Fujimaru Ritsuka fell asleep, and when he woke up, he happened to be lying on Mash's back, watching the newborn sun rise.
"Mm... It's beautiful."
Fujimaru Ritsuka wrapped his arms around Mash's waist, pouting as he looked at the rising sun, still seeming a little groggy.
"Senpai, you're awake. We'll reach Uruk soon." Mash smiled gently. The steed beneath her continued to gallop, showing no signs of fatigue.
After all, it was a creature from the Age of Gods. Even an ordinary horse was clearly different from those of the modern era.
"Ah, we're almost there?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka subconsciously glanced behind them.
Mm. No Tiamat.
The feeling Tiamat gave Fujimaru Ritsuka was strange.
He could sense a tangible maternal nature from that enormous Mother Goddess, yet her terror and violence were equally unmistakable.
Contradictory. Somehow unsettling.
Beyond that, Fujimaru Ritsuka could simultaneously feel immense sorrow and joy.
All those opposing traits existing within the same individual made Fujimaru Ritsuka feel... chilled to the bone.
Especially when Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at Tiamat, he seemed to truly feel what Tiamat felt. Yet what he felt most strongly was shock and sorrow.
She was clearly an enemy, clearly a Beast capable of destroying human history, so why... did she make me feel this way?
Resting his chin on Mash's shoulder, Fujimaru Ritsuka stared blankly ahead.
Uruk's walls had already come into view.
"So she's advancing from this direction? Hmph, she certainly knows how to choose a path for herself."
A map of Mesopotamia was displayed with perfect clarity on Mash's shield. Alongside it was the route Tiamat was projected by Chaldea to take.
Because her body was as enormous as a mountain range, Tiamat's route was nearly a straight line. Avoiding only places that were truly difficult to traverse, she was heading directly