Shirou's feelings. He has accomplished so many great things, so it's okay to be a little proud."

But... well, I still prefer the old Shirou.

"..."

Shirou paused for a moment, then smiled after understanding the girl's thoughts:

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Ana."

Don't worry, I'm still the same person, nothing has changed.

Furthermore, I will not become complacent and gradually head towards destruction simply because I have received divine blessings.

Ana realized that Shirou had gained the highest level of "Quetzalcoatl's Favor".

What might seem like a great blessing and honor to most people was, to the Greece -born girl, a clear sign of destruction and depravity.

In Greek Mythology, there are countless examples of great heroes who met tragic ends because of the favor and blessings of the gods.

Ana must be worried that the same thing might happen to Shirou.

However, this worry is unnecessary.

Long before he gained the goddess's favor, Shirou had already been cursed by a certain heavy witch, who even took him in after his death.

"Although my worries were unnecessary, thank you anyway, Ana."

Shirou gently patted the girl's head through his hood.

"... nothing."

Ana lowered her head, quickening her pace as if to hide her shyness.

After that, the two entered the underground waterways of City of Uruk and eliminated the enemies entrenched there.

"Thank you for your hard work... With this, the evil spirits lurking around here should all be eliminated..."

Ana let out a soft breath.

"If I were alone, they would all have run away... So, thank you."

Shirou looked around, still somewhat surprised. "While it's surprising that there are so many holes underground in Uruk, the number of undead we just saw was also astonishing."

They're probably planning to do something bad by saving money in that kind of place...

Ana, what happened while I was away from Uruk?

The girl explained, "Actually, recently... a deadly disease is spreading in Uruk."

The illness begins in those who are physically weak, and can cause them to fall into a permanent sleep.

Those spirits must be related to this matter, so I think that if we can get rid of them, perhaps fewer people will die from weakness...

I see. No wonder Ana was more energetic than usual today.

"It's from Ereshkigal, isn't it?"

After Shirou said that, Ana nodded in agreement.

In this series of cases disguised as natural deaths, the culprit was clear from the very beginning.

"In the Age of Gods, physical death and spiritual death are different."

Even if the body is unharmed, if the soul is taken away by Death God, that person will die.

However, the state in which the soul is taken away is not "death," but "sleep."

If the body is unharmed, then as long as the stolen soul is retrieved, one can awaken from sleep.

Bringing the dead back from the Land of the Dead was a very common healing practice in the age of gods.

Although he had already returned from the Underworld once, Shirou still found this way of life and death incredible.

Even if the heart stops beating, as long as the body is properly preserved, there is a way to bring the dead back to life...

"However, if the soul is shattered before it falls into the Land of the Dead, it cannot be brought back to life."

In this situation, the body will share the same fate as the soul.

Life activities will cease, and eventually it will turn into dust.

In other words, if the soul that is taken away does not have a "strong will to live," then even if you want to save it, you are powerless to do so.

Just as Shirou was pondering, Ana asked, "Do you have time later?"

"Oh, what's wrong?"

"If possible, come with me to the flower shop on the main street."

"Could it be the one the old lady runs?"

"Shirou knows too?"

I helped them a few times when I passed by there.

"As expected of Shirou, I should have thought of that sooner..."

Ana nodded, her expression showing complete understanding.

The flower shop the two were heading to wasn't far from the mission location; they walked for half an hour before arriving at the usually deserted shop.

Strangely enough, the usually deserted flower shop, which rarely sees any customers, had a large crowd gathered outside today.

Ana seemed to realize something, her expression turned ominous, and she rushed into the flower shop.

Who are you?

Several men and women in the flower shop asked Ana and Shirou when they entered. Several of them recognized Shirou, who had become a hero of Uruk.

"We know the elderly lady who runs this flower shop; she sometimes helps out... Is something wrong?"

"Oh, I see. You're the ones my mother mentioned..."

The middle-aged man looked into the next room and said, "My mother passed away this morning."

"!!"

Ana's eyes widened in surprise.

"I was chatting with the old lady yesterday evening! How is that possible!"

"I understand how you feel, but that's how it is when people get older..."

Ignoring her relatives' advice, Ana rushed into the room where the body was kept.

The old man lay peacefully on the bed, his serene expression reminding Shirou of the words of a Germany poet.

Death is like a cool summer night.

Compared to humans suffering from Magical Beast attacks, such a death is a hard-won blessing.

The old woman's son walked up to Shirou and explained, "Next, we're preparing to bury Mother in the cemetery on the outskirts of town..."

"Wait... just a moment!"

Ana suddenly hugged the already cold old woman on the bed. "Grandma isn't dead yet, please don't bury her!"

"...?"

Everyone looked utterly confused.

Ana held the old woman tightly, speaking haltingly.

"The old lady... she's not dead... Death God has just taken her soul... I will..."

Shirou will take responsibility for bringing the old woman's soul back from the Underworld... So, wait a little longer! Don't bury her yet!

The relatives were at a loss and all looked at Shirou.

"I'd also like to ask you to properly preserve the elderly person's body."

To bolster his argument, he added that he would "discuss this matter with King Gilgamesh and the high priests."

Ana was somewhat downcast after returning to the street from the flower shop.

Just as Shirou was thinking of some words of comfort—

"I'm sorry, Shirou."

Why should you apologize to me?