Looking into Ryougi Shiki's direct gaze and listening to her words, Rozen understood.
"So, you've been wanting me to help that goddess all along?"
That was why Ryougi Shiki had accepted the mission to break Merlin's barrier and assist the undead army in attacking Uruk—not, as she had claimed before, because she wanted to kill Rozen, but to draw him into the Underworld to meet Ereshkigal.
Even in the Underworld, though Ryougi Shiki had been helping Ereshkigal in battle, all she had really done was keep Mash occupied.
She never stopped Rozen from confronting Ereshkigal.
Otherwise, when Altera appeared and Ereshkigal was in dire straits, she would have rushed over to help.
With the power of Ryougi Shiki's Mystic Eye of Death Perception, perhaps even Altera wouldn't have been able to ignore her threat.
If Ryougi Shiki had actually gone to support Ereshkigal at that time, that battle probably wouldn't have ended so easily.
In other words, Ryougi Shiki had been gambling.
Gambling on whether Rozen could save Ereshkigal—pull her back from the abyss she couldn't escape.
In the end, Ryougi Shiki won that gamble.
Perhaps that was why this girl was willing to form a temporary contract with Rozen and return to Uruk with him.
At first glance, she seemed indifferent, unwilling to interact much with others, and appeared to be a lawless person. But toward those she favored, she seemed to take care of them to the very end.
"Didn't expect you to be someone who worries about others so much," Rozen said almost unconsciously.
"...Are you mocking me?"
Ryougi Shiki frowned again, looking rather displeased.
But she still said:
"In any case, since you've met my expectations, that little bit of power—use it however you like."
She went on:
"I don't know what rules Servants are supposed to follow, but if it's just killing people, slaying oddities, or taking down magical beasts, I can still be of help."
Saying that, Ryougi Shiki stood up from the floor and went upstairs.
Rozen watched the girl leave, chuckling again.
"What an interesting person."
Like all other Servants, she had a strong personality, but Ryougi Shiki's was still distinctively her own.
And her behavior, style, and clothing felt surprisingly close to modern times.
"Maybe the era she lived in wasn't so far from ours," he thought.
And with those Mystic Eyes, she was the kind of person who could spark others' interest in many ways.
Surely, under that unique manner, even if she acted cold, there would still be people willing to approach her—maybe even be drawn to her.
"This trip to the Underworld really paid off."
Ereshkigal had become Rozen's Familiar through an absolute contract.
Ryougi Shiki and Ishtar had become Rozen's Servants under temporary contracts.
Although Ereshkigal would not leave the Underworld, gaining both a Servant and a goddess as allies should be a great boon for Uruk.
Not to mention, Ereshkigal had already promised to lend the undead army to Rozen.
"Even if they can only fight at night, it's better than nothing."
With that, plus the fact that one of the Three Goddess Alliance had already been defeated, their coalition had lost a third of its strength—surely a heavy blow to them.
"Tomorrow, we'll return to Uruk."
Rozen took a sip of water and was about to go upstairs when he suddenly froze mid-step.
After a moment of contemplation, he spoke:
"Altera?"
Behind him, in the space around him, a faint phantom wavered.
"I'm here," Altera's cool voice sounded in Rozen's mind. "Do you have something to discuss?"
Hearing that ever-unchanging voice, Rozen pressed his lips together but said nothing.
And since Rozen didn't speak, Altera naturally didn't either.
Both remained silent, neither willing to be the first to open their mouth.
In the past, whenever Rozen stayed quiet, Altera would stay silent until the end.
But today, that pattern broke.
"...Do you want to ask me something?"
Altera's voice in his mind was no longer cool, but carried a complicated tone.
Rozen gave a wry smile.
"It's not that I want to ask you something," he sighed, correcting her. "It's that you want to tell me something, isn't it?"
Altera fell silent again.
Seeing this, Rozen's wry smile turned into a helpless one.
"So you still won't tell me anything?"
Though his words carried helplessness, there was also a faint detachment in his tone—something that had never been there before when speaking to Altera.
That detachment made Altera's heart tremble.
It was a feeling that had never happened before.
But by now, Rozen's every action truly tugged at Altera's heart.
She knew Rozen had always been waiting for her to speak the truth.
Because—
"I've thought about it—we've been together for so many years. You should trust me enough to tell me about yourself by now, shouldn't you?"
Rozen's voice was calm.
"Was I wrong?"
The meaning of the question was clear.
Rozen was asking whether his belief that he had earned Altera's trust had been nothing but an illusion.
If it wasn't an illusion, why had she kept silent about herself?
If nothing had happened, it might be understandable—but here, in the Age of Gods, more and more people were recognizing her.
"And I—your Master, the one who summoned you and shares a fused soul with you—know less about you than others. Do you think that's right?"
Without turning around, Rozen continued speaking as if to himself.
"Both Gilgamesh and Ereshkigal called you by that name—Sefar."
"Twice now. Are you still planning to say nothing?"
"Is that it, Altera?"
Today, Rozen's voice was exceptionally calm and detached, enough to make Altera's breathing grow rapid.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something—
But in the end, she gave up.
For no other reason than—
"I'm just afraid you'll fear me."
Unknowingly, Altera spoke those words.
Hearing them, Rozen smiled.
It was an unexpectedly peaceful smile.
"Do you remember the circumstances when we first met?"
His words made Altera's whole body jolt.
Of course she remembered.
Their first meeting had been in the stone chamber of the giant god Altera—in front of her true form.
"Back then, was I afraid of you?"
That blunt question left Altera speechless.
She recalled that first meeting—though Rozen had felt suffocated and pressured by the presence of the giant god Altera's true body, he had not been afraid.
"You've underestimated me."
Leaving those words behind, Rozen stood and went upstairs without looking back.
Only the spirit form of Altera remained, watching him go.
At some point, a tear slid down from the corner of her eye.
"I'm just afraid the dream will end..."
She couldn't help it.
This dream—Altera was living it so happily.
So happy it brought her guilt.