Gilgamesh's behavior left Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash completely stunned.
The explanation that his Clairvoyance was ineffective against Su Mo wasn't the crucial part; what mattered was the attitude Gilgamesh displayed.
This King of Heroes, who was arrogant even to the gods, who was notoriously rude to Ishtar in the myths and even made her cry with the help of his beloved Enkidu, was now so docile and respectful you could almost call it submissive. He didn't even dare to refute Ishtar's accusations, he could only bow his head and admit his fault.
The contrast was just too immense.
His previous attitude towards the members of Chaldea, and even when discussing other gods, was nothing like this. Ritsuka clearly remembered Gilgamesh's utter disdain for Ishtar before.
And now, who else but Su Mo could have caused such a complete one-eighty?
"W-w-what? Lord Su Mo's status is that high?!"
Gudako blinked, only now truly grasping the unique standing of a God-King.
"But of course. Father God is the sovereign of all. To him, ordinary gods are no different from ordinary humans," Ishtar said, lifting her chin proudly.
Only then did Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash realize that they were the only ones surprised.
Everyone else, from Siduri to the citizens of Uruk, saw nothing strange about Gilgamesh's humble behavior. Even the soldiers who deeply trusted and revered their king felt no shame at seeing him bow so low. Instead, they were filled with joy and reverence.
Revering the gods—while it might seem to detract from a king's dignity to modern people, in the Age of Gods, it was a crucial measure of a leader's capability. Bowing humbly before a deity was not a humiliation but an honor, proof of the king's pious faith.
In fact, the period when Gilgamesh acted as a tyrant and stood in opposition to Ishtar, the guardian goddess of Uruk, was when his reputation was at its lowest. Now, as the Sage King, although his attitude towards Ishtar was still brusque, his respect for Siduri, the head priestess, symbolized his respect for life itself. Half of his reputation as a Sage King came from his diligent handling of state affairs, and the other half from Siduri's emphasis on religious rites.
For the citizens of Uruk who had lived through his tyrannical phase, this was proof that he had turned over a new leaf. They couldn't ask for more.
Therefore, seeing Gilgamesh's devout posture before the God-King, the people of Uruk were actually quite moved. It was like seeing their own child finally learn some sense. Ishtar aside, at least their king was showing the proper respect to the God-King, which meant he wasn't as rebellious as he could be.
Su Mo took note of everyone's reactions but didn't pay them much mind.
Although Gilgamesh was the "wedge between man and gods," heralding the eventual end of the Age of Gods, his attitude towards the God-King had never been frivolous. This level of respect was sufficient for Su Mo; his standards for etiquette weren't as strict as the Queen of Halloween's.
"Rise. The intention is what matters in a ceremony; the scale is secondary."
He waved his hand, signaling for everyone to get up.
"I have come in response to the request made during the Holy Grail War. You should be aware of this, yes?"
"Yes!"
Gilgamesh stood up obediently and nodded.
"My Servant counterpart passed on those memories to me. I simply did not know when you would descend."
"However, now that you have graced us with your presence, Uruk finally has a chance to survive!"
At this, Gilgamesh's expression filled with relief. He had been prepared to perish along with Uruk, but he never expected that, by a twist of fate, the God-King himself would agree to help him. In this situation, even the fated future seen by his Clairvoyance now had a chance to change.
"Of course! Who do you think made the request? Father God could never bear to refuse his beloved daughter!" Ishtar declared triumphantly.
"...Indeed. This achievement is enough to completely offset the blunder of you losing the Bull of Heaven," Gilgamesh glanced at Ishtar, his words laced with sarcasm.
"You—!"
Ishtar was choked with anger.
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash exchanged a look, breathing a sigh of relief. He's back! The impossibly arrogant King of Heroes is back! So his personality didn't change, he's just respectful to Lord Su Mo!
Amidst their conversation, the group arrived at the royal palace.
In Su Mo's presence, Gilgamesh did not dare take the main seat. He yielded the supreme throne to Su Mo, standing below like a court official offering counsel.
"Lord Su Mo, perhaps you already know everything, but a fool such as I am not so omniscient. Allow me to report. Uruk is currently facing multiple crises. On the surface is the Three Goddess Alliance, and behind them is the wrath of the Primordial Mother Goddess."
"The Three Goddess Alliance?"
Hearing this, Gudako and Mash exchanged a glance. Ever since arriving in this era, they had been doing nothing but odd jobs. They knew disaster was coming, but they lacked specific intel. To think that the first time they'd learn the source of the catastrophe would be by eavesdropping thanks to their connection to Su Mo.
But what they expected even less was Su Mo's reaction.
"The Three Goddess Alliance... is already over."
He paused for less than a second before making his declaration, a statement that left everyone present utterly stunned.