(My head hurts so much.)
That was Ishtar's first thought upon regaining consciousness.
(What happened?)
She remembered planning to head to Uruk as usual, to humiliate that arrogant king and take a stroll. But just as she was about to reach the Ziggurat…
(Oh, right! Someone I didn't know hit my head hard!)
Recalling this, Ishtar's spirits suddenly surged! And with it came an indescribable rage!
Someone dared to attack the most supreme Goddess of this land, the Mistress of Heaven! They must be tired of living! She prayed she wouldn't meet that attacker later, or she'd beat them to death!
"Hey, you're awake."
As Ishtar was thinking this, when she opened her eyes, she saw Naoki smiling down at her.
And then—
"Waaah~!"
Like a girl terrified of insects suddenly spotting one, Ishtar's expression turned pale! Her body even trembled uncontrollably!
"Why are you here—!"
Ishtar's scream startled everyone in the Ziggurat.
Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow with interest. "Hoo? You know this foolish goddess, Holy Sword wielder?"
"No, this is my first time meeting this goddess, it's just…" Naoki looked at her appearance, almost identical to Tohsaka Rin. "I know someone who looks very much like her. In that sense, you could say I know her, but it's a one-sided acquaintance. I'm a bit surprised the Goddess knows me."
There was no way the girl currently possessed by Ishtar was Rin herself. Naoki remembered that she was supposed to possess a girl from the Age of Gods who resembled Rin.
Besides, Rin couldn't possibly appear here.
However—
"What do you mean you're surprised I know you? It'd be strange if I didn't know you."
Ishtar glared at Naoki angrily. "Not to mention all the knowledge instilled in me when I was summoned, this body belongs to a girl connected to you. Just now, her personal consciousness was so strong it briefly overpowered me!"
"Huh?"
The body was a girl connected to Naoki?
That meant…
"Rin?" Naoki's eyes widened in shock. "You… how did you end up in the Age of Gods?"
"That's something you'd have to ask—"
"Enough!"
Just as Ishtar was about to speak, Gilgamesh suddenly cut her off. "This is where this King handles state affairs, not your living room for chitchat! Take it outside the temple if you have things to discuss! The five minutes I gave you are up!"
"Wait—you shameless, arrogant jerk, daring to talk to me like that, waaah!"
Ishtar, trying to stand and argue with Gilgamesh, fell back before she could fully get up.
"Ouch… who tied my hands and feet with chains?"
"I tied them, anticipating this moment. This King's schedule has no room to deal with you. Hurry and take this foolish goddess away, Holy Sword wielder."
"Yes, yes~~~"
Naoki responded, then bent down, hoisted Ishtar over his shoulder, and walked out of the temple. Merry and the others, seeing the situation, hurriedly followed.
And after that—
"Siduri, record what happened just now in the palace diary later. Note it as 'The King laughed until his stomach muscles cramped'—that was a rare, humiliating sight of that foolish goddess."
"Haaah."
Siduri could only sigh helplessly at the domineering king who showed no respect for the gods.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Outside the Ziggurat.
After reaching the outside, Naoki set Ishtar down and unbound the chains on her hands and feet, then asked, "This should be far enough. So, Goddess Ishtar, is the girl you're possessing really Tohsaka Rin, the one I know?"
"Yes, at least that's what the memories I received indicate."
After moving her hands and feet, Ishtar nodded. "I came to this land as a Pseudo-Servant. Based on the situation when I descended, it seems this body somehow got lost here. When she was nearly killed after being attacked by a Demon Beast, she inadvertently summoned me, and I possessed her."
Lost in Uruk for some reason?
Frowning and thinking for a moment, Naoki stared at Merry. "Did you do this?"
"Why are you suddenly asking me?"
Merry raised both hands, putting on a very innocent expression. "Though I often do bad things that give me a bit of a bad reputation, so it's not surprising I'd be suspected, this time with Rin, I genuinely had nothing to do with it. In fact, I was shocked when I learned the girl possessed by the Goddess was Rin."
"What, you've been here for over half a year and only now met Goddess Ishtar for the first time?"
"Of course. Unlike the Goddess who flies around freely, I don't have that much energy. I have a lot of things to do. You know what they are."
Speaking to this point, Merry winked at Naoki. "So you have to give me a nice reward tonight, or tomorrow I'll go on strike!"
"You're threatening me… But this time, I'll listen to you. I'll meet you tonight."
"No, no, no, I'll come to you. Remember to tell Rei to leave first."
Hearing the conversation between these two, Ritsuka, Mash, and Hinako could already imagine what would happen at the Chaldea embassy tonight—should those uninvolved just move out?
Meanwhile, Ishtar seemed to recall something unpleasant. As soon as Naoki and Merry finished talking, she immediately sat on Maanna and swiftly flew into the sky.
Though she didn't quite understand it herself, her body was giving her a strong warning, telling her she absolutely couldn't stay with that man, or she'd be devoured alive without even bones left!
(Just how scared are you of the Holy Sword wielder…?)
Silently complaining about the body, Ishtar flew into the air. "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving—oh, by the way, your name's Natsukawa Naoki. I'll remember that bat strike today. No matter what your connection is to this body, I'll definitely smack your head hard later!"
"I'll be waiting—oh, and don't forget to pay back the money you borrowed."
"Who borrowed money from you!"