The woman who appeared was indeed the goddess Ishtar—the goddess of nature and harvest.
She was also the goddess who presided over love, fertility, and war.
In the heavens, she who had been observing the mortal realm could no longer resist being drawn to Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk.
Now standing before this human king and seeing him up close, she found herself even more captivated.
With golden hair and crimson eyes, his striking handsomeness rivaled even that of male deities.
Especially that aura of dominance and arrogance he exuded—the most intense she'd ever witnessed in any human.
This overwhelming presence was so magnificent it could make even divine majesty pale in comparison.
Look at him—not a trace of unease in his gaze as he sat there completely unperturbed.
Then, Ishtar swayed her alluring figure slightly, assuming the dignified bearing befitting a goddess as her sensual lips parted.
"I am Ishtar~ Goddess of Nature and Fertility~"
"And?"
The King of Uruk remained seated on his throne, chin resting on his hand, responding with a somewhat disinterested tone.
He didn't react with shock, panic, or excitement just because she was a goddess. He remained utterly unmoved.
This reaction made Ishtar pause momentarily—did he not believe her?
No matter. She'd make him believe.
The next instant, as her body began to glow, barley, wheat, lentils, and other crops sprouted around them—right from the stone pavement, where no soil existed. It was nothing short of a divine miracle.
"Now, does this prove I am Ishtar, the Goddess of Nature and Fertility~?"
"And so? Goddess of Nature and Fertility, Ishtar—what business do you have with this king?"
His attitude remained exactly the same, completely unchanged, as if he were speaking to just another ordinary person.
A shadow of displeasure flickered across Ishtar's face.
She was a deity, after all. Though this human before her was a king among men, he was still merely human. How dare he address her with such indifference?
Yet, even as anger simmered, she found herself drawn to him even more.
"It's simple. I've taken a liking to you. So, King of Uruk, become my consort. You will shed the limitations of your short-lived kind and ascend as a demigod with an enduring lifespan."
A goddess courting a mortal—no human could possibly remain unmoved by such an offer. After all, she was a genuine goddess.
Not to mention, becoming her consort would elevate him to demigod status, freeing him from the fear of mortality.
And indeed, the King of Uruk seemed intrigued. He straightened slightly, gazing at her with... amusement?
Amusement?
"I've heard you've had... physical relations with certain gods? And that you've extended similar invitations to other humans in the past?"
"You needn't worry about that, King of Uruk. My heart belongs to you now."
Ah, so that was his concern. Men were all the same—a few sweet words would suffice.
With that, Ishtar swayed closer, her alluring form pressing against him, her breath fragrant.
"Oh? So you really have been with that many men? How unfortunate—this king doesn't fancy boarding public transit~"
She had expected him to be spellbound. Instead, his words turned her face ashen.
Though she didn't understand the term "public transit," the insult was unmistakable.
And the King of Uruk? He regarded her with nothing but disdain before shoving her away and flicking his hand, as though brushing off something filthy.
At that moment, Ishtar's face twisted, veins throbbing in fury.
"Pfft—!"
Someone couldn't hold back a snort before hastily covering their mouth.
The one laughing was the youngest of the Valkyrie sisters—Göll.
The King of Uruk's words were too sharp—comparing her to public transit?
This was just too hilarious.
Wait, wasn't that a modern meme? Did it really exist back in Sumerian times?
Whoa!!!
Suddenly, the King of Uruk's piercing gaze snapped toward her.
N-no way... Could he sense them again?
Terrified, Göll ducked behind her elder sister, Brunhilde.
For now, they remained displaced in time—undetectable even to most gods.
"I wonder what 'bus' means? Ki—no, human Gilgamesh!"
The goddess Ishtar twisted her terrifying face, seemingly eager to understand the meaning of that word.
She no longer referred to him as the King of Uruk but instead gritted her teeth and directly called him by name—proof of her fury.
"You don't understand? Then I, in my boundless mercy, shall enlighten you. A 'bus' is a vehicle for convenient travel. Anyone can board it as long as they pay a small fee. That's why I dislike shared buses—I have my own custom-made royal chariot, far cleaner and more comfortable. If you wish to experience a bus, I can arrange a driver to take you for a ride and let you admire the beauty of Uruk."
The words made Göll bite her small hand in worry for the King of Uruk.
Looking at the goddess Ishtar, her beautiful face was now twisted into something monstrous, like a banshee.
Her eerily twitching claws looked ready to tear him apart.
"Hahaha, very good, very good, Gilgamesh!!!"
Finally, she let out a scream that seemed to tear her throat, making Gray shudder.
"This is bad, Brunhilde! The King Gilgamesh is going to be killed!"
"No, she won't resort to killing him outright."
Gods generally wouldn't personally kill humans—it would make them seem too impulsive and invite mockery from other deities.
Instead, they would punish humans in other ways, then watch their suffering from on high.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Brunhilde also caught a dangerous glint in Gilgamesh's gaze—something eager, something daring.
Deicide?
Where did he get such confidence?
"Just wait. I'll make you regret today's actions!"
With that threat, the goddess Ishtar departed.
The man on the throne watched her vanishing figure, a faint smirk curling his lips. The progress had already reached 95%.
Had things escalated just now—had he actually managed to kill Ishtar—would it have gone even higher? 99%, perhaps?
Well, the next step would be sending the Bull of Heaven after him, wouldn't it?