The Tablet of Destinies that King Gilgamesh left in Kutha... was actually blank?
That meant everything about the future had become uncertain!
Samael examined the contract freshly inscribed on the clay tablet before him, silently replaying the fragments he'd overheard. His gaze grew pensive.
He had to admit—Gilgamesh possessed a rebellious streak and a taste for provoking authority.
So, the contract forged between the King of Heroes and the child of the Goddess Tiamat had been deliberately engraved on that blank Tablet of Destinies.
Gilgamesh's intent was plain to see: if the future could truly be changed, then by writing it here as the answer, what could the gods do to stop him?
As the final signature was etched in place, a thought crossed Samael's mind. His expression turned calm.
Could it be that this Hero King had chosen to take the gamble precisely because the course of "destiny" had already shifted?
And perhaps, in his mind, it all stemmed from the intervention of the goddess Tiamat?
The return journey after the failed search for the Herb of Immortality... Kutha... half a year ago...
The Ancient Serpent reflected on the time and place where that blank Tablet of Destinies had surfaced. His eyes flicked toward himself with a peculiar look.
Wait... could the real key to all of this not be the Mother Goddess Tiamat, but him—this Ancient Serpent from beyond the weave of fate?
Eh, never mind. It sounded more convincing to pin the blame on the Mother Goddess. It also made it easier to conceal his own abnormalities.
Samael wisely held his tongue, locking those speculations deep within his heart.
Cooperation was one thing—no need to lay all his cards on the table.
Like earlier, when discussing the status of the Three Goddess Alliance, Samael had deliberately kept his true relationship with Ereshkigal a secret.
Either way, he had sabotaged Gilgamesh's pursuit of immortality and now found himself entangled in some hidden conspiracy. Best to tread carefully.
Soon after, the original, newly-inscribed Tablet of Destinies was solemnly placed by Gilgamesh into the Babylonian treasury.
Two identical copies were made—one handed to Samael, the signatory, and the other to Merlin, the witness, for safekeeping.
Faced with this damning piece of blasphemy, the two exchanged a glance and wordlessly tucked the documents into their respective hidden corners—hopefully never to be seen again.
As for Samael, his identity as the "Child of the Goddess Tiamat" would conveniently be forgotten by everyone the moment he left the sacred tower of the royal palace.
Gilgamesh had intentionally dismissed the palace guards and any potential outsiders near the tower who might leak information—clearly with the same idea in mind.
Indeed, from the very beginning, this Hero King had never been one to meekly follow the will of the gods.
Realizing he'd been a bit too anxious earlier, the Ancient Serpent couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
Still, now that they had a foundation for cooperation and each held leverage over the other, it was time to act swiftly for mutual benefit.
After a brief consultation, Samael, Gilgamesh, and Merlin—dragged into the discussion and now an unwilling accomplice—came to a unanimous decision.
The immediate threat in Uruk, the rampaging Great Goddess Ishtar, needed to be dealt with first.
Of course, it wasn't just because she was hoarding gems and wealth.
Uruk was in desperate need of fighters—especially high-grade divine tools!
Three days ago, during the battle at the Absolute Demonic Front, Gilgamesh had sustained moderate injuries while clashing with Kingu.
Meanwhile, Merlin, Leonidas, Samael, and even Ana were all in a severely weakened state.
And the ironclad fortifications the Sumerians had poured immense manpower and resources into? Torn open by the area-wide bombardment from the Goddess of Demonic Beasts—Gorgon...
Right now, Uruk was like a defenseless beauty stripped bare—completely vulnerable and exposed.
That's why bribing Ishtar, the city's guardian goddess, had become a necessary opening move. Using the wealth of the Babylonian treasury to tame her like a wild beast, fitting her with reins and a bridle, was now essential.
Taming a wild beast... reins... a bridle...
As the beast tamer appointed by the King of Heroes, did he need to prepare a whip and a gag too?
On the way, a certain troublesome being—dispatched from the sacred tower of the royal palace to clean up the mess—carried the clay tablet contract meant to lure the goddess. Grinning to himself, he couldn't help the strange thoughts creeping in.
Even if fate had shifted slightly, its inertia remained.
Thus, the terms Gilgamesh offered for negotiation were almost the same as what he remembered: a promise to entrust 30% of the ore stockpiled in the treasury to the beast tamer.
Naturally, as the intermediary, Samael had the nerve to ask the funding party for a 5% commission on those ores.
Compared to the 30% used to buy off Ishtar, the Ancient Serpent's pay was practically a steal.
Still, in exchange for such generous concessions, Samael made only one demand—payment upfront.
Once he added three crucial clauses to the clay tablet contract, Gilgamesh, lord of countless treasures, burst out laughing and happily paid the 5% commission.
Five percent might not sound like much, but the Babylonian treasury represented, conceptually, the accumulated wealth of all human history—more than enough for him to make a killing.
And judging from a few prior tests, this was probably the upper limit of what Gilgamesh was willing to hand over honestly.
As for the 30% meant to win over Ishtar?
Heh. A carrot on a stick only needs to dangle in front of the donkey to get it moving—no need to actually feed it, right?
Just as the Ancient Serpent was grinning with malicious delight, the carriage rolled through the gates of the sacrificial grounds...
"Lady Ishtar! This is private property of Uruk—you can't take it!"
"Hey! I helped fend off the Magical Beasts that attacked Babylonia's frontlines the other day. Just collecting a little protection…"
"...Ahem. To defend Uruk, I practically threw all my gems into the fray. What's wrong with recovering my losses?"
In the square, the weary-faced Siduri was blocking the storeroom entrance, firmly trying to stop this divine thief from loading treasures onto the hovering Boat of Heaven.
A clearly displeased Ishtar stood with one hand on her hip, arrogantly declaring what sounded like a divine proclamation—but was really just a thinly veiled excuse to plunder more riches.
"Besides, I'm doing this for your own good!"
"If divine blessings are handed out freely, how will humanity ever grow?"
"So, to prevent you from becoming dependent on power that isn't yours, you'll need to offer something of equal value!"
You mean "protection money," right?
Siduri's mouth twitched. She silently cursed.
Besides, those gems Ishtar smashed that night had long since been recovered from the temple stash.
Now she was looting the sacrificial grounds too—hauling off so many non-gem precious metals and coins. Wasn't that a bit greedy?
But the city goddess, dead set on reaping her reward, wasn't about to let Siduri or anyone else get a word in.
The haughty robber dragged two treasure chests filled to the brim with sparkling valuables and marched toward the square where Maanna hovered in place.
But just as she stepped outside—bam—she ran headfirst into someone coming from the opposite direction, crashing into them and stumbling backward.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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