After running in the morning, Annanu led the group into another round of training in the afternoon: learning how to adapt to danger—or rather—
Digging holes!
Adekate wanted to curse even more over this.
But Annanu's explanation was: "When facing an enemy you cannot defeat, this is undoubtedly a quick and effective way to stall for time. It can also create artificial cover on open plains where there is none, so it is a skill that must be mastered."
Come to think of it, that actually made a lot of sense.
So what else could they do? Practice!
This time, however, the team expanded to eighteen people—Annanu had also dragged Ruslan, whom Gilgamesh had shoved onto him, into the training. The group now had an extra cook and an adjutant—an official who assisted Annanu.
Adekate was a general, Ruslan was both adjutant and cook, and with Annanu as their commander, they formed the leadership of this army.
That evening, after sending all the exhausted soldiers back, Annanu carried Ruslan back to the palace.
"Here." He stuffed the half-dead Ruslan into Siduri's arms, then turned and left.
Siduri: ???
Looking at the delirious Ruslan sprawled at her feet, Siduri stopped thinking altogether.
Ishtar felt that something was a little off.
Gilgamesh had broken character and rescued her from danger. He clearly had some interest in her, but—
Why had he not come looking for her?
Ishtar stood before a mirror, posing coquettishly as she examined her slender figure.
Mm, absolutely perfect. Even among goddesses, she was the most beautiful one.
With a confident smile on her face, Ishtar asked the divine maiden beside her, "Shamhat, do you think I'm beautiful?"
"My goddess, you are the most beautiful existence in the world, the embodiment of beauty itself." Shamhat spoke the truth, wearing